Belle

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An intricate piano piece - GEORGE FREDERICK HANDEL...

INTERCUT WHITE ON BLACK CREDITS WITH BELOW...

INT. RUSTIC STUDIO OF AN ARTISAN. DAY 111*

A series of shots.

Blue sky through shabby windows.

Run down walls. A paint splashed pine floor. Tens of paint

brushes soaking in stained jars.

An artisan’s hands - weather-worn, swirling a paint brush

in dirty water that sways at the bottom of one of the jars.

A canvas - the sketched face of a woman - blonde, blue eyed

as the artisan strokes paint into her features - a poster

girl for 18th century portraiture. (We will later

recognise her as ELIZABETH MURRAY)

CAPTION:
ENGLAND 1766EXT/INT. DOCKS/SLUM ROOM. ENGLAND - DAY. 222*

A swallow cuts across a red tinged sky. SOUND of footsteps

trudging through mud.

EXTREME CLOSE UP: a small figure being dressed by someone -

a shoulder, an arm, little hands. We do not see a face.

CLOSE:
heavy naval boots move at sombre pace through slums.

Against a stone floor, a child’s feet are laced into boots.

A starving dog barks , darts between tradesmen, sailors.

Hold this image as Handel comes to an END.

INT. SLUM ROOM - DAY. 233*

A CHILD’S POV as the door opens. We see a gentleman in

ceremonial naval dress - CAPTAIN SIR JOHN LINDSAY,

aristocratic, handsome...alarmed at the sight before him.

His eyes close with some sad, internal pain and as they re-

open...We see what he sees...

A fragile girl...around six years old stands in shabby

surroundings. Her terrified eyes stare back, leaving

LINDSAY at a loss. He takes in her features - delicate

with a full mouth that underlines her ethnicity.

She is DIDO ELIZABETH BELLE...part black, part white.

He speaks quietly- words almost as fragile as she is.

CAPTAIN SIR JOHN LINDSAYHello little girl...Little Dido.

(pause)

I am your father.

Silence. Then a tear rises to the surface and as her

confused tears spill, so too do LINDSAY’S.

His POV:
a POOR BLACK WOMAN oversees DIDO from afar.

CAPTAIN SIR JOHN LINDSAY (CONT’D)

(re. Dido)

How lovely she is. So much of her

mother.

(his eyes sting)

I tried...but how...how could I

separate a mother from her child?

(he restrains tears)

And now nature has deprived me of

such a dilemma.

He composes himself - feeling futile...

CAPTAIN SIR JOHN LINDSAY (CONT’D)

Thank you..for taking her.

He reaches into his pocket, holds out money to the woman.

CAPTAIN SIR JOHN LINDSAY (CONT’D)

You may leave us.

The WOMAN hesitates, scurries to DIDO, placing her lips to

the child’s head in a prolonged kiss. Then she is gone.

DIDO is left frightened and stunned!

CAPTAIN SIR JOHN LINDSAY (CONT’D)

Do not be afraid sweet thing. I

am to take you to a good life.

The life you were born to.

He takes out a cube of chocolate, shows it to her. She is

reluctant. He takes a bite - delicious! DIDO moves

forward. He puts the chocolate in her hand. She tastes

it. Sweet cocoa and sugar..and now her tiny mouth is

filled. It makes LINDSAY laugh out loud.

EXT. DOCKS - DAY. 244*

A driver, HARRY - seated at a fine carriage.

As HARRY becomes alarmed - from his POV LINDSAY moves

towards us - the mulatto child in arms.

2.

EXT. KENWOOD HOUSE. LAWNS. DAY. 255*

Silence, except bird song - the splendor of the English

countryside - A neoclassical estate stretches before us.

The figure of a LITTLE GIRL running across the lawns - her

giggle fills the air, her outline faded by the sun.

At French doors to the nursery, a furious greying woman -

LADY MARY MURRAY (40s), waves a wooden spoon and yells...

LADY MARYElizabeth Murray, bring yourself

back here this very moment!

The child crashes to the grass in fits of laughter. She is

no more than 6 years old - Hair the colour of bleached hay

and delicate pale skin.

She rolls on to her back, squinting at the sunlight as...

The SOUND of horse and carriage at the front of the house.

ELIZABETH bolts upright. Her POV: As CAPTAIN SIR JOHN

LINDSAY guides DIDO from the carriage.

WIMBRIDGE, the butler, steps out to receive them.

INT. KENWOOD HOUSE. DRAWING ROOM. DAY. 266*

LADY MANSFIELD (40s), the years have been kind. She is

beautiful, regal - stares ahead in shock...

LORD MANSFIELD (50’s) - a majestic man, white wigged and

low brows, is incandescent, his sister, LADY MARY, frozen.

LORD MANSFIELDWhat in God’s name have you done!!

Their POV - LINDSAY and little DIDO stand.

LADY MANSFIELDShe...she is black.

LINDSAY is pained.

CAPTAIN SIR JOHN LINDSAYShe is my blood.

LADY MARYBut she IS black!

LORD MANSFIELDA detail you chose NOT to share.

CAPTAIN SIR JOHN LINDSAYUncle? You assured me!

3.

LORD MANSFIELD(fury)

Captain Sir John Lindsay, do you

find me a fool? She is a MULATTO!

LORD MANSFIELD’S blood boils, he rages towards LINDSAY. LADY

MANSFIELD restrains him. LINDSAY is red with humiliation.

CAPTAIN SIR JOHN LINDSAYI have no wife to take her...In a

few hours I am to captain a

voyage to the Indies on a

longitude experiment.

(strained)

From there, who knows!!! It is

not in my gift to question the

King and his Royal Navy.

LORD MANSFIELDYou keep in mind my position..?

My reputation...?

CAPTAIN SIR JOHN LINDSAYSir...

LORD MANSFIELDThen have some sense of propriety

boy...and understand what you are

asking.

LINDSAY lowers his voice, shielding DIDO.

SIR JOHN LINDSAYHer mother is dead! My wishes may

not be orthodox but they ARE

necessary!

LORD MANSFIELDHow do we raise her...?

SIR JOHN LINDSAYI beg you, uncle...love her - as

I would, were I here.

(sadly)

And ensure that she is in receipt

of all that is due to her as a

child of mine.

LADY MARY gasps, under...

LADY MANSFIELDThat is simply impossible.

SIR JOHN LINDSAY

What is right can never be

impossible.

4.

His firm gaze holds his aunt and uncle to account. A long

beat. LADY MANSFIELD stands conflicted.

LADY MANSFIELDWhat has she been named?

SIR JOHN LINDSAYShe is Belle...after her mother.

Dido Elizabeth Belle...Lindsay.

LORD MANSFIELDShe takes your name?

SIR JOHN LINDSAYI am not ashamed.

LINDSAY stands his ground.

LADY MARYWe cannot have another

Elizabeth in the household.

LADY MANSFIELD regards the child, then looks to her

husband, gravely. He turns his back - aggrieved.

LADY MANSFIELDWe...we will call her Dido.

(off Lindsay’s nod)

Good Lord, she is thin. Mary,

find her something to eat.

LORD MANSFIELD storms from the room. LADY MANSFIELD

follows. LINDSAY kneels, choked with emotion.

SIR JOHN LINDSAYLittle Belle - sweet child...

(weak smile)

My wish is to keep you...keep youwith me...but a ship...it is noplace for one so precious as you.

(pause)

In these walls, yours will be a

life equal to my blood.

A beat. Through eyes that brim...he catches his breath.

LADY MARY is both stunned and moved - she has to turn away.

SIR JOHN LINDSAY (CONT’D)

You will not understand in this

moment, but hold this in your

heart...you are loved...Just as

I loved your mother.

A tear spills and DIDO’s little fingers come up to wipe it

from his cheek. He presses his lips to her hand, sobbing a

moment, and then he is gone - to stay any longer would be

too much to bare.

5.

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