Big Eyes Page #16

SNOBBY ARTIST #1

I'll bet I could bang one out in ten

minutes.

SNOBBY ARTIST #2

It wouldn't have the dopey sincerity.

SNOBBY ARTIST #1

The customers won't notice...

They peer sheepishly at each other...

CUT TO:

EXT. STORE WINDOW - DAY

Ruben is walking past -- then stops, pained. A window display

of Keane Big Eyes shares space with paintings of CUTESY

KITTENS lapping up milk.

We WIDEN, revealing a whole wall of rip-offs! All with odd

anonymous signatures: "Gig." "Eve." "Igor." A cavalcade of

WIDE-EYED ANIMALS AND KIDS... DANCING WITH GUITARS... DRESSED

AS HOBOS... PLAYING IN PAJAMAS. But these children aren't

sad. They're just... blank.

Ruben gasps at the dead-eyed pictures.

RUBEN:

Christ. It's a movement.

CUT TO:

INSERT - TELEVISION - FULL FRAME

"The Tonight Show" opening CREDITS:

ANNOUNCER (V.O.)

It's "The Tonight Show!" With guests

Jerry Lewis, the Everly Brothers,

artists Walter and Margaret Keane --

The CHANNEL CHANGES: A children's toy commercial (STOCK). A

tear-streaked, crying plastic DOLL, a flagrant Waif rip-off:

FEMALE ANNOUNCER (V.O.)

She's "Little Miss No Name," the doll

with the tear. From Hasbro.

The CHANNEL CHANGES: Spanish TELEVISION. A Keane painting

gets hung in Madrid's National Museum of Contemporary Art.

CUT TO:

59.

INT. PAINTING ROOM - DAY

The Margaret sweatshop is going full-blast. Canvases are

everywhere:
Melancholy MDH ladies. Woeful Keane kids. Even a

portrait of Natalie Wood, copied from a photo. Margaret dips

a tiny brush, quickly detailing the tear on a child's cheek...

when the doorbell CHIMES.

Hm? Margaret puts down her brush, wipes her hands, then

hurries out. She opens the door... REVEALING THAT WE'RE IN A

DIFFERENT HOUSE. A GIANT, PHENOMENAL 1960s EXTRAVAGANZA.

INT. WOODSIDE HOUSE - SAME TIME

Margaret runs across the marble floors, past the swooping,

Modern lines of a California ranch... all-white furniture... a

kidney-shaped pool glistening blue outside the glass... a cute

TOY POODLE barking at the door.

MARGARET:

Rembrandt, shush!

In the foyer, Margaret opens the front door. And standing

there is Dee-Ann. Dazzled. She laughs with surprise.

DEE-ANN

My God! I thought I misread the

address.

MARGARET:

Yeah. That driveway is long.

(she giggles, embarrassed)

Honestly, I can't believe I live here.

Dee-Ann glides in -- then freezes, agape.

DEE-ANN

Whoa.

MARGARET:

I know! Two acres, a pool, five

BEDROOMS --

(PAUSE)

Though I thought that was excessive,

since there's only three of us here.

DEE-ANN

Three? I thought there were four.

MARGARET:

What?

(CONFUSED; BEAT)

Oh -- you mean Lily! No, she doesn't

really live with us. That was just in

the articles.

60.

DEE-ANN

Crazy. A fake daughter...

Dee-Ann's eyes take it all in. Astonished.

DEE-ANN

It's been so long since I've seen you.

MARGARET:

I know. North Beach is 30 miles, but

it might as well be 300...

DEE-ANN

You're probably busy, hanging out with

your new rich buddies.

(BARBED)

"Kim Novak."

MARGARET:

Oh, please! She's Walter's friend.

(a quiet shrug)

He brings people by... the Beach Boys

were here. But, it's pretty isolated.

Dee-Ann goes silent. Margaret seems dwarfed by the house.

MARGARET:

Jane has nice friends. Sometimes I

pick them up at the junior high, and

we all get pizza.

(AWKWARD)

But she's busy... Are you hungry?

DEE-ANN

I'm thirsty.

MARGARET:

Good! I'll whip us up two gin fizzes.

Margaret forces a smile and scurries behind a giant curved wet

bar. She pulls out ingredients: Gin, lemon juice, soda...

MARGARET:

When we moved in, I thought a wet bar

was extravagant... but it's surprising

how much use you can get out of it.

Dee-Ann watches the drinkmaking.

DEE-ANN

How's Walter?

MARGARET:

He couldn't be happier. He has

everything he ever dreamed of.

61.

DEE-ANN

And so do you! Fabulous.

Dee-Ann smiles archly. She glances away -- and notices

Margaret's STUDIO, the door half-open.

DEE-ANN

Oh, is that your studio?

Margaret turns -- and gasps.

MARGARET:

No --! You can't go in --

DEE-ANN

I just want a peek. See what the

workspace of a wildly successful

artist looks like --

MARGARET:

Dee-Ann, please! STOP --

Margaret rushes to block her -- but Dee-Ann pushes open the

door, revealing...

INT. PAINTING ROOM

A room full of MDHs and Keanes.

Dee-Ann stops, puzzled. She glances at Margaret -- who has

turned white as a ghost.

Immensely curious, Dee-Ann slowly enters. She peers around at

the two styles of paintings...

A strained silence. Finally, Margaret whispers.

MARGARET:

W-Walter paints in here too.

Hmm.

Dee-Ann walks about, examining the canvases. Then, her gaze

settles on the Big Eye that Margaret was working on.

Below the easel is the wet brush on the open jar of paint.

Margaret sucks in her breath. Dee-Ann sees this.

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