Big Eyes Page #25

JANE:

I just can't believe you let people in

the house.

94.

MARGARET:

I have nothing to hide!

(TORRID)

It also says no lies. "Speak truth.

Let the stealer steal no more."

Margaret and Jane lock eyes.

CUT TO:

INT. WOODSIDE HOUSE - DAY

Loud JAZZ plays. Back home, Walter is living a Man's, Man's

World. He's partying, drinking and dancing with two cute

HIPPIE CHICKS in bikinis.

The place is like a WAREHOUSE, Keane PRINTS stacked everywhere.

HIPPIE CHICK:

Sh*t, this is crazy! All these

copies... you're like Warhol!

WALTER:

Nah, Warhol's like me. That fruitfly

stole my act! "The Factory"? I had a

factory before he had a soup can!

The girls scrunch their faces, lost.

Then -- DING-DONG! Walter peeks out the window, then grins.

WALTER:

Ah! It's my art supplies.

INT. PAINTING ROOM - SECONDS LATER

Alone, Walter eagerly pries open a GIANT CRATE. He pulls out

padding. Wadded Honolulu newspapers. Then... a PAINTING.

Ah! A new WAIF, surrounded by colorful tropical plants.

Walter smiles triumphantly -- until -- his happiness melts

into confusion. Then horror.

We ZOOM INTO the painting's SIGNATURE. It says "MDH Keane."

Walter freaks.

WALTER:

AAAGGGGHH!

CUT TO:

INT. HAWAIIAN KINGDOM HALL - DAY

The JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES sing a joyous, high-spirited PSALM:

95.

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

"Tremble not before your foe,

Let all lovers of truth know!

That my reigning Son, Christ Jesus,

From the heav'ns has cast the foe.

Soon will bind the Devil, Satan,

Letting all his victims go!"

Margaret and Jane are singing happily.

INT. HAWAIIAN HOUSE - DAY

Margaret pours her liquor down the sink.

Margaret tosses her cigarettes in the trash.

Margaret swells, feeling a burst of power. Then a VOICE:

D.J. (O.S.)

Oh yeah! We got a special guest

today. A world-famous celebrity who

just called up and asked to come in..!

INT. RADIO BOOTH - DAY

Angle on BIG LOLO, a gregarious Hawaiian D.J. in headphones.

D.J.

She's malihini! Moved to the islands

a couple months ago... so let's give a

big aloha to Margaret Keane!

He pops in a cart. Canned APPLAUSE plays. We reveal across

from him... Margaret. He grins.

D.J.

So is it true your husband Walter is

the top-selling painter in the world?

We SLOWLY PUSH IN to her. Tentative, she speaks.

MARGARET:

No... Big Lolo. Everything you just

said is false.

Margaret takes a deep breath. Working up her courage.

MARGARET:

One:
Walter is no longer my husband.

(a long pause)

And Two:
He's not... a painter.

Margaret exhales.

The D.J. is confused. He checks his notes.

96.

D.J.

But, am I... mixed-up? Ain't he the

guy who does the crazy eyes?

MARGARET:

No. Though he's been taking credit

for ten years.

(STRONG)

I'm the only painter in the family.

Margaret slowly smiles.

And then... a calmness comes over her. Like a cloud has

lifted.

INT. RADIO STATION HALLWAY - DAY

Margaret and Jane walk away. Jane beams proudly, then gives

her mother a warm hug.

Then -- LOUD CLICKING:

CUT TO:

INT. NEW YORK TIMES - DAY

John Canaday stands over a WIRE SERVICE TELETYPE MACHINE. He

stares at a printout, incredulous.

CANADAY:

You have got to be kidding!

INT. CHINESE RESTAURANT - DAY

TIGHT - The San Francisco Examiner. A small headline says

"EYE DID IT! CLAIMS WIFE"

We PULL OUT, revealing Dee-Ann. She grins in disbelief.

DEE-ANN

I knew it!!!

INT. SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER - DICK'S CUBICLE - DAY

Dick Nolan reads the article -- and SPITS UP his martini.

INT. HUNGRY I - DAY

Banducci CACKLES, terribly amused.

INT. ART GALLERY - DAY

Ruben SHRIEKS at the article.

RUBEN:

Who would WANT credit?!

97.

INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

Walter sits in his favorite haunt, eating lunch and reading a

NEWSPAPER. Suddenly -- he GASPS.

WALTER:

Holy mother of GOD!

Walter JERKS UP -- feral -- like an animal sensing danger.

He whirls and looks around. Paranoia ratcheting. Is

everybody staring at him? Walter starts shaking in horror.

Then -- he jumps and BOLTS OUT.

INT. BAR - NIGHT

Walter sits with Dick. Walter's desperate, sweaty.

WALTER:

Margaret's gone berserk! You gotta

help me! I need a story, a wire story

-- national! -- to calm things down.

Dick peers shrewdly.

DICK:

I don't know... Walter. What she has

said is pretty inflammatory.

WALTER:

But it's nuts! It doesn't even make

sense. When I was studying art at the

Beaux Arts in Paris, she was still a

kid in Tennessee!

Dick reacts. Walter whips out the "Tomorrow's Master's" BOOK.

WALTER:

Look! These are my early sketches.

(he flips pages, like a

MAGICIAN)

See?! Berlin orphans, 1946!

DICK:

(PIQUED)

But... how could she...

WALTER:

Exactly! It's impossible! We didn't

meet for another nine years! After

she busted her first marriage.

(HE SHRUGS)

Hell, she busted OUR marriage!

Sleeping around with whatever trash

she could find!!

Dick's head is spinning.

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