Big Fish Page #12

Finally, a decision is reached. The door opens to reveal thewoman of Edward’s dreams, Sandra Kay Templeton. She’s

effortlessly beautiful, pure and simple as sunlight.

He can’t believe he’s finally reached her. He half-laughs,

nervous. That makes her laugh, not sure what’s going on.

EDWARD:

You don’t know me, but my name isEdward Bloom and I am in love with you.

I’ve spent the last three years workingto find out who you are. I’ve been

shot and stabbed and trampled a fewtimes, had my ribs broken twice, butit’s all worth it to see you here, now,

and to finally get to talk to you.

Because I am destined to marry you. I

knew that from the first moment I saw

you at the circus. And I know it now

more than ever.

ON SANDRA, overwhelmed. All she can finally think of to sayis...

SANDRA:

I’m sorry.

EDWARD:

Don’t need to apologize to me. I mean,

I’m the luckiest person you’re going tofind today...

She puts her hand on the door frame. On her left ringfinger, we see a diamond.

SANDRA:

No I’m sorry, I...I’m engaged to bemarried.

64.

ON EDWARD as his heart falls 20 floors. He tries to suppressthe reaction, put on a brave front.

EDWARD:

Oh.

SANDRA:

But you’re wrong. I do know you, at

least by reputation. Edward Bloom from

Ashton. See, I’m actually engaged to aboy from Ashton. Don Price. He was a

few years older than you.

FLASHCUTS TO:

EXT. CREEPY OLD HOUSE - THE GATE - NIGHT

Young Don Price shines his flashlight on Edward.

VARIOUS H.S. ATHLETIC COMPETITIONS

Recapping earlier football, baseball and basketballhighlights, we find Edward beats Don every time.

THE STREET CORNER / ASHTON PARADE

A smoking Don Price crushes his cigarette as Edward leavestown.

BACK TO:

EXT/INT. SORORITY HOUSE - THE DOORWAY

Edward is dumbstruck. With all the strength he can muster...

EDWARD:

Well. Congratulations. I’m sorry tohave bothered you.

He turns and walks down the front steps.

She stays in the doorway for a few beats, feeling genuinelyhorrible for what’s happened. But eventually she goes backinside. We hear GIGGLES from inside as her sorority sistersget to the bottom of this.

SANDRA:

Stop it. It’s not funny. That poorboy.

We LEAD Edward as he walks away, tears just starting to form.

65.

EDWARD (V.O.)

Fate has a cruel way of circling around

on you. After all this work to leave

Ashton, the girl I loved was nowengaged to one of its biggest jerks.

He EXITS FRAME, leaving only the sorority house in thebackground.

EDWARD (V.O.) (cont’d)

There’s a time when a man needs to

fight, and a time when he needs toaccept that his destiny is lost, thatthe ship has sailed, and that only afool would continue.

A beat. Edward steps back INTO FRAME, looking at thesorority house.

EDWARD (V.O.) (cont’d)

The truth is, I’ve always been a fool.

We CIRCLE as he shouts:

EDWARD (cont’d)

Sandra Templeton! I love you! And I

am going to marry you!

INT. SORORITY HOUSE FOYER - DAY

Sandra and her SISTERS peer out through the curtains. Is

this guy crazy?

INT. LECTURE HALL - DAY

The tweedy ECONOMICS PROFESSOR continues his explanation.

Sandra isn’t paying a lot of attention.

He switches on the overhead projector without looking at it.

There’s a TITTER from the STUDENTS, but he doesn’t notice.

A classmate nudges Sandra, who looks up. Written on the

projector is “I Love Sandra Templeton.” She’s horrified and

excited at the same time. The professor finally noticeswhat’s written there.

EXT. QUAD - DAY

Walking with her books, Sandra shakes her head, disbelieving.

We look up to the blue sky, where a giant sky-written heartfloats in the wind.

66.

INT. SANDRA’S BEDROOM - [THE NEXT] MORNING

At her Sisters’ prompting, a just-woken Sandra looks out thesecond-story window to find the lawn filled with

TEN THOUSAND DAFFODILS.

Edward stands amid the sea of flowers. He’s waited there six

hours.

EXT. SORORITY HOUSE - DAY

Sandra walks out to him. She’s smiling, confused, joyful andscared. All down Greek Street, STUDENTS are coming out tosee the display.

SANDRA:

Daffodils?

EDWARD:

They’re your favorite flower.

SANDRA:

How did you get so many?

EDWARD:

I called everywhere in five states andexplained this was the only way I couldget my wife to marry me.

Out of nowhere, a tear drops down Sandra’s cheek. She wipesit off.

SANDRA:

You don’t even know me.

EDWARD:

I have the rest of my life to find out.

From down the street...

A MAN’S VOICE

Sandra!

SANDRA:

It’s Don. Promise me you won’t hurthim.

EDWARD:

If that’s what you want, I swear to it.

The adult DON PRICE arrives. He’s 230 pounds of football-

playing, Skynard-loving, fraternity-proud muscle. And he’s

pissed.

67.

A gang of his BROTHERS walk behind him.

DON PRICE:

Bloom!

EDWARD:

Don.

DON PRICE:

What the hell are you doing? This is

my girl. Mine!

EDWARD:

I didn’t know she belonged to anybody.

Don Price decks him, knocking him down. Edward gets rightback up, but makes no move to defend himself.

Unfazed, Don slugs him again.

SANDRA:

Stop it!

DON PRICE:

(ignoring)

What the matter, Bloom? Too scared to

fight back?

EDWARD:

I promised I wouldn’t.

A beat. Don shrugs, fine. Then proceeds to kick Edward’sass nine ways to Sunday.

EDWARD (V.O.) (cont’d)

While I took the beating of a lifetime,

it was Don Price who was ultimatelydefeated.

As the ass-whupping continues, we

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. FRATERNITY HOUSE BATHROOM - DAY [FLASHFORWARD]

Sitting on the can, Don Price pinches a loaf while readingthe new Playboy.

EDWARD (V.O.)

All the physical activity had worseneda congenital valve defect. Put simply,

his heart wasn’t strong enough.

68.

Don Price squeezes down hard, trying to sh*t the unshittable.

Suddenly, he grasps his chest and collapses face-first on thetile.

MATCH CUT TO:

EXT. WITCH’S HOUSE / GATE - NIGHT [FLASHBACK]

The same image of Don’s dead face on the tile is reflected in

The Eye.

RETURNING BACK TO:

EXT. THE SORORITY HOUSE - DAY

The thrashing continues. Edward somehow fights his way back

to his feet, ready to be knocked down again.

SANDRA:

Don!

Don is about to slug Edward again when he turns.

Sandra pulls off her engagement ring. There’s an audible

AHH! from her sisters, and an OHH! from Don’s brothers.

SANDRA (cont’d)

I will never marry you.

A beat. Don stands stunned, his mind reeling.

Edward, whose eyes are swollen almost shut, keeps waiting for

the next punch. Where is it? What’s going on?

DON PRICE:

What. You love this guy?

SANDRA:

He’s almost a stranger and I prefer himto you.

She hands him the ring. Another beat, then Don storms off.

But not before decking Edward one last time.

Sandra leans over Edward’s broken body. His head lies on the

daffodils.

SANDRA (cont’d)

How can I convince you to stop?

EDWARD:

Go out with me.

He smiles, his teeth bloody.

69.

SANDRA:

Okay.

As the crowd of students APPLAUDS and CHEERS, we CRANE UPabove the flowered battlefield.

Rate this script:3.7 / 3 votes