Big Fish Page #18

EXT. ROAD IN THE SWAMP - DAY

Edward climbs out of his car, the road having literallystopped. The sun is shining, but it can barely penetrate thetrees’ thick canopy.

JENNY (V.O.)

Within six months, his trust hadpurchased the entire town. With one

exception.

In the distance, he sees a shack, so old it’s nearly fallen.

He walks toward it, the marshy ground SQUISHING up around hisfeet, soaking the hems of his trousers.

We hear a PIANO playing from inside the shack. Edward KNOCKS

on the half-hung door, which swings open by itself.

INT. SHACK - DAY

The inside is nicer than you’d think, a real home. A fire

burns in the stove, and curtains hang in the windows.

With her back turned to him, Jenny Hill plays the piano.

Edward doesn’t recognize her as the little girl who used tohave a crush on him. Without turning, she says...

JENNY:

You must be Edward Bloom.

EDWARD:

How did you know?

She keeps PLAYING.

JENNY:

No one would come out here unless theyhad business.

(MORE)

98.

JENNY (cont'd)

And no one would have business with me

except for you. You’re buying thetown.

EDWARD:

Apparently I’ve overlooked this onepiece of it, and I’d like to remedythat. You see, in order for the townto be preserved, the trust must own itin its entirety.

JENNY:

So I’ve heard.

EDWARD:

I’ll offer you more than it’s worth.

And you know you won’t have to move.

Nothing will change except the name onthe deed, you have my word.

Jenny stops playing, her piece not quite finished. She turns

to face him. Edward still doesn’t recognize her.

JENNY:

Now let me get this straight. You’ll

buy the swamp from me, but I’ll stay init. You’ll own the house, but it’llstill be mine. I’ll be here, andyou’ll come and go as you please to oneplace or another. Do I have that

right?

Strange to hear it put that way, but -

EDWARD:

In so many words, yes.

JENNY:

Then I don’t think so Mr. Bloom. If

nothing is going to change, I’d just assoon it not change in the way it hasn’tbeen changing all this time.

EDWARD:

It’s not like you’re going to loseanything. You can ask anyone in town.

I’ve been nothing if not generous. I

want the best for everyone.

A long beat.

JENNY:

Mr. Bloom, why are you buying thisland? Some sort of midlife crisis?

(MORE)

99.

JENNY (cont'd)

Instead of buying a convertible, youbuy a town?

He looks at her, puzzled and surprised. No one has reallyasked before.

EDWARD:

Helping people makes me happy.

JENNY:

I’m not convinced you should be happy.

EDWARD:

I’m sorry. Have I offended you?

She finally turns to face him.

JENNY:

No, you did exactly what you promised.

You came back. I was just expecting

you sooner.

FLASHBACK TO:

EXT. SPECTRE - NIGHT

Young Jenny Hill watches barefoot Edward leave Spectre forthe first time.

BACK TO:

INT. SHACK - DAY

Finally realizing who this woman is...

EDWARD:

You’re Beamen’s daughter. Your last

name is different.

(realizing)

You married.

JENNY:

I was 18. He was 28. Turns out that

was a big difference.

Before he can say anything more...

JENNY (cont’d)

I won’t be selling you this house, Mr.

Bloom.

EDWARD:

I see. I thank you for your time.

100.

A bit bewildered, Edward tips his hat to her as he leaves.

EXT/INT. SWAMP SHACK - DAY

Edward pulls the door shut behind him as he leaves, but itbreaks off in his hands. It’s not the clean exit he was

hoping for.

Inside Jenny looks out, surprised and annoyed.

Edward tries to lift the door back on the hinges, but theySNAP off. The door frame buckles and the whole shack CREAKS.

EDWARD:

I’m sorry.

He tries to lean the door against the frame, but it keepsslipping.

JENNY:

It’s okay, just leave it.

EDWARD:

I can get it. I can just...

He leans the door a different way. It holds for a beat then

falls in, SMASHING a small table.

EDWARD (cont’d)

Lord, I’m sorry I...

JENNY:

Please. Go. Just go.

EDWARD:

I’ll...

JENNY:

Go.

She’s dead serious. Weighing the scales of chivalry, hefinally backs away. Turns and heads back towards his car.

We STAY ON Jenny, watching him go. She’s furious, butthere’s something more in her feelings for him. Somethingsofter.

JENNY (V.O.) (cont’d)

Most men in that situation would accepttheir failure and move on. But Edward

was not like most men.

101.

EXT. SWAMP SHACK ROAD - ANOTHER DAY

With Karl the Giant’s help, Edward unloads a brand new doorfrom a pickup truck.

EXT. SHACK - DAY

While Jenny watches, half-annoyed, half-amused, Edward triesto set the door square. Karl pushes against the side of thehouse until it fits.

INT. SHACK - ANOTHER DAY

Holding nails between his lips, Edward puts in new windowshimself. Jenny is making soup, laughing at the story he’stelling.

JENNY (V.O.)

As the months passed, he found more andmore things to fix, until the shack nolonger resembled itself.

EXT. SWAMP - ANOTHER DAY

Edward and Karl cut down a tree, letting in a flood of light.

Through the golden pollen hanging in the air, we RISE UP tosee the shack is now

THE LOVELY HOUSE

we saw before. It’s tiny and white, with black shutters anda steep roof. A white picket fence. In every detail it isimpossibly charming.

INT. JENNY’S HOUSE - DAY

Edward is screwing a hat rack into the wall in the foyer.

Jenny leans against the doorframe listening to his story.

And watching him with deepest affection.

EDWARD:

Of course, the best part was creatingnew material. By the time the twinsand I got to Havana, we had a whole newroutine worked out for them, with justa ukulele and a harmonica.

Finished with his work, he takes his hat off the chair andhangs it on the rack. Perfect.

A beat. A look between them. With that last job done,

there’s no reason for him to be staying any longer.

102.

EDWARD (cont’d)

I suppose I should...

He takes his hat off the rack.

JENNY:

You can leave it there.

A beat. Does she really mean it?

She comes closer. Edward holds his ground. She takes his

hand, lifting his hat up to the peg. She’s very close --

just a half-inch from kissing him when -

-- Edward gently holds her back.

EDWARD:

No.

She freezes, stunned and humiliated. She pulls away.

EDWARD (cont’d)

Don’t. Don’t be embarrassed. I should

never have let you think that...

(beat)

I am in love with my wife.

JENNY:

I know.

EDWARD:

And from the moment I saw her until the

moment I die, she’s the only one.

JENNY:

Lucky girl.

EDWARD:

I’m sorry, Jenny. I am.

With that, he begins to leaves.

JENNY:

Wait! Edward!

She finds a pen and hastily signs the deed to the house.

Hands it to him. With a look, he thanks her. Then goes.

EXT. SPECTRE - MAGIC HOUR

Edward takes a final look at this perfect little town.

103.

JENNY (V.O.)

One day, Edward Bloom left, and neverreturned to the town he’d saved.

He climbs in his car and starts the engine.

EXT. JENNY HILL’S HOUSE - DAY TO NIGHT

As we watch, the swamp begins to overtake the house,

swallowing it in a tangle of vines and mossy branches.

Shoots burst up through the planks in the porch. Snakes

slither through the marsh.

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