Corpse Bride Page #8

MAGGOT:

Exactly!

CORPSE BRIDE:

Burn me with a flame,

I'll keep smiling just the same.

BLACK WIDOW:

As well you should!

CORPSE BRIDE:

Cupid shot his arrow

At my only living part.

So if you want to hurt me,

Break my heart.

MAGGOT:

Wait, what? No! It got sad again!

Black Widow and Maggot try to salvage the can-do spirit of the song, but Corpse Bride keeps shooting it down.

WIDOW/MAGGOT/BRIDE

Remember..

All she has is life,

You have everything after!

What good is an afterlife

When love is a disaster?

All she has is colour,

Which fades with every day.

Like an ink-stain soaked and scrubbed,

I'll gladly fade away.

The best part of being dead...

Is feeling not a thing.

But everyone, eventually...

Feels love's cruelest sting.

Black Widow and Maggot are at a loss. As the Bride continues her sad lament, they retreat inside her rib cage.

CORPSE BRIDE:

Cut me with a knife,

I feel nothing!

Burn me with a flame,

I'll keep smiling just the same.

Cupid shot his arrow

At my only living part.

So if you want to hurt me,

Break my heart.

As Corpse Bride walks off, we COME UPON Victor, who's heard the whole song. He feels terrible.

TRANSITION TO:

INT. VICTORIA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Victoria, wide-eyed and disheveled, paces the room. Hildegarde tries desperately to calm her. Maudeline watches her with unamused disdain.

VICTORIA:

It's true, Mother! Victor's married to a dead woman! I saw her! A corpse! Standing right here, with Victor!

MAUDELINE:

(gasping)

Victor was in your room!? The scandal!

HILDEGARDE:

Miss Victoria, dear, let Hilde fix you a nice cuppa tea. Come sit in your chair...

VICTORIA I can't sit! I have to help him! He came here to ask for my help!

HILDEGARDE:

Come sit by the fire, dearie, you're shakin' like a leaf. Let Hilde fetch you a blanket.

MAUDELINE:

Fetch her a straightjacket. She's completely mad!

Annoyed, Maudeline turns on her heel and exits.

Hildegarde leads Victoria to a chair and drapes a blanket across her shoulders.

VICTORIA:

A corpse in a wedding gown, with my ring on her finger. It was awful!

HILDEGARDE:

Truly awful, Miss Victoria. A corpse in a wedding gown! I've heard tell of such things. Don't worry, dearie, we'll save Master Van Dort from the clutches of darkness.

Hildegarde exits the room, closing the door firmly behind her.

CUT TO:

EXT. VICTORIA'S BALCONY - LATER

Victoria, with the blanket wrapped over her like a hood, stands out on the balcony. The rain is falling hard. She hesitates, then climbs over the railing and down the trellis.

Hildegarde is waiting for her at the bottom, with an umbrella at the ready.

Victoria and Hildegarde hurry across the village square in the POURING RAIN.

EXT. PASTOR GALSWELLS' HOME - NIGHT (RAIN)

Pastor Galswells, his towering Pope-hat, now flopped forward like a night cap, answers a KNOCK on his door to discover Victoria and Hildegarde.

PASTOR GALSWELLS

(appalled)

Miss Everglot! What are you doing here! You should be at home prostrate with grief!

HILDEGARDE:

We sought the advice of a man of the cloth.

VICTORIA:

Pastor Galswells, I have to ask you something.

PASTOR GALSWELLS

This is most irregular!

VICTORIA:

Please, I beg of you! Tell me, can the living marry the dead?

PASTOR GALSWELLS

What on earth are you speaking about?

VICTORIA:

Please, Pastor Galswells! It's Victor! He needs our help! He's married to a corpse! He has a Corpse Bride!

Pastor Galswells looks at her piercingly.

VICTORIA:

There must be some way to undo what's been done. You're the only one who would know how!

Seeing the Pastor's distrust...

HILDEGARDE:

I've known this girl her whole life, ain't never once lied.

PASTOR GALSWELLS

I believe I know the thing to do. Come with me.

Victoria and Hildegarde gratefully follow him.

CUT TO:

EXT. LARGE HOME ­ NIGHT (RAIN)

CLOSE ON a large imposing door and Pastor Galswells' fist BANGING on it.

We PULL BACK to reveal it's Victoria's own front door. She squirms desperately to escape as Pastor Galswells holds her firmly.

VICTORIA:

No! Please. You must believe me!

The Butler answers, with Maudeline and Finis right behind him.

MAUDELINE:

(horrified)

Good Lord. What on earth is this about! Victoria! Where are your corsets?!

Victoria struggles wildly. She's muddy and disheveled, looking more and more, in fact, crazy.

PASTOR GALSWELLS

She is speaking in tongues! Of unholy alliances! Her mind has come undone, I fear, led perhaps

by this strange woman.

He's referring to...

MAUDELINE:

Hildegarde!

...who stands sheepishly behind them.

FINIS:

Good heavens.

She and Finis drag Victoria in.

MAUDELINE:

Thank, you, Pastor Galswells. Thank you so much. Hildegarde, you may get started on breakfast!

Maudeline and Finis close the door as Pastor Galswells bows with a judgmental scowl.

CUT TO:

INT. EVERGLOT ENTRYWAY - NIGHT

Maudeline bolts the door and hands Victoria over to the Butler.

VICTORIA:

Mother, Father, please... listen...

The Butler escorts a weeping Victoria up the stairs.

Maudeline leans against the wall, clutching her heart.

MAUDELINE:

Will the mortification never cease?

She looks in agony, toward the portrait of the Duke.

MAUDELINE:

What would the Duke have said?

(slowly, in growing horror)

And the relatives en route as we speak! They've R.S.V.P.'d. It's too late! Oh, won't the villagers just gloat! It will be years before we can show ourselves in public again! What shall we do?

FINIS:

We shall continue as planned, with or without Vincent.

MAUDELINE:

Victor.

FINIS:

Whatever.

CUT TO:

INT. THE VAN DORTS' CARRIAGE ­ DAY

The Van Dort CARRIAGE CLATTERS along the cobblestone streets through the POURING RAIN. Mayhew sits, wet and miserable, his hacking cough reverberating.

Seated within, Nell and William continue their search for Victor. William peers out the window on one side as Nell looks out the other, scanning the vicinity with a pair of opera glasses. From outside, in the driver's seat, comes the sound of Mayhew's RASPING COUGH.

NELL:

Did you hear the latest gossip? Our son, married to a corpse, she's saying.

WILLIAM:

Stark raving mad. Frankly, my dear, perhaps we're better off out of it.

A pause.

WILLIAM:

Of course, we're the ones with the son married to a corpse.

NELL:

William, don't be ridiculous. What corpse would marry him?

WILLIAM:

At least we have one dependable son.

He gestures to the suit-wearing broom, who is sitting across from them. Nell rolls her eyes.

NELL:

(banging ceiling)

Faster, Mayhew! And silence that blasted coughing!

Mayhew suddenly stops coughing.

WILLIAM:

(looking through the opera glasses)

Oh, where can the ninny have gone to?

CUT TO:

EXT. PUB (LAND OF THE DEAD) - PERPETUAL TWILIGHT

Victor walks toward the pub entrance, holding the dried bouquet. Two skeletons push past him, carrying a table.

INT. PUB - CONTINUOUS ACTION

Victor enters. Most of the tables have been moved outside for the wedding feast. It's quiet and still, a "closing time" vibe.

The place is empty except for a skeleton who sweeps the floor, and Mrs. Plum, who pushes a cart of dirty dishes into the kitchen. Up on the stage, Corpse Bride sits, PLINKING sadly on the old piano.

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