Danny Collins Page #5

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(CONTINUED)

24.

29 CONTINUED:
29

NICKY:

So. Mr... Danny... will you bestaying with us, or just joiningus for lunch today?

DANNY:

Nicky:
I’m going to be staying

with you, I’m going to be joining

you for lunch, I’m going to be

taking advantage of all theamenities the Woodcliff Lake

Hilton has to offer... Nicky, Ican’t help but notice that you’re

drooling on my car.

Sorry.

NICKY:

It’s just so... awesome.

DANNY:

You’re welcome to use it whenever

you want, take your girl out for aspin. You have a girl?

No.

NICKY:

DANNY:

You will if you take her out for aspin in this car.

NICKY:

Wait, seriously?

Danny is already walking away.

DANNY:

(calling back)

Bag goes to my room, Nicky.

goes in a garage.

Car

30 INT. WOODCLIFF LAKE HILTON - CONTINUOUS 30

Danny walks in. It could be any hotel, in any city.

LOBBY. A lobby RESTAURANT. A lobby BAR. That’s it.

A:

A SIGN reads:
“WELCOME GREATER NJ DENTAL ASSOCIATION.”

There’s a DISPLAY front and center, full of “dental”

swag.

Danny walks to the front desk.

works on the computer.

A PRETTY YOUNG GIRL (23)

(CONTINUED)

24A.

30 CONTINUED:
30

YOUNG GIRL:

(not looking, bored)

Welcome to the Hilton, do you have

a reservation?

(CONTINUED)

25.

30 CONTINUED:
(2) 30

DANNY:

I do not have a reservation, but

I’m hoping that won’t be a deal-

breaker because I am rapidly

falling in love with this Hilton.

She SIGHS, looks up.

YOUNG GIRL:

Holy sh*t!

DANNY:

I get that a lot. What is your

name?

YOUNG GIRL:

Jamie.

DANNY:

Jamie, I’m Danny.

JAMIE:

I know who you are.

DANNY:

What about Nicky out front? Do

you know who he is?

JAMIE:

The valet guy?

DANNY:

Nicky Ernst. Ask him to take you

for a ride in my car, you’ll fall

in love.

(then)

Look at you! Another fantastic

young face. What an amazing place

this Woodcliff Lake Hilton is.

Why are your faces so fantastic

and young?

JAMIE:

We’re all college kids I guess,

off for summer or just graduated.

DANNY:

Ah. That must be it.

JAMIE:

How long will you be staying with

us, Mr. Collins?

Danny pulls out his ADDRESS BOOK from his suit pocket.

(CONTINUED)

26.

30 CONTINUED:
(3) 30

DANNY:

Jamie, my GPS tells me that we’re

not far from a Hillsdale, New

Jersey. Now tell me: is my GPS

lying to me or giving me the

straight sh*t?

JAMIE:

(smiling)

Straight sh*t. You’re five

minutes away.

DANNY:

Well, then I will be staying

indefinitely.

Jamie smiles, a little confused.

JAMIE:

Okay. I’ll give you the Honeymoon

Suite, it’s our nicest room...

only I don’t know how to do an

indefinite reservation.

DANNY:

Don’t need a honeymoon suite.

Just a regular, everyday room.

Jamie turns toward the back, yells out.

JAMIE:

(calling out)

Mary?

DANNY:

If someone else with a wonderful

face comes out, I don’t know if

I’ll be able to handle it.

MARY SINCLAIR emerges from the BACK OFFICE. She’s

amazing looking, great smile... classically beautiful

without trying.

DANNY (CONT’D)

Okay, I officially can’t handle

it.

Jamie darts over towards Mary, WHISPERS loudly.

JAMIE:

Look who it is!

MARY:

(calmly)

I see.

(CONTINUED)

27.

30 CONTINUED:
(4) 30

JAMIE:

(rapid-fire whisper)

He wants to stay indefinitely. I

was going to give him the

Honeymoon Suite but-

DANNY:

(loudly)

He didn’t want the Honeymoon

Suite.

Mary and Jamie turn toward him, synchronized.

DANNY (CONT’D)

It’s not my honeymoon and I’m not

very sweet. Regular room will do

just fine.

Mary approaches.

DANNY (CONT’D)

And what college do you go to

young lady?

MARY:

Ha.

DANNY:

Ha.

A beat.

MARY:

You’re staying indefinitely?

Here?

DANNY:

Huge fan of this Hilton.

(then)

Are you married, Mary?

MARY:

I’m sorry?

DANNY:

Are you currently betrothed?

MARY:

No.

DANNY:

Good. Dinner?

MARY:

You’re asking me to dinner?

(CONTINUED)

28.

30 CONTINUED:
(5) 30

DANNY:

I think so. Jamie, I asked her to

dinner, didn’t I?

JAMIE:

(excited)

You did.

MARY:

I’m sorry, are you on drugs?

DANNY:

Currently or in general?

MARY:

Currently.

DANNY:

No.

(then)

Dinner?

MARY:

I’m sorry, I’m going to have to

decline.

DANNY:

Not a fan of mine?

MARY:

Currently or in general?

DANNY:

In general.

MARY:

No.

DANNY:

God, we have a great patter, don’t

we!? Jamie, can you follow any of

this?

JAMIE:

(giggling, excited)

No!

Mary smiles, shakes her head.

MARY:

I’ll check you in.

DANNY:

While you check me in, I’ll check

you out.

(CONTINUED)

29.

30 CONTINUED:
(6) 30

MARY:

Oh my God.

Mary goes back to the computer. Despite herself: she

can’t help but smile, just a little.

31 INT. DANNY’S HOTEL ROOM - LATER 31

It could be any hotel room in the world. A bed, a small

desk, a love seat. That’s it. Danny takes it in, thinks.

32 INT. HOTEL HALLWAY - LATER 32

Danny oversees as FOUR LARGE MEN try to figure out how to

move a BABY GRAND PIANO through the door to his room.

33 INT. DANNY’S HOTEL ROOM - LATER 33

Everything has been moved to make room for the massive

piano, which dwarfs everything else.

ON DANNY:

Taking it in. He may as well be taking in the Sistine

Chapel. He digs into his bag, and pulls out the framed

LENNON LETTER. Sets it up on his nightstand.

He takes in his strange new home and smiles:

DANNY:

Perfect.

34 INT. HOTEL BAR - LATER THAT NIGHT 34

PATRONS talk, whisper, point at...

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROOM

Where Danny sits at the bar. He’s wearing a customary

over-the-top suit and is drinking scotch. He’s writing

furiously. It’s important to note that he’s finally able

to write using hotel stationary and an ordinary hotel

pen, as opposed to his Montblanc and embossed stationary.

ON THE PAD:
the beginnings of a lyric. Stuff about the

seasons - “spring” and “fall.” Just a start.

FRANK (O.S.)

Danny?

Danny turns. Frank stands there.

(CONTINUED)

30.

34 CONTINUED:
34

DANNY:

Frank!

Danny stands, envelopes Frank in a surprising BEAR HUG.

DANNY (CONT’D)

Sit, sit. Thanks for coming.

FRANK:

Got on the first flight out.

DANNY:

Thanks. Have you been here

before?

FRANK:

The bar at the Woodcliff Lake, New

Jersey Hilton?

(then, obviously)

No.

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