Danny Collins Page #6

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Frank sits. He’s obviously concerned.

FRANK (CONT’D)

I spoke to Sophie. She said you-

DANNY:

I did.

(then, calling out)

Barkeep? An ice water for this

handsome young man, por favor?

Danny turns toward Frank, serious.

DANNY (CONT’D)

Frank, I’ve decided to make some

big changes in my life. Some of

them may come as a bit of a shock,

some of them may even affect you

financially.

Frank puts his hand on Danny’s knee.

FRANK:

I’m here as your friend, Danny.

Not as your manager.

DANNY:

Actually, I need you to be here as

my manager for a moment.

(then)

I want you to cancel the rest of

my tour.

FRANK:

I’m sorry?

(CONTINUED)

31.

34 CONTINUED:
(2) 34

DANNY:

Don’t be sorry, I’m not sorry.

I’m done, Frank.

(then)

Oh, I’ll also need you to call

Bill, tell him to sell all my

stock, all the houses. I want no

debt, no risk. So help me God I

will never be forced to sing those

songs again. Oh, wait, tell Bill

not to sell the LA house yet. I’m

going to let Sophie and the kid

she was cheating on me with stay

there-

FRANK:

Danny, stop! You’re spiraling.

Are you on something? What did

you take?

DANNY:

Nothing, I promise. Actually, I’m

done with that sh*t too. No more

drinking, no more drugs-

FRANK:

You’re drinking right now, Danny.

DANNY:

True. Okay, forget what I said

about the drinking. I’m not

running for Pope, right?

FRANK:

This is because of Sophie?

DANNY:

Sophie? No! Jesus, Frank, give

me a little credit.

Danny puts down his drink. Changes tone.

DANNY (CONT’D)

What if I had gotten the letter

when I was supposed to, Frank? He

was my hero. I would have called

him.

(then)

Maybe my life would have turned

out different.

FRANK:

You’re too hard on yourself, Kid.

Always have been.

(CONTINUED)

32.

34 CONTINUED:
(3) 34

DANNY:

I haven’t written a song in thirty

years, Frank. I’m a f***ing joke.

I’m a court jester with a

microphone.

(then)

I was the real thing once, Frank.

One album. My songs didn’t sell

so they handed me theirs and I

sang them. I gave up, Frank.

Frank leans forward, concerned. Gently:

FRANK:

You’re having a breakdown, Danny.

DANNY:

Hate to tell you, Buddy, but I’ve

been breaking down for forty

years. I’m broken. Ain’t nothing

left to break.

(beat, then)

I’m sixty-four, Frank. I’ve been

abusing my body for the better

parts of four decades. If I’m

gonna find any kind of redemption,

I can’t waste anymore time.

A beat, then:

FRANK:

Why New Jersey?

DANNY:

One shock at a time, Frank.

Frank nods, sips his water.

FRANK:

A sixty-something man starts

canceling tours, people start

wondering. I’m talking to you as

your manager, Danny.

DANNY:

Actually, I need you to be my

friend again now.

Frank nods, sits there for a beat, then:

FRANK:

I’ll cancel the tour.

Danny nods back, clinks his scotch against Frank’s water.

They turn back toward the bar in unison.

(CONTINUED)

33.

34 CONTINUED:
(4) 34

After a beat, from behind, Frank puts his hand on Danny’s

shoulder. There’s nothing left to say.

35 INT. WOODCLIFF LAKE HILTON LOBBY - NEXT MORNING 35

Danny walks through the lobby, a spring in his step. His

outfit/suit is typically bold.

He stops at the front desk. Jamie and Mary are there.

DANNY:

Jamie, have you talked to Nicky

Ernst about taking that ride yet?

JAMIE:

Not yet, Mr. Collins.

He turns to Mary.

DANNY:

Dinner at seven? I’ll meet you...

He points five feet away.

DANNY (CONT’D)

There?

MARY:

Still gonna have to pass.

DANNY:

Mary, you keep passing, I’ll keep

making passes, we’ll see who gives

up first, sound good?

MARY:

Have a nice day, Mr. Collins.

DANNY:

Big day for me. Meeting someone

for the first time. How do I

look?

MARY:

Honestly?

DANNY:

If this relationship is going to

go the distance, Mary, I think we

should always be honest with one

another.

MARY:

You look ridiculous.

(CONTINUED)

34.

35 CONTINUED:
35

DANNY:

Nah, I look sharp. See you at

seven.

MARY:

No you won’t.

DANNY:

And round and round we go.

(turning)

Jamie, don’t forget about Nicky

Ernst. Wonderful young man.

36 EXT. WOODCLIFF LAKE HILTON - CONTINUOUS 36

Danny steps outside, Nicky waits with his car.

DANNY:

Nicky my boy!

NICKY:

She’s ready for you, Sir.

DANNY:

The girl at the front desk, she

won’t stop talking about you,

Nicky. You should ask her out.

NICKY:

(stunned)

Jamie?

DANNY:

That’s the one. Don’t go after

Mary, Mary’s mine.

Danny gets in the car, rips out of the parking lot.

37 EXT. SUBURBAN HOUSE (HILLSDALE, NJ) - TEN MINUTES LATER 37

A very modest HOUSE, in a very modest NEIGHBORHOOD. This

is “real world” central. TOYS are scattered around the

lawn. It could not be more ordinary.

And up to this house pulls a gleaming, red Mercedes.

Driven by Danny Collins. National superstar. Wearing,

what can best be described, as a zoot suit.

As he strides across the lawn, stepping over a tricycle,

a SUBURBAN DAD raking leaves does a double take.

34A.

38 EXT. FRONT DOOR - CONTINUOUS 38

Danny RINGS the bell. No sound. He rings again.

Nothing. He RAPS on it. He holds a BROWN BAG.

Footsteps from inside. Danny braces himself. The door

OPENS, revealing:

(CONTINUED)

35.

38 CONTINUED:
38

Nobody.

CHILD’S VOICE (O.S.)

Hello.

Danny looks downward at: A LITTLE GIRL (7). This is

HOPE, Danny’s granddaughter. Needless to say, Hope is

pretty f***ing cute.

DANNY:

Hello.

WOMAN’S VOICE (O.S.)

Hope, you are not to open that

door for strangers!

HOPE:

He’s not a stranger. We saw him

on TV. Mom, come here, it’s the

guy we saw on TV. Mom, Mom-

WOMAN’S VOICE (O.S.)

What?

Hope’s mother arrives. This is SAMANTHA (30’s). Samantha

is pretty and pregnant. She’s a study in contrasts: tough

but emotional, sexy but a little tomboyish, and - at the

moment - calm but completely thrown by the sight of Danny

Collins on her front doorstep.

SAMANTHA:

Whoa.

HOPE:

Told you. I told you. You didn’t

listen but I tried to tell you.

DANNY:

Hi, I’m Danny.

SAMANTHA:

We know who you are.

HOPE:

(imitating)

Yeah! We know who you are!

SAMANTHA:

(to Hope)

Settle, Baby. Inside voices,

okay?

Samantha and Hope look back up at Danny.

HOPE:

I don’t really know who you are.

(CONTINUED)

36.

38 CONTINUED:
(2) 38

Danny bends down, takes in Hope for the first time. He

touches her face, gentle.

Up above them, Samantha doesn’t move, unsure what to do.

Danny stands back up, offers forth his BROWN BAG.

DANNY:

I was unsure of what was

appropriate to bring...

SAMANTHA:

He’s at work.

DANNY:

So I brought bagels.

SAMANTHA:

Wow. Okay. This is weird. I

guess... come in?

Danny follows them into the house.

39 INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS 39

We see FAMILY PICTURES on the fridge. Child drawings. A

dirty pan in the sink. There are no granite tops here.

It’s warm, but tight.

Danny, Sam, and Hope sit in the small kitchen.

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