Death to Smoochy Page #15

(CONTINUED)

86.

CONTINUED:

SHELDON:

It's fine, Spinner. We'll edit it

out. But tomorrow in rehearsal

we're gonna work on a new thingcalled 'the importance of hittingyour mark.'

SPINNER:

Great! I get to hit something!

Spinner dances off. A beat later, Nora enters and shuts

the door. There's an awkward beat of silence.

NORA:

Hi.

SHELDON:

Hi.

NORA:

I read about the ice show.

SHELDON:

Yeah, the papers seem to be reallycovering it.

NORA:

I think it's great. What you'redoing for that clinic.

SHELDON:

Thanks.

She nods.

NORA:

I just need some clarification...

SHELDON:

Don't worry. Spinner just needsa little more rehearsal. I'll gethim there.

NORA:

No I mean about us.

Sheldon looks uncomfortable.

NORA:

Ever since you've been back I justfeel like there's something that'snot connecting.

(CONTINUED)

87.

CONTINUED:

SHELDON:

I guess I'm still readjusting alittle. Like a guy who's comeback from the war. Not that I'd

equate my misfortune with the

brave men and women who protect

us overseas.

NORA:

I just thought we were on our wayto something... granted, mymistaken belief that you had tiesto Neo-Nazis might have put adamper on our relationship, butI'm sorry for -

Sheldon suddenly jumps up and grabs her. He kisses her

passionately. Nora immediately starts ripping off hiscostume as they make out. They fall to the floor ina lustful embrace.

INT. STUDIO - BACK HALLWAY - SAME TIME

Spinner, humming to himself, lumbers down the hallway onhis way to the wardrobe room. Halfway down the hall, hehears a voice call out to him.

VOICE (O.S.)

Hey -- rhino.

Spinner turns around. The door to the fire exit swings

open. Two of Merv's thugs emerge and grab Spinner (who'sstill in full Moochy costume) and drag him into thestairwell.

INT. UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE - MOMENT LATER

Spinner is dragged into the garage and knocked to the

pavement. Several more thugs emerge from the shadows,

including Henry, Merv's main henchman. They startbeating him with lead pipes. Henry pulls out a REVOLVER.

He SHOOTS the rhino several times. A sedan trunk is

popped open and Moochy is thrown inside. The CAR

SCREECHES up to the street.

INT. CHINATOWN - NIGHT

We CRANE DOWN FROM a Chinese banner that stretches across

two tenements. We LAND ON the seedy, deserted streetbelow as the SEDAN BARRELS INTO FRAME and SQUEALS to a

stop.

(CONTINUED)

88.

CONTINUED:

Two thugs emerge from the car. They pull Spinner/Moochyfrom the trunk and toss his body by some garbage cans,

knocking a few over. They get back in the car and speed

away. Moochy's lifeless foam body rolls into the gutterand lays motionless. Blood seeps through his foamy

torso.

LOW OVERHEAD SHOT

of Spinner/Moochy. We SLOWLY START TO RISE UP as we LOOK

DOWN AT the rhino's body. The WIND WHISTLES through theempty street as we get HIGHER. The Chinese banner

rustles THROUGH the FRAME. As we get HIGHER AND HIGHER,

we hear the intermittent CLANG of a PRIZE FIGHT BELL.

MATCH DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. SAME STREET - HOURS LATER

In the same frame, detectives and uniformed cops are nowat the scene gathering evidence. Where Spinner once lay,

there is now a bright yellow chalk outline in the shapeof a rhinoceros.

INT. PARADE OF HOPE OFFICES - NEXT DAY

FULL FRAME ON a TELEVISION screen. A local news anchor

is reading the top story.

ANCHOR (V.O.)

Former heavyweight contender andrestaurateur Lawrence 'Spinner'Dunn was found shot to death in a

rhinoceros outfit early thismorning in Chinatown. Dunn, a

frequent performer on 'Smoochy'sMagic Jungle,' was pronounced deadat the scene. Police are

searching for -

A hand ENTERS FRAME and violently slaps the TV OFF.

WIDE:

An enraged Merv Green glares at his henchmen, Henry andMITCH.

MERV:

How could you hit the wrongrhino?!

(CONTINUED)

89.

CONTINUED:

HENRY:

Who knew Smoochy had a cousinMoochy? They look fuckingidentical.

MERV:

Smoochy is bright orange, Moochyis burnt rust! Read the papers!

Do I gotta take you back tofucking kindergarten?

MITCH:

All you said was 'hit the rhino.'

You never specified the color.

I'm not taking the blame for this

one.

Merv's anger builds. He turns to a picture of Smoochywhich is tacked to a bulletin board along with other kidshow personalities that the foundation extorts. Merv

picks up a letter opener and violently thrusts it intothe picture.

MERV:

I'm not through with you yet,

rhino! Your time will fuckingcome!

INT. ANGELO'S APARTMENT - SHORT WHILE LATER

Cops rummage through Angelo's apartment. In the b.g.,

a detective, ELLIS, interviews Angelo. Another

detective, McCALL, is looking through some papers hefound.

McCALL

Ellie, over here.

Ellis walks over. McCall shows him some scribblings he'sfound in a notebook of Randolph's. The crude drawingsdepict Smoochy with his head cut off... with a knife inhis heart... being pissed on by Randolph, etc. "Die,

Rhino, Die" is scrawled hundreds of times, filling pageafter page. The two detectives look at each other and

nod.

INT. SPINNER DUNN'S RESTAURANT - DAY

Spinner sleeps forever in an open casket, clutching hiscowbell. Dozens of Spinner's relatives are at the wake.

(CONTINUED)

90.

CONTINUED:

A bagpipe player plays "Amazing Grace." Sheldon stands

at the casket, fighting back tears as he stares down athis old friend. Nora has her arm around him.

SHELDON:

It's my fault. He'd still be

alive if it wasn't for me. He

would have been so proud to be inthe ice show.

NORA:

There was nothing you could havedone. Don't torture yourself.

SHELDON:

I'm sorry, Spinner. I'm so sorry.

Tommy and the boys walk over. Tommy puts his arm aroundSheldon as he gazes somberly at Spinner.

TOMMY:

He really loved you, Shel. And

this I guarantee -- that fuckingRandolph has seen his lastrainbow. We're gonna find him,

cut off his balls, and shove 'em

up his ass.

SHELDON:

Maybe you better leave it to thepolice.

DANNY:

They won't do the ball thing.

It's against procedure.

TOMMY:

Don't forget -- that hit was meantfor you, Shel. So from now on,

everywhere you go, we go.

SHELDON:

That's okay, Tommy. I'll be fine.

TOMMY:

Fine, nothin'. And as Christ is

my witness, no one's touchin' ahair on your f***in' head.

Spinner would have wanted it that

way.

Tommy's crew nods and agrees.

(CONTINUED)

91.

CONTINUED:

TOMMY:

(to the boys)

Alright, boys, let's get shitfaced.

For Spin.

They head for the bar. Nora and Sheldon look down at

Spinner in silence.

SHELDON:

Didn't Rickets the Hippo have asong about death?

NORA:

'The Last Nappy Time.' It gave mea lot of comfort when my motherdied.

(sings quietly)

'When doggies stop barkingAnd fish cease to swim

And Grandpa lays silent, from his

head to his limbs

Sadness will find youBut soon you'll feel fine...'

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