Foxcatcher Page #5

UNIFORMED MAID:

(opening the door)

Please.

CUT TO:

INT. BIG HOUSE/FOXCATCHER - CONTINUOUS

They walk just a few feet and she gestures toward a door.

MARK:

(confused)

Is he? He’s in there?

UNIFORMED MAID:

The washroom.

CUT TO:

INT. ROCOCO WASHROOM/BIG HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER

Floral wallpaper, gold fixtures and faucet. Mark pisses -

mouth open, eyes half shut. He flushes.

He looks at a dish holding little pastel horseshoes. Soap? He

picks one up, smells it. Washes his hands - monstrous with

the tiny soap. He wipes his hands on his pants, avoiding the

neatly hung towelettes. He opens the door.

UNIFORMED MAID:

Mr. Beck will see you now.

Mark doesn’t know who Mr. Beck is.

CUT TO:

INT. STAN BECK’S OFFICE/BIG HOUSE - MINUTES LATER

Mark is let into a large third floor office with a big desk,

wood filing cabinets, LAW BOOKS lining the bookshelves.

STAN BECK (mid-forties, no-nonsense, suit and tie) rises from

behind the desk as Mark enters.

26.

STAN BECK:

Come in, sit down.

MARK:

Thanks.

STAN BECK:

Thank you, Rosie.

UNIFORMED MAID:

You’re welcome, Mr. Beck.

She exits, closing the door behind her.

STAN BECK:

Okay. Okay. So. Mark Schultz,

correct?

MARK:

Yes.

STAN BECK:

(opens a folder, writing)

S-C-H-U-L-T-Z?

MARK:

That’s right.

STAN BECK:

... M-A-R-K?

Mark just looks at him. Beat. Then he nods.

STAN BECK (CONT’D)

All right. Mark. I manage affairs

for Mr. du Pont. Look after his

interests. If you have a problem,

you come to me. If Mr. Du Pont has

a problem, I’ll come to you. Okay?

MARK:

Sounds okay.

STAN BECK:

Let’s talk about what you’re doing

here. I’d like to make sure we all

understand each other. Does that

sound like a good policy to you?

MARK:

That could be a good policy.

27.

STAN BECK:

Good. I think so, too. First thing

I can tell you is that Mr. du Pont

is very happy he can help you with

your goals. But I want to make sure

you’re aware of what’s expected.

It’s not a free ride. In exchange

for the guest house, the more than

substantial salary, the privilege

of training at Foxcatcher Farms,

Mr. du Pont expects results.

Understood?

MARK:

Yes.

STAN BECK:

I’m sure you can appreciate that.

MARK:

Of course.

STAN BECK:

That goes for every wrestler.

MARK:

I’ve actually got suggestions for

about half the roster.

He pulls a creased, folded piece of paper from his pocket.

STAN BECK:

What about the other half?

MARK:

(beat)

I’ve been making phone calls.

STAN BECK:

I’ll take a look at that when

you’ve finished. All right. Now.

Stan takes out a form, writes on it as Mark puts away list.

STAN BECK (CONT’D)

Your age?

MARK:

Twenty-seven.

STAN BECK:

Education?

28.

MARK:

Oklahoma University.

STAN BECK:

Undergraduate?

MARK:

Yes.

STAN BECK:

You graduated?

MARK:

Yes.

STAN BECK:

Do you own any property?

MARK:

No.

STAN BECK:

Are your parents still married?

MARK:

(beat)

No.

STAN BECK:

How old were you when they

separated?

MARK:

Two.

STAN BECK:

Have you ever been accused of a

crime?

MARK:

No.

The DOOR OPENS and John du Pont pokes his head in. Mark

STANDS, relieved to see him finally -

MARK (CONT’D)

Mr. du Pont.

Du Pont seems surprised to see Mark. He stays in the doorway,

waves slightly.

DU PONT:

Ah. Hello. You’ve arrived.

29.

MARK:

Yes sir, I drove straight down.

It’s a little odd that du Pont doesn’t enter - he seems

nervous. He looks at Stan. Stan hands him a sheet of paper.

STAN:

Tonight’s speech. All set.

John takes the paper and glances at it. Then

DU PONT:

They’re setting him up in the

chalet?

STAN BECK:

Yes, sir.

DU PONT:

Excellent bed. Firm mattress.

(silence)

Good for the lower back.

MARK:

Great.

DU PONT:

All right.

MARK:

All right. Thank you, sir.

And du Pont’s gone, closing the door behind him. Beat.

STAN BECK:

Shall we finish this?

Mark sits.

STAN BECK (CONT’D)

Have you ever been sued?

MARK:

No.

STAN BECK:

Have you ever initiated a lawsuit?

CUT TO:

30.

EXT. FOXCATCHER ESTATE - AFTERNOON

Brandon walks with Mark. They’ve come far, across the huge

side yard - the Big House looks small behind them.

Mark can see HORSE STABLES that let out onto a huge fenced

track with a grass infield. Stable hands are putting several

thoroughbred horses through their paces.

BRANDON:

(re the horses)

They’re Mrs. du Pont’s. We all just

keep our distance.

They enter the WOODS. Just inside the trees is THE CHALET - a

European style wooden guest house that is now Mark’s home.

MARK:

I didn’t realize he was married.

BRANDON:

Mr. du Pont? He’s not. Mrs. du

Pont’s his mother.

CUT TO:

INT. THE CHALET - AFTERNOON

Brandon lets Mark in the door, turns on the lights in the

living room, in the kitchen, goes to the bedroom. It’s

decorated like a ski chalet. Brandon walks back from the

bedroom, holding KEYS out to Mark-

BRANDON:

Utilities are paid for - gas,

electric. Refrigerator’s stocked

for now, but in the future you’re

responsible for feeding yourself.

Unless of course you get invited to

the Big House for dinner.

Mark, still standing in the entry-way, accepts the keys.

BRANDON (CONT’D)

Someone will bring your car around.

Anything else you need?

MARK:

Has he always lived with his

mother?

BRANDON:

Mr. du Pont? I think so.

31.

Brandon leaves. Mark stands still for a long time, gazing at

his new home - including some of the oddities, like the POLAR

BEAR SKIN RUG (with HEAD ON) which is draped over the sofa.

CUT TO:

INT. THE CHALET - LATE THAT NIGHT

Mark (in tank-top undershirt) tapes up PHOTOS of himself and

Dave. The POLAR BEAR HEAD on the rug gazes blankly at him. A

KNOCK on the living room window. It’s John du Pont, who

points toward the front door.

EXT. PORCH/THE CHALET - CONTINUOUS/LATE NIGHT

Mark opens the door. John’s standing on the little porch,

wearing a tux, holding a BOOK and a SMALL BOX.

MARK:

Mr. du Pont, I want to thank you

for -

Du Pont holds up a finger. Mark STOPS. Du Pont whispers

DU PONT:

You hear that?

Mark listens, shakes his head. Du Pont holds up his finger

again - and then we HEAR it: a faint HOOTING from the woods.

DU PONT (CONT’D)

Barred owl

He hands Mark the small box he’s holding. Inside is a very

small set of BINOCULARS.

DU PONT (CONT’D)

When you spot one, you’ll see with

each hoot there’s a white flash in

his collar. His throat swells, and

he reveals to you the lighter

feathers he keeps hidden

underneath.

He hands Mark the BOOK: “South Pacific Birds” by John

Eleuthere du Pont.

DU PONT (CONT’D)

It’s from ten years ago, but I

thought you might find it

interesting.

32.

MARK:

You wrote this?

DU PONT:

I did.

Mark seems genuinely touched and impressed.

MARK:

Thank you. Do you want to come in?

DU PONT:

No no

MARK:

-The fridge is full - you probably

know better than me what’s in there-

DU PONT:

-No. You need your rest. You need

to get started bright and early.

Du Pont hold up his own set of binoculars.

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