Foxcatcher Page #7

38.

Du Pont watches from the stands, transfixed. Then he glances

over at:
Mark. Off to the side, watching his brother wrestle.

Whether he’s fascinated, jealous, rooting - we can’t tell.

CUT TO:

INT. WRESTLING ARENA/CLERMONT-FERRAND - LATER/DAY

Mark wrestles like an animal - aggressive, forceful and fast.

Dave’s in Mark’s corner, coaching - focused, intense, and

very tough on Mark - shouting instruction.

On du Pont, watching from the stands...

CUT TO:

INT. DAVE’S HOTEL ROOM - EVENING

Loud. The TV is on. A few Team USA WRESTLERS watch the French

Sports TV wrap-up of the day’s matches. Danielle JUMPS on the

bed near the window, with Nancy watching her.

DANIELLE:

One... twois... quatro!

Nancy laughs. Dave wrestles with Alexander on the other bed.

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE DAVE’S ROOM - SAME TIME

Du Pont and Mark are outside the door. Mark holds a

VIDEOTAPE. He KNOCKS. No answer.

CUT TO:

INT. DAVE’S HOTEL ROOM - SAME TIME

Dave wrestling with Alex on the bed.

DAVE:

...Fireman’s carry... to a half-

nelson... to a chicken wing...

Wait! A chicken wing?

He starts to gobble up Alex’s arm, who SHRIEKS in delight.

CUT TO:

39.

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE DAVE’S ROOM - SAME TIME

Mark knocks again. We HEAR Nancy’s voice yell from inside:

“It’s open!” Mark opens the door.

INT. DAVE’S HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Noisy, chaotic. The wrestlers glance over “Hey, Mark” “What’s

up”.... Mark’s focused on Dave, who wrestles with Alex -

MARK:

Dave.

DAVE:

-a scrambled-egg!... a feather-

pluck!...

Dave’s plucking Alex and Alex is cracking up.

MARK:

Dave.

DAVE:

Hey, Mark -

MARK:

Come meet Mr. du Pont.

Dave sweeps up Alex and throws him over his shoulder,

carrying him to the door. He SHAKES du Pont’s HAND.

DAVE:

Hi. Dave Schultz.

DU PONT:

John du Pont. It’s a pleasure to

meet you in person finally.

MARK:

(to Dave)

I told him how excited you were to

meet him.

DAVE:

This is Alex, that’s my wife,

Nancy, our daughter Danielle.

(to Nancy)

Hey, Nance. John du Pont.

Nancy waves from over near the window

NANCY:

Hey.

40.

DU PONT:

Hello.

DAVE:

Come on in. Can I get you a drink

DU PONT:

No no.

DAVE:

You sure - ?

DU PONT:

Thank you. No. I need to be getting

back. But, don’t worry - we’ll make

a Foxcatcher out of you yet.

(he laughs awkwardly)

Until tomorrow.

And he’s GONE. Beat. Dave shrugs.

DAVE:

Well, I know what I need.

MARK:

What?

DAVE:

Turkey drumstick!

He throws Alex on the bed and jumps on him. Alex SQUEALS.

Mark heads for the TV across the room. Pops in his video.

MARK:

Dave, check out the tape I have on

Nanev -

DAVE:

(still wrestling)

Yeah

MARK:

I want to show you this downblock

DAVE:

Cue it up.

As the tape cues up, Mark glances at Nancy.

MARK:

Too difficult to come say hello to

Mr. du Pont?

41.

NANCY:

I said hello.

(lights a CIGARETTE)

I’m watching my kid.

MARK:

It’s John du Pont. One of the most

generous men in America. He’s gonna

save USA Wrestling.

(re. cigarette)

Can you not do that in here?

NANCY:

Do what?

MARK:

Smoking.

NANCY:

Smoke?

MARK:

I wrestle tomorrow.

NANCY:

It’s my room, Mark. You don’t have

to be here.

MARK:

I’m trying to get advice from my

brother, get ready for the finals

NANCY:

Go get ready

MARK:

You start smoking - ?

NANCY:

You can leave. Go to your own room

MARK:

- Your kids are in here

She BLOWS SMOKE at him.

MARK (CONT’D)

What the hell is that?

DAVE:

Mark. Calm down.

MARK:

I’m not the one frigging smoking.

42.

DAVE:

The window’s open. Relax. Show me

what you want me to look at.

Mark looks around the room. At Alexander giggling on the bed,

at Danielle bouncing, Nancy BLOWING SMOKE RINGS. It’s all too

much. He pulls out the videotape and WALKS OUT the door.

CUT TO:

INT. ARENA/CLERMONT-FERRAND - DAY

VARIOUS SHOTS:
Final matches in progress, intense and brutal.

CUT TO:

INT. LOCKER ROOM - SAME TIME

Mark sits, alone, head in his hands.

CUT TO:

INT. ARENA/CLERMONT-FERRAND - SAME TIME

Faces in the crowd watching; strained faces of the wrestlers.

Mark Schultz and Alexander Nanev’s names are put up on the

board. FINALS . 82 KILOS...

CUT TO:

INT. LOCKER ROOM - SAME TIME

Du Pont enters. Mark’s alone on a corner bench, frozen, head

in his hands. Silence. Du Pont is stiff, but gentle.

DU PONT:

I think you’re up.

Silence. Du Pont goes over to him, unsure what to do.

Uncomfortable, he puts his hand on Mark’s shoulder.

DU PONT (CONT’D)

Mark. Dave just won. It’s your

turn.

Mark’s body starts to shake. Then, very quietly:

MARK:

I don’t want to let you down.

43.

This is the first time anyone has said anything like this to

du Pont. He has no idea how to respond. He woodenly pats

Mark’s shoulder, then takes his hand back.

DU PONT:

I can’t.... I’ve watched you these

past months...

(long beat, then quietly)

I can’t imagine being let down by

you.

Mark stops shaking. Du Pont stands patiently beside him.

CUT TO:

INT. ARENA/CLERMONT-FERRAND - MOMENTS LATER

CAMERA’S TIGHT ON Mark as he enters the arena. Mark walks

directly onto the mat, straight to the center, faces off with

the Bulgarian, NANEV. CAMERA stays tight on Mark looking

directly at Nanev, as the ref checks each of them.

WHISTLE. The match begins. Intense and rough. Neither able to

gain an edge. Dave coaches from Mark’s corner.

CUT TO:

In between periods. Mark sits as Dave FANS him with a towel,

shouting instruction. Mark glances behind him: du Pont

watches from the stands.

CUT TO:

Mark and Nanev wrestle the final seconds - Mark ahead by a

point. Nanev tries desperately to turn Mark, to gain any

advantage. The whistle blows.

The ref takes each of their hands. He RAISES Mark’s. He turns

them around, raises Mark’s hand again.

Mark does a BACK FLIP. He trots over to the opposing coach,

shakes his hand. He trots to his corner where Dave - beaming,

his arms open wide - embraces him. Mark hugs his brother

quickly, then turns to LOOK OUT into the stands.

He SPOTS du Pont, who’s coming down the steps toward the

platform. Mark walks toward him. The enormity of what he’s

just accomplished STARTS TO HIT Mark. His face is red. He

reaches du Pont, and from a step below him, THROWS HIS ARMS

around him, clings to him. Mark starts to SOB.

Du Pont holds him as he looks out toward the wrestling mat,

where Dave watches.

44.

PRELAP SOUND:
The beginning “AAAAAH’s” of David Bowie’s

“LET’S DANCE”.

CUT TO:

INT. TROPHY ROOM/BIG HOUSE - NIGHT

“LET’S DANCE” blasts from the stereo. Team Foxcatcher

wrestlers are huddled in a circle in the Trophy Room -

shouting the “AAAAAAAH’s” along with the thin white duke.

Each holds a BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE, shaking it up as they sing.

When the chords kick in, they POP THEIR CORKS - SPRAYING

champagne on each other, shouting wildly. Then they all CHUG

the rest of their bottles. Du Pont is dancing around outside

the circle, doing his best Euro-electronica moves, and

drinking from his bottle (and it’s not his first). The

wrestlers DANCE. When du Pont finishes his bottle

Rate this script:4.0 / 2 votes