Frankenstein Page #15

(CONTINUED)

64

FELIX:

I'll see if I can scratch a few more out of the

ground.

He hoists the basket and exits. The Creature turns to watch

Felix trudging back toward the fields.

EXT - FIELD - DAY

Felix digs for potatoes, tilling as he goes. Back-breaking

work. Thomas provides what help he can. Some distance away,

Maggie and Grandfather are tending the cow. ANGLE SHIFTS to

reveal the Creature watching from the brambles ...

INT - PIGSTY - NIGHT

The Creature watches the family eat their dinner. Potatoes

and turnips. A glimmer of understanding in his eyes.

EXT - HOUSE - NIGHT

A long shadow looms toward the dwelling ... circling the

house...approaching the shed. Baskets and tools ...

EXT - FIELDS - NIGHT

We find the Creature working by the light of a refulgent

moon, hacking away at the soil, tilling the earth ...

INT - PIGSTY - DAWN

The Creature stirs, hearing movement within the house. He

scurries to the slats of the sty and peers out. All the

baskets from the tool shed are stacked to overflow before

the door.

The door opens. Felix steps out and trips on a basket,

sprawling to the ground in a torrent of potatoes and

turnips. He sits up, gazing in wonder.

INT - PIGSTY - NIGHT

A sliver of warm light spills through the chink in the wall.

The Creature looms into frame, busily munching a raw potato.

A pig comes snuffling at his elbow. He shoves him away. Go

find your own. Inside, the family is enjoying a much more

generous meal than the last one:

GRANDFATHER:

I wish we could thank our benefactor.

FELIX:

Nothing in this life comes free of cost. I'd like

to know who and why.

(CONTINUED)

65

MAGGIE:

It's the Good Spirit of the forest.

FELIX:

Who's been filling your head?

GRANDFATHER:

It does no harm.

FELIX:

(peers at him)

Oh, I see.

THOMAS:

Is it, Papa? Is it the Good Spirit?

Felix and Marie exchange a look. He's not as amused as she

is, but lets it go. She smiles at the children.

MARIE:

of course it is. Now finish your food before it

gets cold.

EXT - POND - DAY

Grandfather sits playing his recorder. The cow is grazing at

a distance. The Creature creeps into view, listening to the

music. Grandfather senses his presence. Turns.

GRANDFATHER:

Who's there? Felix? Children?

No response. He turns back. Unsettled. Continues playing.

INT - PIGSTY - NIGHT

The Creature watches Marie instructing the children in their

letters. A half dozen words are written in chalk on a slate

board. Maggie is trying to puzzle one out:

MAGGIE:

ff..reh..nn..nd. Friend? Friend.

MARIE:

Good! And now the next

CREATURE:

(mimicking the effort)

... freh ... nnn..nd. Freehhnnnd.

He's delighted to have uttered his first word.

EXT - WOODS - DAY

Felix is chopping lengths of wood, dulled by the task. The

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66

children are stacking the wood on a litter.

EXT - FIELD - DUSK

Felix and the children walk home. The litter of wood is

being dragged by their cow ...

EXT - HOUSE - DUSK

Felix stacks the last pile of wood under the eaves. Marie

meets him at the door, takes his hands.

MARIE:

Your hands are bleeding again. Come in. I'll rub liniment.

They go inside. The door closes. CAMERA PUSHES to the

pigsty. Eyes peering out.

EXT - WOODS - NIGHT

The Creature walks along, munching a turnip, axe slung over

his shoulder, muttering:

CREATURE:

.brread ... motherrr ... frriend ...

(stops, gazes up)

Treeeeee

EXT - HOUSE - MORNING

The walls around the house are stacked impossibly high with

cords of wood. Felix and Marie gaze out the door. Stunned.

FELIX:

What is going on here?

INT - VICTOR'S GARRET - NIGHT

Snow is drifting outside the tall dormer window. We find

Victor at his desk, reading a letter:

VICTOR:

... but it's been so long since I've heard from

you. Remember the vow we took the night you left?

You must be honest with me if your feelings have

changed. Answer for the sake of our friendship,

and both our future happiness."

(pause)

She wrote that four months ago.

ANGLE SHIFTS to include Henry. He's been listening.

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67

HENRY:

A woman like that is far too rare to be taken

lightly.

Victor ponders the letter. He lays it next to the locket,

pulls out a sheet of paper and quill, begins to write ...

INT - PIGSTY - NIGHT

The Creature observes another lesson. Six more words are

chalked on the board. Thomas is struggling with the first:

THOMAS:

Ch...uur-ch. Church.

CREATURE:

Ch...uuur ... ch.

MARIE:

Good. And the next.

THOMAS:

Fl ... oww.

CREATURE:

Floww ...

And then, amazingly, the Creature finishes the word before

Thomas does:

CREATURE:

... wwer. Flower.

THOMAS:

.wer. Flower?

MARIE:

Very good! Maggie. Try the next

Now the Creature beats Maggie to the punch:

CREATURE:

Garrr ... denn. Garden.

THOMAS:

Maria! Look! It's snowing!

The children crowd to the window. The Creature turns,

peering through the slats. White flakes drift magically

down. The door flies open, the children pour out. The adults

appear in the doorway:

MARIE:

Maggie! Thomas! You'll catch your death!

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68

GRANDFATHER:

Let them play. There's plenty of wood for the

fire.

FELIX:

(shoots her a look)

He's right about that.

Before she can react, he grabs her by the waist and drags

her shrieking out into the snow. Before you know it, a wild

snowball fight ensues. Screams and laughter.

THE CREATURE watches his family cavorting in the snow,

having the time of their lives. His face lights up with a

smile. Softly:

CREATURE:

It's snnowwinng.

EXT - HOUSE - DAY

Bright sunshine sparkles off a fresh carpet of snow. Felix

and the children are heading out, spirits high. Felix has

his axe and a coil of rope slung over his shoulder.

EXT - WOODS - DAY

TRACKING Felix and the children. They're laughing and

joking, the kids playful and giggling. The Creature shadows

them, looming and darting among the trees, along for the

excursion. Happy as a kid himself.

Maggie and Thomas hurl themselves to the ground, thrashing

their arms and legs in the snow. They jump to their feet and

hurry to catch up with Felix. The Creature peers out, amazed

to see two snow-angels in the powder at his feet,

Up ahead, Maggie points to a 6-foot fir tree.

MAGGIE:

That one! It's the most beautiful tree I've ever

seen!

Felix shrugs off his coil of rope and starts chopping.

INT - PIGSTY - NIGHT

The Creature gazes through the chink in the wall, face lit

up with wonder. inside, the tree is a dazzling vision of

ornaments and light. The house is filled with joy and

laughter. Grandfather plays his recorder by a roaring fire

CREATURE:

Most beautiful ... tree ...

(CONTINUED)

69

The kids go dashing across the room. The Creature shifts to

the slats as the door opens, throwing a spill of warm light.

The children set something out in the snow. Maggie calls out

into the darkness:

MAGGIE:

Merry Christmas!

The door closes. The Creature creeps from his sty, scurries

closer to investigate. He finds a covered plate topped with

a glittering red silk flower as decoration. The slate board

is jammed in the snow. On it is chalked a child's rendering

of a glowing angel and a message:

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