Heavenly Creatures Page #15

It is clearly a strange, ritualistic burning. Pauline and Juliet watch

the fire, enraptured.

JULIET:

Only the best people fight against all obstacles . . .

Juliet squeezes Pauline's hand.

JULIET:

. . . in pursuit of happiness.

WIDE SHOT of the fire.

PAULINE:

(Diary V.O.) We both spent last night having a simply wonderful time in

every possible way.

FADE TO BLACK:

INT. RIEPERS' CAR/EXT. STREETS - DAYFADE IN . . . CLOSE-UP of Pauline's

face. SLOWLY PULL OUT . . . to reveal HONORA

and HERBERT

sitting in the front of the car. They are driving home.

PAULINE:

(Diary V.O.) I was picked up at 2:00 P.M. I have been very sweet and

good. I have worked out a little more of our plan. Peculiarly enough I

have no qualms of conscience.

INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE - DAYHONORA

is bustling about the house, working. Every time she bends down, or

leans over, Pauline is revealed behind her. She is helping, but the

mood is one of a hunter closing in on its prey.

PAULINE:

(Diary V.O.) I rose late and helped Mother vigorously this morning.

Deborah rang and we decided to use a rock in a stocking rather than a

sandbag. We discussed the moider fully. I feel very keyed up as though

I were planning a surprise party. Mother has fallen in with everything

beautifully and the happy event is to take place tomorrow afternoon. So

next time I write in this diary Mother will be dead. How odd-yet how

pleasing.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. ILAM/JULIET'S BALCONY - DAYJuliet is singing a haunting aria.

Tears are welling in her eyes. The aria continues over . . .

EXT. OCEANLINER'S DECK - DAY BLACK & WHITE . . .Pauline and Juliet are

happily bounding along the decks, pushing past OTHER PASSENGERS. They

are wearing holiday clothes.

We see a repeat of the same OCEANLINER SHOTS that opened the film.

They run toward a MAN and a WOMAN.

JULIET:

Mummy!

PAULINE:

Mummy!

CAMERA MOVES toward . . . Henry and Hilda as they turn and happily

greet the two girls. Hilda kisses Juliet, then Pauline on the cheek.

Henry and Hilda hug the girls and stand together as a tight group.

MOVE IN ON . . . Pauline, looking radiantly happy. Pauline hugs Hilda

tightly. Tears well in her eyes. She gazes at Juliet. Slowly their

faces come together in profile, filling the screen. They kiss.

CUT TO:

INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/PAULINE'S BEDROOM - MORNINGPauline opens her eyes

and sits up in bed.

INT. ILAM/JULIET'S BEDROOM - MORNINGJuliet opens her eyes and sits up

in bed.

INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/PAULINE'S BEDROOM - MORNINGCLOSE-UP . . . Pauline's

bedside clock. . . 6:37 A.M.

Pauline is sitting in bed, writing in her diary. CLOSE-UP . . .

Pauline's pen writing:

The . . . Day . . . of . . . the . . . Happy . . . Event.

PAULINE:

(Diary V.O..) I am writing a little of this up on the morning before

the death. I felt very excited and the night-before-Christmas-ish last

night. I am about to rise.

CUT TO:

EXT. ILAM/GROUNDS - MORNINGLOW ANGLE . . . bricks, piled up beside the

garage.

Juliet takes one . . . weighs it in her hands, then takes a smaller

half-brick.

HENRY (O.S.) (Calling) Juliet!

Juliet quickly wraps the brick in newspaper and puts it in her satchel.

CUT TO:

Henry standing by the car.

HENRY Thought I'd lost you.

Juliet hurries from behind the garage. Hilda appears at the front door.

She makes eye contact with Juliet and turns away.

Juliet hesitates and then rushes over to her mother.

JULIET:

Mummy!

HILDA You've got roses in your cheeks . . . I haven't seen that in such

a long time. Have a lovely time, darling.

JULIET:

I will . . . I'm so looking forward to it!

Juliet gives Hilda a hug. Hilda smiles at her daughter.

HILDA Bye.

Juliet beams, turns and skips toward the car. Henry arches an eyebrow

and shrugs at Hilda. He starts the car up.

CLOSE-UP . . . Henry's wristwatch . . . 10:33.

EXT. STREET - MORNINGTRACKING with Henry's black car as it cruises

along.

INT. HULMES' CAR - MORNINGJuliet is sitting next to Henry . . .

sunlight flickers on her face. She sits back smiling, eyes shut,

looking radiantly happy.

EXT. STREET - MORNINGThe black car glides to a halt outside some shops.

Juliet hops out.

JULIET:

Bye, Daddy . . . see you tonight.

CUT TO:

INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/KITCHEN - MORNINGHONORA

is mixing up some pikelet batter. Pauline is buttering bread . . . a

great pile.

HONORA:

Whoa . . . there s enough there to feed an army!

The front door opens and Juliet comes into the kitchen.

JULIET:

Hello!

HONORA:

Hello, Juliet. Juliet take off her jacket.

HONORA:

Oh-what a nice outfit!

JULIET:

Thank you. I bought it especially, Mrs. Rieper.

MOVE IN . . . to clock . . . 11:05.

Juliet puts her bags on the table. Her satchel drops with a clunk.

Pauline's eyes flick to the satchel, then up to Juliet.

HONORA:

is bending down, pulling a tray of sausage rolls into the oven. Both

girls look at HONORA

silently.

HONORA:

turns around and Juliet presents her with a brown paper bag.

JULIET:

Fruit.

HONORA:

Oh! I'll pop them in a bowl.

HONORA:

picks up the satchel. Pauline and Juliet tense up . . . as HONORA

puts the satchel on a chair.

PAULINE:

Let's go upstairs, Deborah. I wrote the last 10 pages of my opera last

night.

JULIET:

(Vacantly) All right, then.

Juliet follows Pauline out of the room. Pauline has to nip back and

grab the satchel.

INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/PAULINE'S BEDROOM - DAYCLOSE-UP . . . The newspaper

is unwrapped to reveal the half-brick.

Pauline is sitting on her bed looking at the brick.

Juliet stands beside her. She tugs at her collar.

JULIET:

Do you feel sweaty? I feel sweaty.

Pauline opens a draw and pulls out a stocking.

PAULINE:

It's a three-act story with a tragic end.

JULIET:

Your mother is a rather miserable woman . . . isn't she?

PAULINE:

I thought for hours about whether Carmelita should accept Bernard's

marriage proposal . . .

JULIET:

I think she knows what's going to happen . . . she doesn't appear to

bear us any grudge!

Pauline puts the brick in the stocking and ties a knot in the foot.

PAULINE:

. . . but in the end I decided against it. I thought it would spoil all

their fun.

Pauline puts the brick in her shoulder bag.

JULIET:

(Bitterly) Affairs are much more exciting than marriages . . . as Mummy

can testify!

They both laugh.

CUT TO:

INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/DINING ROOM - DAYClock on wall . . . 12:16.

Pauline and Juliet are laughing loudly.

PULL OUT . . . across the table to reveal Honora, Herbert, Wendy,

Pauline and Juliet in the middle of lunch.

PAULINE:

It's true! He was spotted in the lingerie department, eh, Wendy?

WENDY There's nothing wrong with Sir Edmund Hillary buying underwear

for his wife. He was a very nice man!

JULIET:

I bet it was thermal underwear!

Pauline roars with laughter.

PAULINE:

I bet he pitches a tent in the middle of their bedroom, and they have

to pretend to be on some mountain!

HONORA:

That's enough, Yvonne!

Juliet roars with laughter. The others don't laugh.

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