Heavenly Creatures Page #5

WALTER Please . . . call me Bill. I don't know what went wrong. My wife

feels . . .

HILDA No . . . no . . . let's talk about your feelings . . . Bill.

The air is crackling with subtext.

JULIET:

(V.O.) Mummy has a special technique called "Deep Therapy."

INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/DINING ROOM - DAY (CONT.)

HERBERT:

What's that?

JULIET:

I'm not sure . . . but it's proving to be very popular!

HONORA:

and HERBERT

exchange a glance.

DING DONG! . . . doorbell rings. HONORA

gets up.

HONORA:

Eat up, Yvonne.

She leaves the room. Juliet raises her eyebrows at Pauline, who looks

embarrassed.

PAULINE:

(Quietly) It's my middle name.

HERBERT:

smiles at Juliet.

HERBERT:

Yvonne tells us you're good at making models.

JULIET:

I adore anything to do with the arts.

HERBERT:

We're pretty handy with model making, too, eh?

Pauline looks down, cheeks burning.

HERBERT:

I've never cottoned on to Plasticine like you girls, but I enjoy making

things out of wood.

JULIET:

Are you a carpenter, Mr. Rieper? HERBERT

shakes his head.

HERBERT:

I work at Dennis Brothers Fish Supply.

Muffled voices from the hallway.

PAULINE:

He's the manager!

HONORA:

leads a young man-JOHN-into the dining room.

HONORA:

(O.S.) This is the dining room . . .

She smiles at Juliet.

HONORA:

Do excuse us.

She leads John into the hallway.

HONORA:

(O.S.) Breakfast is between seven and nine . . . the bedroom's small,

but it's very clean and comfortable.

Pauline scowls.

HERBERT:

This story of yours-maybe the school newspaper will print it when it's

finished.

JULIET:

Actually, Mr. Rieper . . . it's a novel, and we'll be sending it to New

York. That's where all the big publishing houses are based.

HERBERT:

(Laughs) Is that a fact! You'd better put me name down for an advance

copy!

HERBERT:

chuckles. Pauline and Juliet look at each with knowing smiles.

PAULINE:

(Diary V.O.) We have decided how sad it is for other people that they

cannot appreciate our genius . . .

CUT TO:

EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - DAYTRACKING ALONG . . . past trees - with sunlight

streaming through the branches.

Pauline's V.O. continues . . .

PAULINE:

(Diary V.O.) . . . but we hope the book will help them to do so a

little, though no one could fully appreciate us.

The Hulmes' car is driving along a narrow, winding road on the way to

Port Levy.

EXT. WHARF - DAYSUPER: "Port Levy, Easter 1953"

Juliet, in her swimming costume, runs to the end of the jetty and

teeters nervously on the edge. Pauline fearlessly barrels past her and

jumps in.

SERIES of BLACK & WHITE "HOLIDAY SNAPS":

Girls splashing in the water; Jonathon with ice cream smeared over his

face; Henry paddling with trousers and rolled up; Hilda on deck chair.

EXT. PORT LEVY BEACH - DAYPauline and Juliet are in the middle of

building an elaborate sand castle. Juliet is working on a tower.

LOW ANGLE . . . TRACKING IN TOWARD the castle gateway.

JULIET:

Charles clutches his wounded shoulder as he gallops into the courtyard.

ANGLE . . . from inside tower as Pauline looks in through the window.

PAULINE:

Deborah awaits his return in their private boudoir at the very top of

the tower.

TRACKING from sand castle courtyard, up steps into tower.

JULIET:

He smells her scent from 50 paces and urges his steed onward!

CAMERA rushes into . . . tower bedroom . . . PANS from Pauline's to

Juliet's face, peering in through windows.

PAULINE:

He flings open the door and launches himself at the bed, ravishing her!

JULIET:

God, yes!

Juliet starts to giggle at a private thought.

JULIET:

(Giggling) I bet she gets up the duff on their first night together!

Pauline guffaws with delight. Jonathon is sitting nearby, digging a

hole in the sand.

JONATHON What's "up the duff"?

JULIET:

Something you wouldn't understand.

Jonathon launches himself at Juliet, and they roll on the sand,

grappling.

JONATHON Tell me! I'm almost 10!

JULIET:

You're eight and a half and incredibly stupid!

Pauline is laughing happily.

EXT. COTTAGE - DAYHilda sits on a deck chair in front of the cottage,

brushing Pauline's hair. Henry is seated at a table, writing a letter.

Juliet is lying on a towel, making notes in an exercise book.

JULIET:

Mummy . . . Pauline and I have decided the Charles and Deborah are

going to have a baby. An heir to the throne of Borovnia.

HILDA What a splendid idea!

JULIET:

We're calling him Diello.

HILDA That's a good, dramatic name!

JULIET:

Paul thought it up.

Pauline beams.

HILDA Aren't you clever! There, all done.

Pauline stands. Juliet touches Pauline's hair. Hilda laughs.

Henry is rifling through his briefcase.

HENRY Hilda! I can't find that letter from the High Commission. They

want our passport numbers.

JULIET:

(Surprised) Are you going abroad, Daddy?

Hilda scowls at Henry.

HILDA Your father's attending a university conference in England,

darling.

HENRY We'll only be away for a few weeks.

Juliet looks at Hilda, a trace of panic across her face.

JULIET:

(Worried) You're not going, are you, Mummy?

Hilda hesitates.

HILDA Well . . . I thought I might. It's a long time for your father

and I to be apart.

JULIET:

But I should go, too!

HILDA Darling, you've got school. You've only just settled in.

JULIET:

But- Hilda suddenly stands.

HILDA Who's coming to the shops? I need some cigarettes.

Jonathon barrels out of the cottage.

JONATHON Me! I'm coming.

HILDA (O.S.) Put on your shoes, Jonathon!

CAMERA MOVES IN . . . to Juliet's distraught face.

EXT. PORT LEVY HILLSIDE - EARLY EVENINGClouds swirling about the sky.

A grassy hillside overlooking Port Levy bay. An island sits in the bay,

bathed in the last rays of sunlight.

Juliet is a tiny figure against the vast landscape. She runs blindly

toward the edge of the hill.

Pauline appears over the brow . . . the hillside is empty! She panics,

running, calling out.

PAULINE:

(Worried) Julie! Julie!

Pauline finds Juliet curled up in a little ball. She is motionless.

Pauline gently takes Juliet in her arms. Juliet is breathing heavily .

. . she squeezes her eyes shut, concentrating hard-a look of

desperation on her face.

JULIET:

Look, Paul!

Pauline looks about, but can see nothing but a scrubby hillside. She

looks mystified.

PAULINE:

What?

JULIET:

It's so beautiful!

PAULINE:

What???

Golden light streams on Pauline and Juliet. Pauline look up as the

clouds above them open. Juliet stands as if in trance. She offers her

hand to Pauline.

JULIET:

Come with me.

Juliet pulls Pauline up and hugs her as they walk forward. The barren

landscape around Pauline and Juliet morphs into a beautiful garden . .

. the Fourth World!

EXT. FOURTH WORLD - DAYPauline and Juliet are amazed! . . . They stand,

holding each other's hand tightly. The world around them take on a new

form.

The grass beneath their feet has become a well-kept lawn. They are

surrounded by fountains and waterfalls. Unicorns graze on the hillside

. . . gigantic butterflies hover in the air.

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