Into the Woods Page #11

EXT. NEAR GRANNY’S HOUSE - ELEPHANT OAKS - DAY

JACK makes his way despondently through the oaks with his

GOLDEN EGG.

He comes across what looks like a WOLF, hunched over on the

edge of the brush. He stops... then slowly approaches.

JACK:

Hey there - nice cape!

The figure twists around, pulling a knife.

LRRH:

Stay away from my cape or I’ll slash

you into a thousand bits!

The figure is revealed to be LRRH, in a wolf-skin cape,

picking mushrooms for her granny.

JACK:

Whoa! I don’t want it.

(beat)

Where did you get it?

LRRH:

My Granny made it for me from a wolf

that attacked us. And she gave me this

beautiful knife for protection.

JACK:

Well, look what I have! A golden egg.

He shows her his GOLDEN EGG.

LRRH:

(Suspicious)

Where did you get that egg?

JACK:

(pointing to the sky)

I stole a hen that lays golden eggs

from the kingdom of the Giant.

LRRH:

I don’t believe you.

JACK:

It’s true. And you should see the

Giant’s toy harp. It plays the most

beautiful tunes without your even

having to touch it.

LRRH:

(Smirking)

Of course it does. Why don’t you go up

to the kingdom right now and bring it

back and show me?

JACK:

I could.

LRRH:

You could not!

JACK:

I could!

LRRH:

You could not, Mr. Liar!

JACK:

I am not a liar! I’ll get that harp.

You’ll see!

He runs off.

EXT. BEANSTALK & JACK’S FARMHOUSE - AFTERNOON

To frantic MUSIC, JACK is making his way down to the bottom

of the beanstalk with all the speed he can muster. This is

made more difficult by the GOLDEN HARP which he has slung

over his shoulder.

BAKER (V.O.)

Jack took the little girl’s dare and

before he knew it, found himself

fleeing from a Giant.

Suddenly, the BEANSTALK shakes mightily, making JACK hold on

for dear life. He looks up to discover the Giant climbing

down after him; Jack feverishly picks up speed and jumps the

last six feet to the ground. He quickly drops the harp and

runs to a large axe embedded in the stump of a tree.

JACK swings the AXE striking the BEANSTALK.

EXT. WOODS - PINE FOREST - AFTERNOON

The SWING of the AXE is picked up by the BAKER snapping a

branch that’s in his way.

The BAKER and his WIFE trudging through the woods.

BAKER:

We’ve only one day left! I don’t know

where to start.

WIFE:

You can start by buying a new cow with

the money you took from the boy.

BAKER:

Right, where do I buy a cow?

WIFE:

You go to the next village, you’ll

find a cow there.

BAKER:

What are you going to do?

WIFE:

I’m going to get the slipper.

BAKER:

The yellow slipper?

WIFE:

The GOLDEN slipper!

BAKER:

Yes. The golden slipper, that’s what I

meant. How are you going to get it?

WIFE:

I have met a maiden with golden

slippers these two previous nights.

BAKER:

You think you could get one?

WIFE:

Yes, I’m sure of it. I’ll meet you

back here.

BAKER:

Right.

(beat)

Why are we always separating?

WIFE:

Because we have to if we’re going to

be together...

The BAKER and his WIFE start to go off in opposite directions

when there is a TREMENDOUS CRASH with the force of an

earthquake. The BAKER and his WIFE are knocked off their feet

and tumble into a bank of FERNS. They scramble to their feet

and look to one another.

WIFE (CONT’D)

What is happening?

EXT. JACK’S FARMHOUSE - AFTERNOON

The Giant lies still on the ground.

BAKER (V.O.)

The entire kingdom shook when the

beanstalk came crashing down, killing

the Giant...

EXT. KING’S CASTLE - PALACE STEPS - NIGHT

The MOON is now half covered by SHADOW. DROP DOWN to find

CINDERELLA running down the steps; commotion ensues as she is

followed by the PRINCE and his retinue.

BAKER (V.O.)

...as for Cinderella, she fled from

the Prince... again.

ANOTHER ANGLE. Suddenly, when CINDERELLA is MID-FLIGHT on the

steps, she falters, unable to move. She looks down to see

that there is TAR on this step and her shoes are stuck.

ANGLE ON THE PRINCE. Smiling as he sees he has finally

trapped his prey.

We FREEZE the action as CINDERELLA considers the situation.

CINDERELLA:

HE’S A VERY SMART PRINCE,/ HE’S A

PRINCE WHO PREPARES./ KNOWING THIS

TIME I’D RUN FROM HIM,/ HE SPREAD

PITCH ON THE STAIRS./ AND I’M CAUGHT

UNAWARES./ WELL, IT MEANS THAT HE

CARES--/ THIS IS MORE THAN JUST

MALICE./ BETTER STOP AND TAKE STOCK/

WHILE YOU’RE STANDING HERE STUCK/ ON

THE STEPS OF THE PALACE.

ALL RIGHT, WHAT DO YOU WANT?/ HAVE TO

MAKE A DECISION./ WHY NOT STAY AND BE

CAUGHT?/ SHOULD I GIVE THAT A

THOUGHT,/ WHAT WOULD BE HIS RESPONSE?/

She turns around to see the PRINCE, frozen in time and

staring at her.

CINDERELLA (CONT'D)

BUT THEN WHAT IF HE KNEW/ WHO I AM

WHEN I KNOW/ THAT I’M NOT WHAT HE

THINKS/ THAT HE WANTS?

OR THEN WHAT IF I AM/ WHAT A PRINCE

WOULD ENVISION?/ BUT THEN HOW CAN YOU

KNOW/ WHO YOU ARE TILL YOU KNOW/ WHAT

YOU WANT, WHICH I DON’T?/ SO THEN

WHICH DO YOU PICK:/ WHERE YOU’RE SAFE,

OUT OF SIGHT,/ AND YOURSELF, BUT WHERE

EVERYTHING’S WRONG?/ OR WHERE

EVERYTHING’S RIGHT/ BUT YOU KNOW THAT

YOU’LL NEVER BELONG?

AND WHICHEVER YOU PICK,/ DO IT QUICK,/

‘CAUSE YOU’RE STARTING TO STICK/ TO

THE STEPS OF THE PALACE.

IT’S MY FIRST BIG DECISION,/ THE

CHOICE ISN’T EASY TO MAKE./ TO ARRIVE

AT A BALL/ IS EXCITING AND ALL--/ ONCE

YOU’RE THERE, THOUGH, IT’S SCARY. AND

IT’S FUN TO DECEIVE/ WHEN YOU KNOW YOU

CAN LEAVE,/ BUT YOU HAVE TO BE WARY.

THERE’S A LOT THAT’S AT STAKE,/ BUT

I’VE STALLED LONG ENOUGH,/ ‘CAUSE I’M

STILL STANDING STUCK/ IN THE STUFF ON

THESE STEPS...

BETTER RUN ALONG HOME/ AND AVOID THE

COLLISION./ THOUGH AT HOME THEY DON’T

CARE,/ I’LL BE BETTER OFF THERE/ WHERE

THERE’S NOTHING TO CHOOSE,/ SO THERE’S

NOTHING TO LOSE./ SO I’LL PRY UP MY

SHOES.

CINDERELLA lifts her feet out of the shoes and moves to a

step with no tar. She pulls one shoe from the tar, and as she

goes to pry the second shoe, she stops.

CINDERELLA (CONT'D)

WAIT, THOUGH, THINKING IT THROUGH,/

THINGS DON’T HAVE TO COLLIDE--/ I KNOW

WHAT MY DECISION IS:/ WHICH IS NOT TO

DECIDE./I’LL JUST LEAVE HIM A CLUE:/

FOR EXAMPLE, A SHOE./ AND THEN SEE

WHAT HE’LL DO.

(MORE)

CINDERELLA (CONT'D)

NOW IT’S HE AND NOT YOU/ WHO’LL BE

STUCK WITH A SHOE,/ IN A STEW,/ IN THE

GOO,/ AND I’VE LEARNED SOMETHING,

TOO,/ SOMETHING I NEVER KNEW,/ ON THE

STEPS OF THE PALACE!

Coming out of the freeze, she quickly leaves one shoe and

slips on the other, then dashes off out of sight.

The PRINCE picks up the golden shoe from the tar and holds it

up triumphantly. He addresses his STEWARD and RETINUE.

C’S PRINCE

The ball is over. Send everyone home.

STEWARD:

And the Princess?

C’S PRINCE

She won’t get far with one shoe.

EXT. WOODS - PATHWAY TO THE CASTLE - NIGHT

CLOSE-UP on CINDERELLA’S FEET, awkwardly running with one

Rate this script:3.4 / 13 votes