Into the Woods Page #18

CURSE:
/ I’M LEAVING YOU ALONE./ YOU

CAN TEND THE GARDEN, IT’S YOURS./

SEPARATE AND ALONE,/ EVERYBODY DOWN ON

ALL FOURS.

ALL RIGHT, MOTHER, WHEN?/ LOST THE

BEANS AGAIN!/ PUNISH ME THE WAY YOU

DID THEN!/ GIVE ME CLAWS AND A HUNCH,/

JUST AWAY FROM THIS BUNCH/ AND THE

GLOOM/ AND THE DOOM/ AND THE BOOM/

The ground swells beneath her lifting her upwards. Then

suddenly, the earth deflates into a sinkhole that sucks the

WITCH to its core, swallowing her up as she lets out her

final cry.

WITCH (CONT’D)

CRUUUUNCH!

The four back up and scatter for safety as a lava-like

substance oozes from where the Witch disappeared, creating a

large TAR PIT. As the smoke lifts, the four come together,

shaken. The BAKER holds the BABY.

JACK:

Maybe I shouldn't have stolen from the

Giant...

LRRH:

Maybe I shouldn’t have strayed from

the path...

CINDERELLA:

Maybe I shouldn’t have attended the

Ball...

BAKER:

(Bitter)

Yes. Maybe you shouldn’t have...

He hands CINDERELLA the BABY and turns to leave.

JACK:

Where are you going?

BAKER:

Away from here.

LRRH:

But you said we had to find our way

out of this together.

BAKER:

It doesn’t matter whether we’re

together or apart.

JACK:

We need your help.

BAKER:

You don’t understand. My wife was the

one who helped. I depended on her for

everything.

CINDERELLA:

You would leave your child?

BAKER:

(despondent)

He’ll be happier in the arms of a

Princess...

He begins to walk off.

CINDERELLA:

But wait...

EXT. WOODS - DENSE VERDURE - NIGHT

The BAKER walks aimlessly through the woods alone.

BAKER’S FATHER (O.S.)

Son.

BAKER:

What are you doing here?

The BAKER turns. His FATHER -- the father he remembers as a

child -- follows close behind. He wears the identical hunting

jacket.

BAKER (CONT’D)

I don’t want to talk to you. It’s

because of you all of this happened.

Go away!

BAKER’S FATHER

I’m sorry. I did a foolish thing.

BAKER:

Why would you do that? Why did you

take the Witch’s beans?

BAKER’S FATHER

They were there and I wanted them. I

didn’t think. I was being careless -

BAKER:

-- Selfish.

BAKER’S FATHER

Yes -

BAKER:

You stole them and you were caught,

and then you did what you do. You just

ran away.

BAKER’S FATHER

When your mother died, I was... I

hated myself and I ran from my guilt

and my shame...

BAKER:

... and your son.

BAKER’S FATHER

Yes, and my son. And I’m sorry for

that.

BAKER:

If you’re looking for forgiveness,

you’re not going to get it.

BAKER’S FATHER

I never expected...

BAKER:

Then what do you want?

BAKER’S FATHER

Aren’t you making the same mistake?

The BAKER says nothing.

BAKER’S FATHER (CONT’D)

Aren’t you running away?

(the Baker looks

away)

Be better than me, son. Do better...

The BAKER turns to look at his FATHER, but he is gone. Was he

ever there?

The BAKER walks angrily along an overgrown path through the

woods. He slows, sits down on a tree stump and breaks down,

his wife’s scarf in his hands.

Slowly he calms himself.

EXT. WOODS - TALL TREES - NIGHT

JACK and LRRH are making a plan. CINDERELLA has the BABY.

JACK:

If there were just some way we could

surprise the Giant.

LRRH:

She’s too tall to surprise.

They look up as a newly determined BAKER returns.

CINDERELLA:

I knew you wouldn’t give up.

JACK:

He wouldn’t leave his baby.

LRRH:

It looked like he was going to.

BAKER:

Give me my son.

The BAKER takes the BABY. The baby begins to cry.

BAKER (CONT’D)

(pulling the baby

close to comfort

him)

Hey, hey.

LRRH:

What are we going to do now?

BAKER:

We need to rid this kingdom of the

Giant -- together.

(MORE)

BAKER (CONT'D)

She’ll be back soon; here’s the plan.

We’re going to feed Jack to the Giant.

JACK CINDERELLA:

What? No!

BAKER (CONT’D)

We’re going to use you as bait to lure

the Giant towards the tar pit.

Suddenly a swarm of BIRDS appears overhead.

CINDERELLA:

The birds can help!

(to birds)

Oh good friends we need your help more

than ever.

(BIRDS chirp)

What of the prince?

She looks to the BAKER awkwardly. Then resolute...

CINDERELLA (CONT’D)

That doesn’t matter now! What’s

important is that we find a way to

defeat the Giant.

(BIRDS chirp)

Oh yes, thank you birds.

The BIRDS fly off. The others look at her with amazement.

LRRH:

You can talk to birds?

CINDERELLA:

The birds will do their part.

BAKER:

Okay, we don’t have much time.

JACK:

I’m excited.

BAKER:

Here’s what we’re going to do...

The BAKER leads them away from the tar pit.

EXT. WOODS - TALL TREES - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS

CINDERELLA settles the baby.

CINDERELLA:

Your father’s being very brave. We’re

going to be very brave too.

The C-PRINCE is passing a nearby path on horseback. He stops

when he sees CINDERELLA.

C’S PRINCE

(calling over)

Are you alright, miss?

CINDERELLA:

(hiding her face)

The Giant went in that direction.

He rides closer.

C’S PRINCE

My darling!

(dismounts)

I did not recognize you. What are you

doing here? And with a child? You must

go back to the castle at once. There’s

a giant on the loose.

CINDERELLA:

I’m well aware of that.

He comes and puts his arm around her, but she pulls away.

C’S PRINCE

My love. What is it?

CINDERELLA:

Maybe I’m not your only love.

C’S PRINCE

(beat)

I love you. Truly I do.

CINDERELLA:

If you love me, why did you stray?

C’S PRINCE

I thought if you were mine, that I

would never wish for more.

CINDERELLA:

If this is how you behave as a prince,

what kind of king will you be?

C’S PRINCE

I was raised to be charming, not

sincere.

CINDERELLA:

I think you should go.

C’S PRINCE

I’m not going to leave you.

CINDERELLA:

Consider that I’ve been lost. A victim

of the Giant.

C’S PRINCE

Is that what you really wish?

CINDERELLA:

My father’s house was a nightmare.

Your house was a dream. Now I want

something in-between.

She takes off her wedding ring and gives it back to him. He

stands there for a moment, then mounts his horse.

C’S PRINCE

I shall always love the maiden who ran

away.

CINDERELLA:

And I the faraway prince.

The PRINCE rides off.

CUT TO:

EXT. WOODS - TALL TREES - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS

ANGLE ON A TREE BY THE TAR PIT

The BAKER is scaling his way up the tall tree. JACK follows

him, each carrying slings and stones. A branch gives way

under JACK but he is able to keep his balance.

BAKER:

Careful, there. Not so fast.

JACK:

You needn’t worry -- this is easier

than a beanstalk.

ANGLE ON CINDERELLA. She’s sitting on a tree stump, rocking

the baby. LRRH returns.

LRRH:

They’re in the tree -- over there. We

made slings out of my cape.

LRRH sits next to CINDERELLA.

LRRH (CONT’D)

I wanted to climb too.

CINDERELLA:

I’m glad you’re here to help me.

LRRH turns her head away.

CINDERELLA (CONT’D)

What’s wrong?

LRRH:

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