Into the Woods Page #5

ANGLE on LRRH, as she continues walking and eating.

WOLF (O.S.)

Good day, young lady.

She turns around and what she sees - through a CHILD’S EYES -

is a super-slick, good-looking guy. What she doesn’t notice

is his curiously low hairline, something of a snout, and a

tail peeking from his waistcoat.

LRRH:

Good day, Mr. Wolf.

WOLF:

Whither away so hurriedly?

LRRH:

To my Grandmother’s.

WOLF:

And what might be in your basket?

LRRH:

It’s bread for Grandmother so she’ll

have something good to make her

strong.

WOLF:

And where might your Grandmother live?

LRRH:

(pointing)

A quarter of a league further in the

woods; her house stands inside a great

oak tree.

She continues on the path.

The WOLF looks after her longingly.

WOLF:

MMMMH.../ UNHH.../ LOOK AT THAT

FLESH,/ PINK AND PLUMP./ HELLO, LITTLE

GIRL.../ TENDER AND FRESH,/ NOT ONE

LUMP./ HELLO, LITTLE GIRL.../ THIS

ONE’S ESPECIALLY LUSH,/ DELICIOUS...

With inhuman speed, he manages to suddenly be back in front

of the girl on the path.

WOLF (CONT’D)

HELLO, LITTLE GIRL,/ WHAT’S YOUR

RUSH?/ YOU’RE MISSING ALL THE

FLOWERS./ THE SUN WON’T SET FOR

HOURS,/ TAKE YOUR TIME.

LRRH:

MOTHER SAID,/ ”STRAIGHT AHEAD,”/ NOT

TO DELAY/ OR BE MISLED.

She continues moving forward, he slithers around her. This

WOLF has some smooth moves.

WOLF:

BUT SLOW, LITTLE GIRL,/ HARK! AND HUSH

/ THE BIRDS ARE SINGING SWEETLY./

YOU’LL MISS THE BIRDS COMPLETELY,/

YOU’RE TRAVELLING SO FLEETLY.

He drops behind again, thinking to himself.

WOLF (CONT’D)

GRANDMOTHER FIRST,/ THEN MISS

PLUMP.../ WHAT A DELECTABLE COUPLE./

UTTER PERFECTION:/ ONE BRITTLE, ONE

SUPPLE-

Racing ahead and then darting out from a tree.

WOLF (CONT’D)

ONE MOMENT, MY DEAR-

LRRH:

MOTHER SAID,/ ”COME WHAT MAY,/ FOLLOW

THE PATH/ AND NEVER STRAY.”

WOLF:

JUST SO, LITTLE GIRL--/ ANY PATH./

SO MANY WORTH EXPLORING./ JUST ONE

WOULD BE SO BORING./ AND LOOK WHAT

YOU’RE IGNORING...

He ushers LRRH off the path to a lush meadow blanketed with

exquisite purple flowers and wild berries.

WOLF (CONT'D)

(working himself up)

THINK OF THOSE CRISP,/ AGING BONES,/

THEN SOMETHING FRESH ON THE PALATE./

THINK OF THAT SCRUMPTIOUS CARNALITY/

TWICE IN ONE DAY.../ THERE’S NO

POSSIBLE WAY/ TO DESCRIBE WHAT YOU

FEEL/ WHEN YOU’RE TALKING TO YOUR

MEAL!

The WOLF picks a flower and hands it to LRRH.

WOLF (CONT’D)

For Granny.

LRRH:

MOTHER SAID/ NOT TO STRAY./ STILL, I

SUPPOSE,/ A SMALL DELAY--/ GRANNY

MIGHT LIKE/ A FRESH BOUQUET.../

Goodbye, Mr. Wolf.

WOLF:

Goodbye, little girl./ AND HELLO...

The WOLF climbs to the top of a precipice where he is

silhouetted by the red hot sun. He lets out a mighty howl.

EXT. WOODS - FLOWERED PATH - DAY - CONTINUOUS

LRRH goes about her business picking flowers further from her

path.

ANGLE ON THE BAKER who has been observing LRRH from a

distance. Like a bat, the WITCH swings upside down from a

tree above the BAKER:

WITCH:

Why are you standing there?! Go get

the cape!

BAKER:

You frightened me!

The WITCH swings to the ground.

WITCH:

Get it! Get it! Get it!

BAKER:

How am I supposed to get it?

WITCH:

You go up to the little thing, and you

take it.

BAKER:

I can’t just take a cloak from a

little girl. Why don’t you take it!

WITCH:

It’s the rules. Why do you think I

asked you in the first place? I’m not

allowed to touch any of the objects!

We suddenly hear the lilting sound of a young voice singing

in the distance. The WITCH, almost intoxicated by her sound,

swoons with delight. Then:

WITCH (CONT’D)

(yelling)

Get me what I need! Get me what I

need!

She wraps the cape about herself and disappears in such a

strong blast of wind that it knocks the BAKER to the ground.

BAKER:

This is ridiculous!

ANOTHER ANGLE. LRRH is picking flowers off the path, blithely

unaware of anything else. The BAKER gets up and hurries over

to her.

BAKER (CONT’D)

Hello there little girl.

LRRH:

Hello, Mr. Baker.

BAKER:

Have you saved some of those sweets

for Granny?

LRRH:

I ate all the sweets and half the loaf

of bread.

BAKER:

So I see! Now tell me...where did you

get that beautiful cape?

LRRH:

My Granny made it for me.

BAKER:

Is that right? I would love a red cape

like that.

LRRH:

(giggling)

You’d look pretty foolish.

BAKER:

May I take a look at it?

He quickly unties it.

LRRH:

No!

He pulls it off her back, she grabs the other side.

BAKER:

I need it badly.

LRRH:

Please -- give it back!

They have a tug of war.

The BAKER pulls free and runs off with the cape. LRRH stands

there momentarily stunned, then lets out a loud scream.

ANGLE ON THE BAKER. He stops cold, realizing what he’s done,

then runs back to LRRH and places the cape around her

shoulders.

BAKER:

I’m sorry. I just wanted to make sure

that you really loved this cape. Now

off you go to Granny’s -- and be

careful that no wolf comes your way.

LRRH:

I would rather a wolf than you any

day.

LRRH stamps on his foot. The BAKER hops on his good foot.

BAKER:

(distraught)

This is hopeless. I’ll never get that

red cape or find a golden cow and a

yellow slipper -- or was it a golden

slipper and a yellow cow?

WIFE (O.S.)

THE COW AS WHITE AS MILK,/ THE CAPE AS

RED AS BLOOD,/ THE HAIR AS YELLOW AS

CORN,/ THE SLIPPER AS PURE AS-He

stops in his tracks.

BAKER:

What are you doing here?

The WIFE steps out from behind a thicket.

WIFE:

You forgot your scarf.

BAKER:

You shouldn’t be here. It’s not safe

in these woods!

WIFE:

I want to help.

She goes to tie the WOOL SCARF around his neck but he pulls

away.

BAKER:

No! THE SPELL IS ON MY HOUSE-

WIFE:

OUR HOUSE-

BAKER WIFE:

ONLY I CAN LIFT THE SPELL,/ WE MUST LIFT THE SPELL

THE SPELL IS ON MY HOUSE--!/ TOGETHER!/ THE SPELL IS ON-THE

SPELL IS ON-

The two stop cold when they notice JACK and his COW coming

down the path towards them.

WIFE (CONT’D)

(murmured)

A cow as white as ...

They look at each other.

BOTH:

... milk.

The WIFE pushes the BAKER in JACK’S direction, then follows.

BAKER:

Hello there, young lad.

JACK:

Hello, sir.

BAKER:

What might you be doing with a cow in

the middle of the forest?

JACK:

I was heading toward market -- but

I seem to have lost my way.

WIFE:

(coaching BAKER)

What are you planning to do there?

BAKER:

And what are you planning to do there?

JACK:

Sell my cow, sir. No less than five

pounds.

BAKER:

Five pounds!

(to WIFE)

Where are we to get five pounds?

The WIFE moves forward to JACK as the BAKER goes through the

pockets of his hunting jacket looking for money.

WIFE:

She must be generous of milk to fetch

five pounds?

JACK:

(Hesitantly)

Yes, ma’am.

WIFE:

And if you can’t fetch that sum? Then

what are you to do?

JACK:

I hadn’t thought of that...

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