Into the Woods Page #9

CINDERELLA’S PRINCE on his BLACK stallion and RAPUNZEL’S

PRINCE on his WHITE steed. They pass out of the frame. After

a few beats, they return trotting, meeting in the middle.

R’S PRINCE

Good brother. I was wondering where

you’d gone.

C’S PRINCE

I have been looking all night for her.

R’S PRINCE

Her?

C’S PRINCE

The beautiful one I danced the evening

with.

R’S PRINCE

Where did she go?

C’S PRINCE

Disappeared, like the fine morning

mist.

R’S PRINCE

She was lovely?

C’S PRINCE

The loveliest.

They dismount and walk their horses through the forest.

R’S PRINCE

I am not certain of that! I must

confess, I too have found a lovely

maiden. She lives here in the woods.

C’S PRINCE

(Incredulous)

The woods?

In the background we see the WIFE, who has wandered by on her

way back home. She stops to EAVESDROP on the PRINCES.

R’S PRINCE

Yes! In the top of a tall tower that

has no door or stairs.

C’S PRINCE

Where?

R’S PRINCE

Two leagues from here, due east, just

beyond the mossy knoll near the rose

thickets.

C’S PRINCE

And how do you manage a visit?

R’S PRINCE

I stand beneath her tower and say,

“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your

hair to me.” And then she lowers the

longest, most beautiful head of hair -

yellow as corn - which I climb.

The WIFE is thrilled by this news, and runs off.

C’S PRINCE

Rapunzel, Rapunzel! What kind of name

is that? You jest! I have never heard

of such a thing.

R’S PRINCE

I speak the truth! She is as true as

your maiden. A maiden running from a

prince? None would run from us.

C’S PRINCE

Yet one has.

The PRINCES lead their horses to a stream that cascades into

a magnificent waterfall.

C’S PRINCE (CONT'D)

DID I ABUSE HER/ OR SHOW HER DISDAIN?/

WHY DOES SHE RUN FROM ME?/ IF I SHOULD

LOSE HER,/ HOW SHALL I REGAIN/ THE

HEART SHE HAS WON FROM ME?

AGONY--!/ BEYOND POWER OF SPEECH./

WHEN THE ONE THING YOU WANT/ IS THE

ONLY THING OUT OF YOUR REACH.

R’S PRINCE

HIGH IN HER TOWER,/ SHE SITS BY THE

HOUR,/ MAINTAINING HER HAIR./ BLITHE

AND BECOMING,/ AND FREQUENTLY HUMMING/

A LIGHTHEARTED AIR:/ “AH-AH-AH-AH-AHAHAH--”

AGONY--!/ FAR MORE PAINFUL THAN

YOURS,/ WHEN YOU KNOW SHE WOULD GO

WITH YOU,/ IF THERE ONLY WERE DOORS.

BOTH:

AGONY!/ OH THE TORTURE THEY TEACH!

R’S PRINCE

WHAT’S AS INTRIGUING-

C’S PRINCE

OR HALF SO FATIGUING-

BOTH:

AS WHAT’S OUT OF REACH?

C-PRINCE studies his reflection in the water.

C’S PRINCE

AM I NOT SENSITIVE, CLEVER,/ WELLMANNERED,

CONSIDERATE,/ PASSIONATE,

CHARMING,/ AS KIND AS I’M HANDSOME,/

AND HEIR TO A THRONE?

R’S PRINCE

YOU ARE EVERYTHING MAIDENS COULD WISH

FOR!

C’S PRINCE

THEN WHY NO--?

R’S PRINCE

DO I KNOW?

C’S PRINCE

THE GIRL MUST BE MAD.

The R-PRINCE scales a hanging vine as if it were RAPUNZEL’S

hair.

R’S PRINCE

YOU KNOW NOTHING OF MADNESS/ TILL

YOU’RE CLIMBING HER HAIR/ AND YOU SEE

HER UP THERE/ AS YOU’RE NEARING HER,/

ALL THE WHILE HEARING HER,/ “AH-AH-AH

AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH--”

BOTH:

AGONY!

C’S PRINCE

MISERY!

R’S PRINCE

WOE!

BOTH:

THOUGH IT’S DIFFERENT FOR EACH.

C’S PRINCE

ALWAYS TEN STEPS BEHIND-R’S

PRINCE:

ALWAYS TEN FEET BELOW-

BOTH:

AND SHE’S JUST OUT OF REACH./ AGONY/

THAT CAN CUT LIKE A KNIFE!

I MUST HAVE HER TO WIFE.

PULL BACK to reveal the PRINCES side by side on a precipice,

overlooking the distant castle.

EXT. RAPUNZEL’S TOWER - NIGHT

The BAKER’S WIFE fights her way through a thicket. Her

clothes are now ratty, her face scratched - but she

approaches the tower with trepidation.

WIFE:

Rapunzel, Rapunzel? Let your hair down

to me.

The window at the top of the tower opens and RAPUNZEL sticks

out her head looking downward. The WIFE hides to the side.

RAPUNZEL:

(Dubious)

Is that you at this hour, my Prince?

WIFE:

(in her best princely

bass voice)

Yes.

RAPUNZEL thinks about it for a moment, then lowers her hair.

The WIFE approaches it gingerly.

WIFE (CONT'D)

Excuse me for this.

She takes a fist full of hair and gives it a pull. Nothing.

She tries once again, this time with more force eliciting a

little yelp from RAPUNZEL. Finally, she holds on to the hair

and just starts running away from the tower as fast as she

can. We hear RAPUNZEL yell as the WIFE succeeds in pulling

some of the hair from her head.

EXT. PATHWAY TO THE CASTLE - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS

Cinderella flees the castle.

BAKER (V.O.)

As the Baker’s Wife bolted from the

tower, the second night of the

festival was thrown into chaos when

Cinderella once again ran from the

Prince.

While the BAKER’S WIFE continues to run away from Rapunzel’s

tower, in the distance she sees a flutter of gold moving

through the moonlit trees. CINDERELLA? She changes course in

pursuit.

SERIES OF SHOTS with MUSIC

CLOSE-UP on CINDERELLA’S SHOES as they make their way through

wooded path.

ANGLE ON THE WIFE as she races towards them in pursuit.

The WIFE catches up with CINDERELLA and tackles her to the

ground, CINDERELLA’S slipper falling off. They both dive for

the slipper, when an approaching noise catches the WIFE’S

attention.

C’S PRINCE (O.S.)

Over here!

CLOSE-UP on the shoe as CINDERELLA snatches it from the

ground. CINDERELLA rushes off.

The WIFE stares frozen in horror as the PRINCE’S HORSE races

towards her. She lets out a scream and the horse stops short,

rearing up. The STEWARD’S horse charges off the path into

thickets.

C’S PRINCE (CONT’D)

Who is she? Where did she go?

WIFE:

(bowing)

I have no idea, sir.

C’S PRINCE

Don’t play the fool, woman!

WIFE:

I was trying to hold her here for

you...

C’S PRINCE

I can capture my own damsel, thank

you.

WIFE:

Yes, of course.

The STEWARD returns, covered in burrs and looking none too

happy.

STEWARD:

No sign of her, my liege.

C’S PRINCE

Well, what are you waiting for? See if

you can find her.

The STEWARD rides off. The PRINCE pauses. The ultimate

seducer, he gives the WIFE the once over.

C’S PRINCE (CONT’D)

The woods can be a dangerous place...

She nods to him, out of her depth. He gallops off.

EXT. WOODS - TALL TREES - NIGHT

The BAKER searches for MILKY-WHITE along a large PATHWAY,

disheveled and exhausted.

BAKER:

Moo... Moo......

He HEARS sounds off in the distance.

BAKER’S POV

The STEPFAMILY’S carriage is passing through a large hollowed

opening in the base of a huge tree.

We can hear the STEPSISTERS bickering, their blonde hair

bobbing animatedly.

ANOTHER ANGLE:

The BAKER stands in the middle of the pathway, flagging down

the carriage. He pulls an ear of corn from his satchel. As

the carriage slows, he hops on the sideboard.

BAKER (CONT’D)

Please, if you would be so kind, may I

compare this ear of corn with your

hair?

The STEPSISTERS scream.

LUCINDA AND FLORINDA

(overlapping)

Don’t touch us! Get away! How dare

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