Kramer vs. Kramer Page #3

Thelma is an attractive woman in her mid-thirties. She

dresses well, works out religiously at Jack LaLanne's

and goes to a therapist twice a week. She is also given

to acting the lay analyst with her friends. Thelma is

generous with her advice, sharing the wealth so to speak.

With all of this she is kind, loyal and a loving friend.

At the moment, however, she is all business.

THELMA:

(looking around,

suspiciously)

All right. What's going on?

ON TED--From his attitude it is clear that there is no

love lost between them.

TED:

All right, Thelma, you want to

know what's going on? I'll tell

you what's going on. I'll tell

you exactly what's going on.

THELMA:

Look, Ted, all I--

TED:

(starting to

really roll)

I came home tonight. We just got

the Fire and Ice account at the

agency. Do you know what that

means?! Do you understand

what that means? It means that

it was maybe one of the five

best days in my whole life.

THELMA:

Ted, all I wanted to know was

where--

TED:

(not letting her get

a word in edgewise)

I walk in the house and before

I can say "How are you?", "Did

you have a nice day?" before I

can say anything. Pow she's

out the door.

THELMA:

OhmyGod. Didn't she say anything?

She must've said something.

TED:

(sarcastic)

Yeah, she said it wasn't any

use talking anymore.

THELMA:

Ted, don't be so hostile.

Ted draws himself upright with the dignity of the

Ambassador to the Court of St. James. However, during

the following, he begins pounding the pillows on the

couch into shape with real vehemence.

TED:

Hostile?

(pow)

Me?

(whack)

Thelma, I'm not hostile.

(thud)

I am anything but hostile.

(sock)

But if you want to know what

I am. I'll tell you what I am.

What I am is, I am hurt. I am very

hurt. And I just want to know

one thing, okay? Just one thing

...Why? That's all I want to

know...Why?

THELMA:

(how to say this)

Ted, Joanna and I used to talk a

lot and...well, she told me a lot

of...ah, things about the two of

you.

TED:

(instantly nervous)

Things? What kind of things?

THELMA:

(clearly she knows

more than she's

willing to say)

I mean...things. Ted, Joanna's

very unhappy and--

TED:

(flash of anger)

Listen, Joanna Kramer's got a

goddamn good life. She's got a

husband that loves her. She's

got a terrific kid. She's got

a wonderful home--

THELMA:

(getting mad herself)

What d'you know about how Joanna

felt? You went off to an office

every morning and you'd come

dragging home at seven or eight

every night and as long as dinner

was on the table you thought

everything was swell.

TED:

Did it ever occur to you guys

that Joanna Kramer's not the

easiest person in the world to

live with?! Did it?! For one

thing she's always thirty minutes

late. You can set your watch

by it--

THELMA:

(exasperated)

So she's late. What's the big

deal. That's just a way of saying,

"Pay attention to me."

TED:

(not listening)

Two. She is getting to be a real

hermit or recluse or whatever it

is you call it. Thelma, do

you know where I could be in

this business if I had a wife

that entertained or went out

socially--

THELMA:

Oh for sh*t's sake, Ted, you are

the most selfish human being I

have ever met. No wonder she

said you came first, then Billy,

then, if there was anything left

over, she got the scraps.

TED:

Joanna said that?

Thelma nods.

TED:

Then how come she never said

anything like that to me?

THELMA:

Maybe she didn't feel like she

should have to. Maybe she

felt like if you'd been paying

any real attention to her to

start with, maybe you would've

noticed.

TED:

(stung)

Boy, you guys are really something,

y'know? I'd like to know one

thing, okay--just one little

thing. Did you tell Joanna

she should leave me?

THELMA:

(stiffly)

No.

She turns and starts toward the front door, Ted at

her heel.

TED:

Y'know something Thelma--you are

the typhoid Mary of divorce.

I mean it. Joanna and I never

had any trouble until you and

Charley split up.

THELMA:

Ted, divorce is a terrible thing.

I know, I went through it.

You've got to believe I did

everything I could to get Joanna

to stay.

(pause)

But I'll tell you something.

You may not want to hear it,

but it took a lot of courage

for Joanna to do what she just

did.

TED:

I'd like to know what the hell

kind of courage it takes to walk

out on your husband and your child?

CLOSE ON THELMA--That stops her dead in her tracks.

She had always assumed that Joanna took Billy with her

when she left.

THELMA:

Joanna left Billy? She didn't

take him with her?

Ted shakes his head. There is a long beat of silence.

THELMA:

(stunned, quiet)

Oh Sh*t.

CUT TO:

FADE IN:

22 EXT. KRAMER APT. BLDG. - EARLY MORNING

WIDE SHOT--It is a beautiful sunny morning and the

super stands in front of the building hosing down the

sidewalk. HOLD as a garbage truck enters FRAME and the

garbage men begin loading sacks of trash into the back

of the truck. As it begins to grind up the garbage with

an ungodly sound, THE CAMERA PANS UP TO THE EIGHTH

FLOOR WINDOWS.

CUT TO:

23 INT. BILLY KRAMER'S BEDROOM - EARLY MORNING

MED. SHOT--Billy Kramer lies in his bed, fast asleep.

HOLD FOR A BEAT as we HEAR:

O.S. Sound:
From the street below, the garbage truck

grinding up garbage.

A moment later, Billy opens his eyes, struggles to his

feet and, AS THE CAMERA TRACKS WITH HIM, trudges

sleepily out of his room, across the hall and into

the bathroom.

24 INT. BATHROOM - EARLY MORNING

As the child stands in front of the toilet, eyes closed,

we HEAR:

O.S. Sound-effect: as the child pees noisily.

Then, when he is finished, he turns and, without bother-

ing to flush the toilet, shuffles down the hall and

into his parents' bedroom.

25 HIS P.O.V.: The bed is empty, there is no sign

that anyone has slept in it.

ON BILLY--a look of suspicion on his face, he turns and

starts back down the hall toward the living room.

26 INT. LIVING ROOM - EARLY MORNING

As Billy enters, looks around.

HIS P.O.V.:
Ted Kramer, still fully dressed, looking

like the wrath of God is asleep in the chair.

ON BILLY--as he marches across to his father.

BILLY:

Where's mommy?

ON TED--His eyes open, he looks around startled.

TED:

Huh?...Oh God...What time is it?

CROSS-CUTTING BETWEEN THEM:

BILLY:

(suspicious)

The little hand is on the six and

the big hand is on the nine.

Where is mommy?

TED:

(trying to pull

himself together)

Oh, Christ...Ah, yeah...you want

to know why mom's not here, right?

Billy nods.

TED:

(bullshit)

Okay, I'm going to tell you...

It's like this. Mommy and daddy

had a little argument and mommy

decided she wanted to go off by

herself for a little while. You

know how sometimes you get mad

and want to go off and be by

yourself? Well, it's like that,

okay? Okay.

(subject closed)

Now how about some breakfast?

Ted struggles to his feet and THE CAMERA TRACKS WITH

THEM as they start toward the kitchen.

BILLY:

When is mommy coming back?

TED:

(lying)

Soon. Very soon.

By now they are inside the kitchen, Ted looks around.

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