Magnolia Page #5

INT. VAN NUYS POLICE STATION - DAY

CAMERA observing the officers at a morning role call, DOLLIES and BOOMS

DOWN towards JIM KURRING, sitting off to the side a bit by himself.

POLICE CAPTAIN (OC)

...so much violence...but that's the way of the

world...good luck, as always...Serve and Protect

and all that other blah-blah-blah on the

side of the car it says --

CUT TO:

INT. POLICE GARAGE - MOMENTS LATER

CAMERA DOLLIES w/Jim Kurring as he walks to his squad car.

All the cops walk with partners, except him. Kurring throws on

a pair of Oakley sunglasses and gets in the car --

CUT TO:

INT. POLICE CAR - MOVING - LATER

CAMERA holds a CU. of Jim as he drives. He speaks to someone unseen;

JIM KURRING:

This is not an easy job. I get a call

from Shirley on the radio: Bad News.

It's never good news. She tries to

be cheerful, tries to say something

nice, but uh-huh, it's just Bad News.

And It Stinks. But this is my job.

And I Love It. Because I want to do well.

In this life and in this world I want

to do well. And I want to help people.

And I may get twenty bad calls a day.

But one time I help someone, I Make A Save?

I correct a wrong or right a situation;

Then I'm a happy cop. And We Move Through

This Life We Should Try And Do Good.

WIDER ANGLE reveals that he is talking to himself. BEAT. HOLD.

JIM KURRING (sotto, to himself)

...Do Good. And If We Can Do That...And

Not Hurt Anyone Else.....Well, Then....

CUT TO:

EXT. MAGNOLIA BOULEVARD - DAY

CAMERA looks straight down on an intersection. Jim Kurring's POLICE

CAR drives past....a little SUNLIGHT that hits the intersection goes

away as if covered very quickly by a grey cloud....End Title Oue and

Sequence A.

CUT TO BLACK.

TITLE CARD reads: Partly Cloudy, 75% chance of rain

FADE IN:

INT. APARTMENT COMPLEX/NORTH HOLLYWOOD - DAY Sequence B

CAMERA (STEADICAM) follows behind JIM KURRING. He walks through

a courtyard, past some young mexican and black kids playing,

up a staircase and arrives at a door that is half open;

JIM KURRING:

Hello?

He knocks, pushes the door open a bit, steps in: A very, very large

black woman, MARCIE (4Os) appears, coming at him, ranting and raving;

MARCIE:

What? What? What now?

JIM KURRING:

Quietly, slow down, whoa --

MARCIE:

You can't just come in here.

JIM KURRING:

The door was open, I got a call --

MARCIE:

You're just come in --

JIM KURRING:

Calm down.

MARCIE:

I am calm.

JIM KURRING:

I got a call to this apartment,

report of a disturbance --

MARCIE:

There's no disturbance.

JIM KURRING:

I got a call of a disturbance, you're

door was open, I just wanna see

what's goin' on --

MARCIE:

There's no disturbance.

JIM KURRING:

Then you've got nothin' to worry about.

MARCIE:

You don't tell me, I know my rights,

just come right in, you can't --

JIM KURRING:

Don't test me, you wanna talk about

what the law book says, we can do that,

push me far enough and I'll take you

to jail -- now calm down.

MARCIE:

I AM CALM.

JIM KURRING:

You're not calm. You're screamin'

and yellin' and I'm here to check

on a disturbance that was reported

and that's what I'm gonna do - now

are you alone in here?

MARCIE:

I don't have to answer your questions.

JIM KURRING:

No you don't:
But I'm gonna ask

you one more time: Are you alone in here?

MARCIE:

What does it look like?

JIM KURRING:

No one else in here?

MARCIE:

You're here.

JIM KURRING:

OK. That's true. Is anyone else,

besides me and besides you in this house?

MARCIE:

No. I said that.

JIM KURRING:

Are you lyin' to me?

MARCIE:

I live alone.

JIM KURRING:

Maybe so, but I'm gonna ask you one

more time:
Is Anyone Else In This House

Right Now?

MARCIE:

No I Said.

JIM KURRING:

Ok. What's your name?

MARCIE:

Marcie.

JIM KURRING:

Ok. Marice why don't you take

a seat for me?

MARCIE:

I preffer to stand.

JIM KURRING:

I'm not askin', Marcie.

Marcie sits down.

MARCIE:

I didn't do anything.

JIM KURRING:

Maybe you didn't, but I'm here

to find out about a disturbance.

Some neighbors called said they

heard screaming and a loud crash.

MARCIE:

I don't know a loud crash.

JIM KURRING:

And what about screaming?

MARCIE:

I said:
I DON'T KNOW. You can't just

come in here and start pokin' around --

JIM KURRING:

What's this, how did this happen?

INSERT, ECU. THE FLOOR.

An ashtray has fallen on the floor, cigarette butts all around.

MARCIE:

An ashtray fell, I don't know, maybe

last night, I just woke up.

JIM KURRING:

You just woke up. And what'd you have

a party last night, the way this place

looks?

MARCIE:

I went out last night.

JIM KURRING:

Ok. Marcie. Starting now I want you

to have a new attitude with me. The more

you play games, the more suspicious I'm gonna

become that you've been up to something.

MARCIE:

It's a free country, you can

think anything you want.

JIM KURRING:

Yes I can, Marcie. And until you

start givin' me some straight

answers:
I'm gonna assume that some

mischief has been goin' on here.

MARCIE:

Mischief? What the f*** you talkin'

about, mischief?

JIM KURRING:

Bad and illegal behavior. That's what I mean.

Ok? Mischief. Now have you been

doin' some drugs today?

MARCIE:

No.

JIM KURRING:

You on any medication?

MARCIE:

No.

JIM KURRING:

Been drinkin' today?

MARCIE:

It's ten o'clock in the morning --

There's a small THUMP noise OC. Jim turns his head quick and

looks and Marcie freezes.

JIM KURRING:

--- What was that?

MARCIE:

I didn't hear anything.

Marcie stands up.

JIM KURRING:

No. No. Stay down, Marcie, sit

back down on that couch --

MARCIE:

I don't have to do a god damn thing.

Kurring gets his handcuffs out and handcuffs her wrist to the

couch, she goes crazy, screaming and yelling the whole time;

MARCIE:

WHAT'S THIS? WHAT'S THIS? GOD DAMN

BULLSHIT. BULLSHIT. DON'T PUT THOSE --

JIM KURRING:

Marcie - CALM DOWN. CALM DOWN

and don't do this. I want you to stay --

Continue with that until he's got her cuffed to the couch.

He removes his REVOLVER from his holster and starts to move

slowly down the hall to the back bedroom --

MARCIE:

WHAT THE F*** IS THIS BULLSHIT?

WHAT THE F*** ARE YOU DOING, MOTHERF***ER?

MOTHER-GOD-DAMN F***ER. WHERE ARE YOU GOIN'?

DON'T GO IN MY GOD DAMN BEDROOM.

Kurring keeps moving slowly, gun drawn, CAMERA behind him;

JIM KURRING:

This is the LAPD. If anyone is

back here I want you to come out

and I want you to show yourself

to me with your hands in the air --

MARCIE:

THERE'S NO ONE IN THERE. STAY OUT

OF MY MOTHERFUCKIN BEDROOM.

Kurring moves into the BEDROOM now and sees that the CLOSET is

closed and probably the only place for someone to be hiding;

JIM KURRING:

This is the LAPD, if anyone is in

the closet I want you to come out

and show yourself to me, slowly and

with your hands up --

MARCIE (OC)

THERE'S NO ONE IN THERE!

JIM KURRING:

Marcie - quiet down! Now if anyone

is in the closet, come out now --

MARCIE (OC)

THERE'S NO ONE IN MY MOTHERFUCKIN

CLOSET AND STAY OUT OF MY BEDROOM,

STAY OUT OF MY GOD DAMN BEDROOM.

JIM KURRING:

-- do not do this -- my gun is drawn

and If I Have To Open That Closet

you will get shot -- Step Out Now.

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