My Best Friend's Wedding Page #17

... a spray can of WD-40. Instantly, her hand is BLACK. The guy TUGS.

No movement. He can't believe it.

JANITOR:

It's mental, lady, you ain't

trying!

Sammy is rummaging through her handbag, pulling out...

SAMMY:

There is nothing so tight, this

can't help it...

... a tube of jelly. The letter K-Y. Julianne just gives her a look.

Mandy pushes through with a butcher's CLEAVER...

MANDY:

I saw this on Hard Copy. People

cut off body parts and the

hospital sew 'em back o...

The look has turned toward her.

JULIANNE:

(cold)

I saw the show.

MANDY:

... well, maybe it works on

fingers, too.

FLOWER GIRL (O.S.)

Aunt Mandy...?

Everybody turns. The little girl in the doorway. Southern accent...

FLOWER GIRL:

Mr. Michael's here.

Everything gets real quiet. Mandy takes charge. She rolls down

Julianne's left sleeve, RIPS the hem out of the cuff, so that it

flaps down over her hand, covering the ring. Sammy wipes the black

stuff from Julianne's fingers.

MANDY:

Don't worry, baby. You could

pick your nose with that finger

and Michael would never notice.

He's a man.

The twins lead her off. We're on their backs for...

MANDY (O.S.)

Personally, I think Mr. Michael's

marrying the wrong girl.

SAMMY (O.S.)

You're much more his type.

EXT. DOWNTOWN STREET - NIGHT

VIEW through a heavy glass door of the empty, dimly-lit lobby.

PULL BACK to see Julianne, just as she...

... KICKS the sh*t out of the glass! Almost breaks her foot.

JULIANNE:

I can't believe this!

PULL BACK farther to see Michael still trying keys from a large key

ring in the heavy lock. Sign over the door says WALLACE ENTERPRISES.

Traffic hustles by, oblivious to her suffering.

MICHAEL:

It's no big deal, she just gave

you the wrong keys that's s...

JULIANNE:

ISN'T THERE A GUARD? A JANITOR?

A F***ING CLEANING WOMAN? I'LL

TAKE A BURGLAR! SOMEBODY'S

GOTTA BE IN TH...

And she SLAMS her whole BODY against the glass, making it rattle ominously.

JULIANNE:

WHERE'S A BRICK? FIND ME A

GODDAMN BRICK!!

She looks around wildly, hysterical.

MICHAEL:

What is the big deal about

getting this file tonight?

A good question. She needs a good answer.

JULIANNE:

I promised Digger I'd E-mail him

those figures.

From his face, that wasn't it.

JULIANNE:

They are very important figures.

Apparently. He's just staring at her.

JULIANNE:

I'm up against a deadline.

MICHAEL:

Me, too. I'm getting married

tomorrow.

JULIANNE:

That's my point!!

Now. He really doesn't get it.

JULIANNE:

I mean, tomorrow... we'll all be

busy with more important things.

So...

So?

JULIANNE:

... tonight's my last chance.

He sighs.

MICHAEL:

I forgot how cute you look. When

you get impossible.

JULIANNE:

It's just... up there... right in

front of Walter's... y'know, computer.

If memory serves.

Helpless.

JULIANNE:

We could use... his computer, to...

just E-mail those suckers right ou...

MICHAEL:

Tomorrow is Sunday. Nobody's doing

business. Crack of dawn, Monday,

Walter'll take you up there...

Her eyes fill with tears. He is mystified. Smiles tenderly.

MICHAEL:

(softly)

Give it up, kid.

Touches her hair.

MICHAEL:

You can't win 'em all.

And slowly, he takes her hand. Leads her way. She takes one

backward glance at the locked door. Her last dream dies.

INT. LOBBY, RITZ CARLTON - NIGHT

Michael and a disconsolate Julianne board the elevator. He presses

15, she pushes 11. Michael carries a handful of messages slips and

an envelope. As the car starts up, she folds her arms across her

chest, at the edge of tears. He doesn't know what to do.

MICHAEL:

(gently)

Listen up, huh? Even if you blow

this deal, how big could it be?

JULIANNE:

(voice nearly cracking)

You're right. Easy come, easy go.

He's really concerned, can't bear to see her so upset.

MICHAEL:

(softly)

Jules?

She won't look at him. She wants to die. The bell RINGS, the doors

open to her floor. She just walks out.

And he follows. They stand now, she with her arms crossed, lip

trembling. She can't believe how close she is to losing it.

MICHAEL:

This thing means that much to

y...

JULIANNE:

It means a lot.

He nods. Okay.

MICHAEL:

I'll call the house, Walter's

probably not even asleep...

Her mouth drops. She can't believe this.

MICHAEL:

I'll drive you out there, we'll

get the key, we'll go back to

the office...

She THROWS her arms around his, HUGGING him so hard, so close. He

laughs, she is so weird. She pulls back, beaming, glowing.

MICHAEL:

Come on, we'll call from your

room.

She claps his hand. As they head down the hall...

MICHAEL:

If I fall asleep on the altar

tomorrow...

He's trying to flip through the message slips in his free hand...

MICHAEL:

... you better be there to...

funny, these are all from Ben.

She's at her door, turning the key. He looks at the envelope.

MICHAEL:

The fax is from Ben, too. Man,

it's my wedding, and my boss can't

leave me alone...

JULIANNE:

(entering her room)

... maybe it's congratulations.

He follows her in, opening the envelope. Stops. Reads. And his face

suddenly... freezes. To stone.

JULIANNE:

(turning to him)

Michael? What ha...

MICHAEL:

(reading)

Mike. I can't believe I'm doing

this to you on the night before

your wedding. But I think you

need and deserve to know...

And he looks up to her.

MICHAEL:

... what you're marrying into.

He hands it toward her. She takes it, hesitantly, and he walks past.

Toward the phone.

JULIANNE:

(reading)

I received the following E-mail

this afternoon... "Ben, I need a

favor. My daughter's every

happiness... "

Her eyes BUG OUT of her head. Holy sh*t! We can hear him DIALING the

phone. She keeps reading, it's all there. How did this happen?

MICHAEL (O.S.)

Isabelle? I need to talk to

Kim...

JULIANNE:

(reading)

"Mike, the funny thing is, he's

offering you a gig you'd be

stupid to turn down..."

MICHAEL (O.S.)

I'm just tired. Please put her

on? Thanks.

JULIANNE:

(reading)

"Maybe you should take the job.

And dump the girl."

And when she turns...

MICHAEL:

Jules. Could you give me a

minute?

He looks more sick than angry. As if the heart has just been cut

out of him. She doesn't know what to say or do, so she just stands,

staring dumbly.

MICHAEL:

Please?

She nods, stumbles out of her room, closing the door behind her.

Now she's in the empty corridor, clutching her big jumbled bag,

sinking down to sit on the carpet, her back against the door.

She doesn't look elated. She seems frightened, distraught, and

most of all, confused. Because she can't understand why. She digs

absently through her bag. Cigarettes. Box of matches.

She lights up. Draws deeply. Somehow, she seems near tears, and

laughs bitterly at that. Shakes her head at how f***ed-up she finds

herself. Squeaking wheels approach, but she is too lost to hear them.

Rate this script:5.0 / 2 votes