Nashville

FADE IN:

A TITLE SEQUENCE

Still photos of twenty-four principal actors.

1 CLOSE SHOT - SIGN

Nashville Airport.

2 EXT. NASHVILLE AIRPORT - DAY

TRICYCLE MAN drives into parking lot and parks next to GREEN'S

old Chevy. TRICYCLE MAM: locks his machine and walks toward

coffee shop. GREEN gets out of his car, locks it, starts in the

same direction. NORMAN parks the limo, goes into main building.

3 INT. AIRPORT - DAY

NORMAN is attracted to large "CONNIE WHITE" display.

4 INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

At the entrance is another "CONNIE WHITE" display and from the

jukebox we hear one of her songs.

The waitress, SUELEEN, drops a fork, then gets another from an

overflowing sink and hands it to her customer, TRICYCLE MAN.

There are several people at the counter with him, including

GREEN, who has just walked in. Another man enters, DELBERT

REESE. SUELEEN waits on all of them.

A small black man comes out of the kitchen, carrying a tray full

or dishes. This is WADE.

WADE:

(to SUELEEN)

You want a ride into town?

SUELEEN:

You bet.

REESE looks up, checking out SUELEEN, then WADE, then the

TRICYCLE MAN, then his breast pocket to see it his wallet and

checkbook are still there, then he buries himself in his

newspaper.

SUELEEN:

Got me an audition tonight.

WADE:

Well, you just remember, if you

can't kick front, kick back, 'cause

at least you're kicking... Ten

minutes, okay?

She nods and talks to the TRICYCLE MAN. REESE keeps sneaking

looks at her.

SUELEEN:

I've just been waiting for the

right spot to sing in... I'm so

nervous...

She laughs and starts to rinse the dishes in the sink.

SUELEEN:

I'm good, though. There ain't but

one Sueleen Gay -- I don't mean to

be conceited, but really it's true.

I've been taking special coaching

lessons from Zeke Willard -- he's

just wonderful. Teaches you how to

phrase; that's really important.

And breathing. Well, you know all

about that. Anyway, I wrote this

song.

She looks down and then begins to half whisper, sing, and half do

all of the gestures for a song she has written as she wipes some

glasses. The jukebox continues to play CONNIE WHITE, and every

time someone walks by, Sueleen stops. She finally gets through

the song and discovers REESE has been watching, too. She looks

away from him to the TRICYCLE MAN, who smiles. Be has finished

his meal.

SUELEEN:

Oh, listen, I really do go on.

Here's your check. Sure has been

nice talking to you.

As she removes her apron, a HAVEN HAMILTON song comes on the

jukebox, "Keep on a goin'." The TRICYCLE MAN leaves.

CUT TO:

5 INT. CONTROL BOOTH - NASHVILLE STUDIO - DAY

We hear the last chorus or "Keep on a goin'" as sung by HAVEN,

who is recording.

He is always dressed in white. In the booth are BUD and LADY

PEARL. Also present are two engineers and a producer. HAVEN is

accompanied by a long haired piano player with a white sweater.

HAVEN is not too happy with him.

6 ANOTHER ANGLE

OPAL enters the booth, carrying a too-large English tape

recorder. HAVEN Stops singing, mad at OPAL'S interruption and

the piano player. Through the glass we see him pantomiming

instructions for her to leave. As she does, HAVEN starts over.

7 INT. HALLWAY - DAY

OPAL wanders to the next studio. BUD follows, apologizing.

BUD:

Sorry. He sees a tape recorder and

gets upset.

She looks at him.

BUD:

He's my father.

OPAL:

Haven Hamilton is your father? Can

you arrange an interview?

8 INT. SECOND RECORDING BOOTH - DAY

They have entered a different control tooth. In the recording

portion, LINNEA and an all-black, male CHOIR sings a gospel song.

OPAL asks BUD who this group is.

9 INT. FIRST CONTROL BOOTH - DAY

BUD returns. HAVEN has just exploded at the piano player and

starts to leave, yelling at the producer.

HAVEN:

Who the hell is playing piano? Get

that hippie out of here... He's got

a tin ear. I asked for Pig, dammit.

I'm moving on 'cause I gotta get to

the airport. When you get my

backups straight, then we'll talk

about cutting this tune here.

He heads for the hallway.

10 INT. HALLWAY - DAY

It is jammed with black singers from the CHOIR. HAVEN hates

being crushed and moves through the congestion like a white

knight. OPAL moves near.

OPAL:

Excuse me, sir. I'm here putting

together a film. I would like to

ask some questions.

She has to fumble with the bulky tape machine and transformer.

HAVEN:

Foreigner?

OPAL:

I'm from BBC television.

HAVEN:

Where the hell is that?

HAVEN nod a politely and leaves the crowded hallway with BUD and

PEARL. He spots LINNEA.

HAVEN:

Linnea.

LINNEA:

How you doing, Haven?

HAVEN:

oh, fine. Couldn't be better.

11 ANGLE T0WARD OUTSIDE

They all say goodbye and HAVEN'S group gets into a new white jeep

CUT TO:

12 EXT. AIRPORT - DAY

Barbara Jean's plane taxis to a halt.

13 INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

REESE leaves a tip and exits the coffee shop to greet the plane.

Page Missing

14A CONTINUED:

TOM spots stews and goes to them

TOM:

You ladies got room for a spare?

STEW:

Sure.

14B NEW ANGLE

L.A. JOAN is left in the dust.

L.A. JOAN

'Bye... nice talking to you.

GREEN sees his niece and walks over.

GREEN:

Joan?

She turns.

L.A. JOAN

Did you see who that was?

GREEN:

Glad to see you. Ester'll be glad,

too.

L.A. JOAN

He is just wonderful.

GREEN:

I'1l get your bag.

CUT TO:

15 EXT. LANDING AREA - AIRPORT - DAY

GLENN has just deposited a postcard in a mailbox and approaches a

gathering cluster of people. NORMAN and TRICYCLE MAN are nearby.

Everybody is waiting for BARBARA JEAN to appear. GLENN steps

close to NORMAN.

GLENN:

Am I late?

NORMAN:

Late! Oh, Jesus!

He runs off.

16 ANOTHER ANGLE

As NORMAN runs toward passenger loading, we see HAVEN'S jeep

arrive with HAVEN, BUD and PEARL. It parks and all climb out.

REESE and TRIPLETTE approach the 'Barbara Jean' plane. BARNETT

is already on the runway, making arrangements. HAVEN'S group all

shake hands.

HAVEN:

Delbert, how are you?

REESE:

I'm fine. This here is John

Triplette. Triplette, like you to

meet the Honorary Mayor, Haven

Hamilton.

HAVEN:

Good to meet you.

(turns to BUD)

Bud, have them move the horses.

TRIPLETTE:

Pleasure

REESE:

Where is she?

HAVEN:

Still inside the plane posing for

pictures and signing autographs.

She's got a new album cut again.

She'll be down in a minute. But

she'll be late for the Opera if she

doesn't hurry. Bud, get the plane on

the walkie-talkie.

BUD fumbles on his walkie-talkie telephone, but can't seem to get

anything.

BUD:

They don't seem to be answering.

The ambulance boys are here, though.

Barnett always expects them to get

there like a shot. That thing only

goes a hundred fall bore with the

sirens going.

HAVEN:

Thank you, Bud.

BUD nods like he has been complimented.

17 ANGLE TOWARD PLANE

A wave of noise begins from the fans. The band and majorettes

and horses and ropers go into a rendition of one of her hit tunes

as BARBARA JEAN appears. Everyone is breaking their neck to see,

especially GLENN. HAVEN and REESE give her the first round of

applause, then go back to talking. TRIPLETTE has never been

exposed to anything quite like this before and stands a little in

awe of the situation.

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