One Chance Page #6

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33.

He’s jerked roughly backwards by his collar and slammed

down onto the pavement.

MATTHEW:

Well, if it isn’t everyone’s favorite

circus freak. Hallo Potsy.

He and another HOOLIGAN stand over Paul.

PAUL:

Get off me.

He tries to stand, but Matthew kicks his ribs. Paul

buckles.

MATTHEW:

What’ve we got here then?

He snatches the envelope from Paul’s hand. Paul lunges for

it, but Matthew sidesteps and Paul’s face hits the curb.

MATTHEW (CONT’D)

Bloody hell, have a look at this.

HOOLIGAN:

(eying the check)

What’s an obese clown doin’ with this

kind of dosh?

PAUL:

Give it back.

With surprising speed he finds his feet and SMASHES

Matthew in the face with all his might...

Matthew blinks, but appears otherwise unfazed. He holds up

the check...

MATTHEW:

You’re gonna pay for that.

He puts the check in his pocket and is about to lay into

Paul when suddenly Braddon leaps onto his back, letting

out a war cry-

BRADDON:

May the Flame of Arveron sustain me!

Matthew recovers his balance and struggles to free himself

from the clinging, scratching, screaming Braddon, finally

dumping him on the pavement next to Paul, who has been

held down by the Hooligan.

34.

HOOLIGAN:

Here.

He tosses Matthew a brick. Matthew raises it over his

head, about to smash Braddon, when it suddenly falls out

of his hand as his face goes limp and he falls to the

pavement revealing-

HYDRANGEA:

Standing behind him, wielding a cricket bat.

HOOLIGAN (CONT’D)

Where the hell’d you get that?

PARTYGOER:

From me.

The Hooligan turns to see a group of PARTYGOERS dressed in

various sports costumes: football (aka soccer), rugby,

cricket, etc.

PARTYGOER (CONT’D)

She’s welcome to it as long as she likes.

RUGBY PLAYER:

Or we can use it for her.

The Hooligan runs. Braddon and Paul help each other up.

BRADDON:

All right?

PAUL:

Yeh. You?

BRADDON:

(to Hydrangea)

You saved us.

HYDRANGEA:

You’d have done the same for me.

(handing the bat back)

Thank you.

BRADDON:

(on one knee)

I am your servant.

HYDRANGEA:

You already were my servant.

35.

BRADDON:

I was? I was! Yes mistress. Command me,

mistress. I’m not worthy. May I lick your

ankles please?

Hydrangea rolls her eyes as Paul reaches into Matthew’s

pocket and removes his check. Matthew’s eyes open.

PAUL:

(offers his hand)

Truce?

MATTHEW:

(whispered)

I’m gonna get you for this.

PAUL:

Why?

Matthew doesn’t answer just stares balefully...

DISSOLVE TO:

JULZ SMILING FACE

INT. JULZ’ PARENTS’ HOUSE - DAY

As she watches a video on YouTube -- the infamous monkey

who scratches his butt then smells his hand and falls out

of his tree.

She laughs to herself, then answers her RINGING mobile

phone.

JULZ:

Hallo?

PAUL (O.S.)

What’s so funny?

JULZ:

(her expression darkens)

Who is this?

PAUL (O.S.)

It’s Paul.

JULZ:

I knew a Paul once.

PAUL (O.S.)

You’re cross with me.

36.

JULZ:

Three weeks goes well past playing hard

to get.

EXT. FERRY - DAY (INTERCUT)

Paul stands on the sunny prow of a vaporetto (water taxi),

talking on his mobile.

PAUL:

(actually worried)

It’s been nineteen days. And I was just

following your instructions.

JULZ:

Instructions to what?

PAUL:

You said not to call you until I was

settled in Venice.

A white, basilica appears behind Paul as the vaporetto

merges into the Grand Canal, revealing the splendor of

Venice.

JULZ:

You’re joking?

PAUL:

Check your e-mail.

JULZ:

Hang on.

She turns to her computer and opens an e-mail from Paul

then scrolls through a series of PHOTOS detailing Paul’s

last few weeks...

Still in his clown-costume, face scraped but smiling with

his check.

Buying his first suitcase.

Boarding an Al Italia plane.

Arriving at the Opera School.

In his room, smiling beside the window and the view of the

city.

And finally one taken moments ago aboard the vaporetto.

JULZ (CONT’D)

I don’t believe it.

37.

PAUL:

Can hardly believe it myself.

JULZ:

Tell me everything.

A BARITONE SINGS A SUSTAINED NOTE...

CUT TO:

INT. BASEMENT CONSERVATORY - DAY

A tall, GANGLY STUDENT pumps the sound from his lungs,

eyes widening as he runs out of steam, but fighting to

keep the note alive at the behest of SIGNORA FIORENTINO,

their fierce istrutrice.

PAUL (V.O.)

The school is brilliant. It’s in an old

sixteenth century palazzo, which floods

twice a day with the tide.

Paul and the others stand in “Wellies” (galoshes) in a

foot of water, singing their hearts out. Even the legs of

the piano wear rubber boots.

PAUL (V.O.) (CONT’D)

Every morning starts off with four hours

of intensive Italian.

INT. PALAZZO STAIRCASE - DAY

As Paul, running late, runs up the first floor stairs...

He slows a bit at the second floor... Walks the third...

And limps up the fourth, stopping to gasp for air...

INT. LANGUAGE CLASSROOM - DAY

Affords a beautiful view of the city. Paul sits in the

back row, drenched in sweat but conjugating verbs out loud

with the rest of the class as the LINGUISTIC TEACHER

points them out on the board...

CLASS:

Vado, vai, va, andiamo, andate, vanno.

PAUL (V.O.)

Which I find comes quite easily.

Paul reaches into his bag for a handkerchief, still

speaking the verbs without looking at the board.

PAUL (V.O.) (CONT’D)

In the afternoons...

38.

EXT. PALAZZO COURTYARD - DAY

Where Paul stands at a music stand before an ASST.

CONDUCTOR who uses his violin to take Paul up and down the

scales...

PAUL (V.O.)

We learn to read music.

PAUL (CONT’D)

(singing)

Do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-la-la...

The Asst. Conductor repeats “la” bowing back and forth on

the violin until Paul gets it right.

PAUL (CONT’D)

La-la-si-si-siiiiii.

The Asst. Conductor winces at the last note.

INT. THEATRE - DAY

Where Paul stands on stage wielding a long baton with

padding on the end. GERHARDT, a blonde German student,

faces him with a similar baton as a FIT PROFESSOR watches

with the rest of the class...

PAUL (V.O.)

Or practice stage combat.

FIT PROFESSOR:

E ora, con molta attenzione.

(”And now, very carefully.”)

Paul swings and knocks Gerhardt into the orchestra pit.

PAUL:

(moving to help him)

I’m so sorry.

INT. DRESSING ROOM - DAY

Where Paul’s back is to us as he does something to his

face. The MAKEUP TEACHER enters, clapping her hands.

MAKEUP TEACHER:

Ok, mi permetta di vedere voi.

(”Okay, let me see you.”)

PAUL (V.O.)

Or basic hair and makeup.

39.

The students turn, revealing their faces, made-up for a

scene from Madame Butterfly.

Paul turns mournfully; he looks more like Clarabell the

Clown than a Japanese warlord.

PAUL (V.O.) (CONT’D)

Which isn’t my strongest subject.

Julz laughs as she scrolls down to a self-portrait photo

of Paul, smiling through his disastrous makeup.

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