Ordinary People

1 EXT. BEAUTIFUL COUNTRYSIDE, SMALL TOWN ­ DAY 1

Small beautiful country town in the fall, on the shore of a

great lake. Close in on school. [Music: Canon in D by

Pachelbel, and angel voices singing then: ]

CHOIR:

(OS:
young male voices)

In the silence of our souls,

O Lord, we contemplate Thy peace

2 INT. SCHOOL HALL, CHOIR ­ DAY 2

Students' choir rehearsing Canon in D by Pachelbel (not

originally written with lyrics). Among many, Conrad is

singing. He is just behind Jeannine Pratt. They don't know

each other yet.

CHOIR:

(girls and boys

together)

Free from all the world's desires

Free of fear and all anxiety

Ooooh. Ooooh

Ooooh. Ooooh

Alleluia

Alleluia

Sing Alleluia!

[Close in on Conrad]

3 INT. CONRAD'S BEDROOM - NIGHT 3

Conrad suddenly wakes up from nightmare

4 INT. THEATER PLAY - ON STAGE - NIGHT 4

A man of fifty is holding his wife's hand over the breakfast

table.

MAN:

Do you know we've made love one

hundred and thirteen times?

We hear laughter (numerous).

MAN (cont'd)

I figured it out on my Bowmar

calculator.

(CONTINUED)

5.

4 CONTINUED:
4

Laughter again. The man and the woman are two actors on stage

of the local theater. A very conventional play. The set

represents an average American kitchen. A man and a woman are

having coffee. Man is holding woman's hand.

We gradually discover the audience of the theater.

MAN (cont'd)

To know someone that well is a

wonderful thing.

Pause

MAN (cont'd)

Two lumps?

[ close in on two couples in the audience] Beth and Calvin

and their friends. The women are amused, the men trying to

keep awake.

WOMAN:

No, one.

MAN:

So I don't know everything about

you. I don't know your favorite

movie stars. I can't remember the

name of your favorite perfume. I

have racked my brain and I can't

remember.

WOMAN:

That's funny. It's "My Sin."

Audience laughs, Alvin wakes up and behaves. Gives a

conventional smile to his wife Beth.

MAN:

But I do know, in the last twenty

four years, that I have never been

out of love with you.

5 EXT. THEATER ­ NIGHT 5

The four of them come out of the theater. The women walk

together in front, men behind.

CALVIN:

Well, did we like it?

FRIEND'S WIFE

I loved it.

BETH:

Bev Walsh was wonderful.

(CONTINUED)

6.

5 CONTINUED:
5

FRIEND'S WIFE

I liked them all.

CALVIN:

It was funny.

FRIEND:

It was a comedy. Wasn't it?

Essentially?

FRIEND'S WIFE

Well let's face it: Clyde Banner's

getting fat.

BETH:

Yes.

FRIEND'S WIFE

He should never turn profile.

CALVIN:

Most of us shouldn't turn profile.

6 INT. CAR. COUNTRY ROAD ­ NIGHT 6

Calvin seems stunned.

BETH:

What was it you were you thinking

about?

CALVIN:

When?

Calvin gives his wife a conventional smile. She coddles up

against him, but it is cold.

7 INT. JARRETT'S HOME. ­ NIGHT 7

Car enters garage.

[car door Alarm On] / [car door Alarm Off] as car doors open

and close.

Beth goes upstairs and directly into her bedroom. Calvin

notices this, then notices the light under his son's bedroom

door. He knocks.

8 INT. CONRAD'S BEDROOM ­ NIGHT 8

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