Simone Page #11

EXT. ELAINE'S MANSION - DAY

VIKTOR'S car pulls up to Elaine's imposing mansion. LAINEY

gives her father a kiss and departs. ELAINE, in the garden,

overseeing a GARDENER pruning roses, approaches.

VIKTOR:

(from the car)

Sorry I didn't get her back in

time.

ELAINE:

No problem.

(she smiles)

Do you want to come in?

VIKTOR:

(surprised -- pleasantly)

Why not?

INT. ELAINE'S MANSION - DAY

VIKTOR walks down a hall, passing the dining room, where KENT

is working on a computer. Kent smiles blandly.

KENT:

Hey, Vik.

VIKTOR:

(disappointed to see him)

Hello -- Kent.

INT. ELAINE'S MANSION - DAY

VIKTOR waits in an opulent drawing room. Despite the eighty

degree temperature outside, a fire burns in the hearth.

ELAINE enters, waving a thick studio file. Viktor's face

falls, expecting a less business-related conversation.

ELAINE:

Viktor, we simply have to talk

about "Eternity..."

VIKTOR:

"Forever".

ELAINE:

Whatever. I still haven't received

Simone's script notes.

VIKTOR:

There aren't any. If the

filmmakers are happy, Simone's

happy. She considers herself an...

"instrument".

ELAINE:

Really? Oh, so she's really going

to do all this nudity?

VIKTOR:

(shrugs)

If it's on the page...

Elaine refers to her documents, bewildered.

ELAINE:

Well, something has to be done

about this budget. It's completely

unrealistic.

(referring to a column in

the budget)

You allowed nothing for limousine

service.

VIKTOR:

She'll drive herself.

ELAINE:

Hair and make-up?

VIKTOR:

She'll do her own. Theater

training.

ELAINE:

She was in the theater? When?

Where?

VIKTOR:

I'll send you her resume.

ELAINE:

Al least a contingency for

wardrobe. Any woman can go up a

dress size.

VIKTOR:

-- I guarantee she won't gain an

once. She's very disciplined.

ELAINE:

(concerned by an entry in

the budget)

Well, we have to do something about

this -- "stuntwoman".

VIKTOR:

What about it?

ELAINE:

There isn't one.

VIKTOR:

No need. She does all her own

stunts.

ELAINE:

(skeptical)

Even the fall from the plane?

VIKTOR:

(nonchalant)

Even the fall from the plane.

ELAINE:

Well, shoot it on the last day.

Viktor regards Elaine with a condescending look.

VIKTOR:

As I've tried to explain to you,

Elaine. Simone isn't like any

other actress you've ever known.

She's about the work and only the

work -- lives for the work. She

wants all the money up there...

(gazing into space)

... on the screen where it belongs.

She'd work for scale except I know

you only respect people you pay a

fortune.

ELAINE:

Which accounts for your percentage.

(tossing the budget on the

coffee table)

When do I get to meet this dream?

VIKTOR:

Not today. She's learning her

lines.

(glancing to Elaine's

budget)

You can also take cue cards and

teleprompter out of the budget.

ELAINE:

(smiles)

I'll walk you out.

Elaine escorts Viktor out to the lavish garden.

EXT. ELAINE'S MANSION - GARDEN - DAY

ELAINE's demeanor softens. She speaks to VIKTOR quietly,

sympathetically.

ELAINE:

Listen, Viktor... I want to talk to

you now, not as Elaine, studio

head, but Elaine, ex-wife.

(correcting herself)

Second ex-wife. You got lucky this

last time but you need to be

careful. We both know you wouldn't

be making this overblown art film

of you hadn't convinced Simone to

be in it.

VIKTOR:

Elaine, talking to you now, not as

Viktor, director, but Viktor, ex

husband... what the hell happened

to you?

ELAINE:

(exasperated)

Experience, Viktor. I've seen this

a hundred times -- young stars

destroying the very people who

discovered them. I'm worried about

you, that's all. This woman -- she

controls your destiny.

VIKTOR:

Simone does not control my destiny.

ELAINE:

Viktor, I have a feeling. One of

my feelings. There's something

about her I don't trust.

From her bedroom window on the mansion's second floor, LAINEY

smiles at the sight of her mother and father together.

INT. SIMONE & VIKTOR'S OFFICE - DAY

VIKTOR enters his office where he's greeted by his assistant,

JANE.

JANE:

(sheepish)

Thanks for taking me back, Mr.

Taransky. I know it looked like I

sided with the studio, but I always

believed in you, honestly.

VIKTOR:

Don't worry. I understand.

JANE:

(referring to the cast

seated around a

conference table)

They're all here.

INT. SIMONE & VIKTOR'S OFFICE - DAY

VIKTOR sits at the head of the table, surrounded by HAL,

LOTUS, MAC and three other CAST MEMBERS. A preliminary

poster behind him -- "COMING THIS SUMMER - SIMONE in ETERNITY

FOREVER" -- bears a huge photograph of Simone's face.

VIKTOR:

I can't tell you how delighted I am

to have this wonderful cast

assembled for "Eternity Forever".

Thank you all. Now, a reminder --

as a condition for working on this

film, you will not be rehearsing

with Simone, shooting with Simone

and you are forbidden from

contacting Simone in any way at any

time, whatsoever.

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