Simone Page #18

Viktor and Elaine are left alone.

VIKTOR:

I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to

introduce you to Simone at the

premiere. There wasn't time with

the riot and everything.

(picking up a framed photo

from the work station)

But she wanted you to have this.

The photograph shows ELAINE, slightly inebriated at the

premiere, SIMONE standing slightly behind her.

ELAINE:

She was there. She didn't by any

chance happen to mention me?

VIKTOR:

She said you were very beautiful.

ELAINE:

(flattered)

Really?

VIKTOR:

(blurting out)

Elaine, what are you doing tonight?

Would you like to go somewhere --

dinner?

ELAINE:

I'd love to. But aren't you

supposed to meet up with Simone?

VIKTOR:

Oh, yes. Of course. Don't I

always?

Viktor watches Elaine make her way back to her studio cart.

Viktor realizes he is still holding a copy of the National

ECHO -- the headline, "MILLION DOLLAR REWARD FOR PHOTO OF

SIMONE"! Accompanied by a photo of intrepid reporter MAX

SAYER.

INT. SUPERMARKET - NIGHT

An unattended shopping cart, at the end of the frozen foods

aisle, begins to mysteriously roll towards us.

We discover VIKTOR, pulling the cart with fishing line, while

at the same time shooting it with a video camera.

INT. SUPERMARKET - NIGHT

Viktor's home video of the shopping cart plays on a TV.

However, now SIMONE is pushing the cart. She wears

sunglasses, her hair in curlers under a scarf. Simone takes

a Swanson Chicken Pot Pie out of a cabinet... then a box of

cereal off a display.

INT. ECHO OFFICES - DAY

MAX SAYER watches the video in his office, enraptured. He

rewinds the tape and replays the moment.

MAX:

She likes Apple Jacks... just like

me...

Assistant MILTON enters. He looks ill.

MILTON:

Mr. Sayer...

MAX:

(irritated at being

interrupted)

What do you want -- ?

MILTON:

Mr. Sayer, did we pay the million

bucks yet?

MAX:

(never averting his eyes

from the screen)

-- Cashier's check went out to our

anonymous tipster this morning --

worth every penny too. Who says

there's no place for checkbook

journalism? We'll be running

stills of this for months, then

release the whole tape -- we'll get

our money back -- maybe show it on

an exclusive pay-per-view event.

Do you realize what we have here?

We have the only independent

footage of Simone in existence.

MILTON:

We used to.

Max's head snaps around.

MILTON:

(holding a copy of the

L.A. Times Calendar

section - "Simone Live")

She's doing Frank Brand on

Thursday.

Max coughs.

MAX:

Get out.

A TV:

The opening credits to "FRANK BRAND LIVE", a global cable

show plays against a starscape -- images of famous

politicians and world leaders interviewed by Frank.

FRANK BRAND:

(to camera)

Tonight on Frank Brand Live --

INT. ELAINE'S MANSION - DAY

ELAINE, KENT and LAINEY watch the TV interview in Elaine's

mansion with eager anticipation.

FRANK BRAND:

-- Since taking the nation by storm

with her debut movie, "Sunrise,

Sunset"...

INT. MAX SAYER'S OFFICE - THE ECHO - DAY

MAX SAYER and assistant MILTON are also glued to their set.

FRANK BRAND:

... no one's managed to land a live

TV interview with the fabulous, new

shooting starlet, Simone... until

now.

INT. VIKTOR'S SOUNDSTAGE - DAY

Casually tacked up on the monitor is the MILLION DOLLAR CHECK

from The ECHO.

VIKTOR, face and body scanned by the computer, is making a

final test of his equipment. When he touches his hair, bats

his eyes, moves his hands -- so does Simone.

VIKTOR frantically tests several different backgrounds behind

SIMONE from a library of images. Rainforest. Desert. Ritzy

hotel suite. Moonscape. Factory.

SIMONE / VIKTOR

Make up your mind, Viktor. Make up

your mind.

He settles on the desert location.

He also make a last-second change to Simone's wardrobe --

selecting "TOO-TIGHT SWEATER".

INT. FRANK BRAND TV STUDIO - NIGHT

FRANK BRAND talks to camera.

FRANK BRAND:

I'm happy to say she's agreed to

join us tonight from the set of her

new film.

(turning to the TV

monitor)

Welcome, Simone.

The just-completed image of SIMONE appears on Brand's

monitor.

SIMONE:

Wonderful to be with you, Frank.

INT. ELAINE'S MANSION - DAY

KENT, referring to Simone, forgetting or not caring that

Elaine is in the room.

KENT:

She is all woman.

LAINEY shoots her mother's boyfriend a withering look. She

gets up and leaves the room.

During the interview we cut between Frank Brand's studio,

Viktor's soundstage and various viewer locations including

Elaine's mansion, Max Sayer's office and various worldwide

locations --

A) A lone AFGHANI SHEPHERD gazing at a Watchman.

B) A JAPANESE COUPLE watching TV in a capsule hotel room.

C) A CATHOLIC CARDINAL watching TV in the Vatican.

INT. FRANK BRAND TV STUDIO - NIGHT

FRANK BRAND:

Well, no one could accuse you of

being over-exposed, Simone. Why

have you stayed so completely out

of the limelight?

SIMONE:

(shrugs)

I just think actors talk too much.

Does the world really want to hear

your life story just because you've

got a movie opening Friday?

FRANK BRAND:

Of course, the only problem with

shying away from publicity these

days is that it tends to attract

more.

VIKTOR is in his element, his effeminate gestures

frighteningly convincing.

SIMONE:

(from TV)

Don't I know it. That's the only

reason I'm here now -- to put the

attention back where it belongs, on

Mr. Taransky's film.

FRANK BRAND:

You don't secretly want the

attention?

SIMONE:

I'm not even sure I deserve it.

After tonight I'll have almost as

much screen time on your show as I

do in my movies. How is that

healthy for a performer?

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