Simone Page #20

LAINEY:

I think Dad deserves more credit

than he gets.

INT. VIKTOR'S SOUNDSTAGE - LATER THAT NIGHT

VIKTOR watches SIMONE on screen. He is unusually anxious.

As usual SIMONE is wearing a skimpy, provocative outfit as

she awaits instructions on the screen. For some reason

Viktor becomes irritated by the image.

VIKTOR:

(to Simone)

Will you cover yourself up!?

He hits a button. A thick WOOL COAT clicks over her body.

EXT. NEW MEXICO DESERT - MORNING

The ECHO newscar streaks through the bronze and purple

desert. MAX and his assistant MILTON emerge from the car.

MAX:

-- I've been here before! -- On my

honeymoon with my ex-wife.

MILTON:

Is that why she left you?

Max holds a video print of SIMONE giving her FRANK BRAND

interview. He compares her desert location to the one in

front of him.

MAX:

(pointing out a Joshua

tree)

You see, that's the exact same tree

and in the distance, there's the...

(voice trailing away)

... mountain.

Sure enough, the Joshua tree is identical but the mountain is

now obscured by a ten-story Holiday Inn.

Max and Milton are mystified -- they look back at the photo.

MILTON:

It's a hotel.

MAX:

I don't understand.

MILTON:

Could they have built that hotel

since yesterday?

Max shakes his head, deeply concerned.

MAX:

Get in the car.

INT. VIKTOR'S SOUNDSTAGE - NIGHT

VIKTOR has transformed his soundstage into a one-man

publicity machine. The floor is littered with photographs of

SIMONE in various states of dress and undress.

Using a sophisticated Photoshop computer program, VIKTOR

constructs magazine spreads out of numerous previous magazine

spreads -- "Time", "People", "Us", "Life", "Popular

Mechanics".

VIKTOR:

(angrily into phone)

-- We don't do the photo shoot, you

don't get the cover... written

answers to written questions,

that's right... website interviews,

no problem.

Viktor calls up a "DANCE OPTION". Choosing from a HULA

DANCER, a BELLY DANCER and a CLASSICAL BALLERINA, he removes

Simone's head and places it on the body of the ballerina.

She begins to dance for him.

He uses a program to construct childhood photographs of

SIMONE and other childhood memorabilia.

He employs backgrounds from numerous on-line library sources.

With a quick cut and paste he is able to place Simone on a

beach in San Tropez or a bicycle factory in Calcutta.

VIKTOR:

(muttering to himself)

You want exposure, Elaine? I'll

give you over-exposure...

INT. ELAINE'S OFFICE - STUDIO - DAY

ELAINE watches TV in her office. She cannot change channels

without finding Simone sitting in a chair giving generic

answers.

INT. SIMONE INTERVIEW SET - DAY (ON ELAINE'S TV)

SIMONE:

I think "Eternity Forever" is my

finest work.

SIMONE:

I'm most proud of my work in

"Eternity Forever".

SIMONE:

I think people are going to love

"Eternity Forever".

INT. VIKTOR'S SOUNDSTAGE - NIGHT

VIKTOR inspects a cut-out photograph of Simone in "ETERNITY

FOREVER" costume. He speaks to the photo.

VIKTOR:

Forgive me, Simone.

EXT. FASTFOOD RESTAURANT - DAY

The photograph of Simone is emblazoned on a fast food drink

cup -- a pyramid of cups promoting "ETERNITY FOREVER" Happy

Meals. Beneath the plastic pyramid is a SIMONE action figure

in a convertible.

INT. VIKTOR'S MALIBU BEACH HOUSE - DAY

"ETERNITY FOREVER" HAS BIG FUTURE AT B.O.!

Screams the banner headline in "Variety".

$$$IMONE - WINS 6TH WEEKEND IN A ROW

Shouts the "Hollywood Reporter".

The trade papers sit on the coffee table in front of VIKTOR

who reclines on a leather sofa, watching TV, gazing lovingly

at Simone.

INT. SIMONE INTERVIEW SET - DAY (ON VIKTOR'S TV)

SIMONE:

Of course, being a movie star is

wonderful, but I have so many other

ways I want to express myself --

INT. BOOKSTORE - DAY

Various book titles are on display:

"SIMONE'S FAVORITE SOUTHERN RECIPES"

"HUMAN:
KIND - The POETRY of SIMONE"

"SIMONE'S 101 WAYS TO JOY"

EXT. DEPARTMENT STORE - DAY

A banner in a window reads. "In Stock: SIMONE'S EASY-WEAR

FASHION". Mannequins model the clothes.

INT. VIKTOR'S SOUNDSTAGE - DAY

We focus on the screen where VIKTOR types in instructions:

SEARCH:
"NUMBER 1 HITS - FEMALE ARTISTS/BILLBOARD CHARTS"

PERIOD:
"LAST 40 YEARS"

A list of the Number 1 hits for the last forty years promptly

appears on the screen along with photographs of the

artists --

PATSY CLINE, ELLA FITZGERALD, ARETHA FRANKLIN, JANICE JOPLIN,

CAROL KING, WHITNEY HOUSTON, MADONNA, etc. Beneath the title

of each song is a graphic representation of the music --

"PITCH" and "RESONANCE".

Viktor presses a button: "MORPH". The audio waves converge.

INT. VIKTOR'S SOUNDSTAGE - DAY

VIKTOR, wearing headphones, records his composite pop song.

As usual when he sings into his microphone, Simone also

sings. The catchy song is titled: "(If You Can't Believe In

Yourself) Believe In Me".

SIMONE APPEARS IN A MUSIC VIDEO.

INT. RECORD STORE - DAY

The video for SIMONE's song plays on the video wall inside

the record store. TEENAGE GIRLS, buying CD's, dance

adoringly in front of the screen, unaware that they are

gyrating to the vocals of a middle-aged man.

INSERT - "(If You Can't Believe In Yourself) Believe In Me"

shoots up the Billboard charts.

EXT. OCEAN - DAY

CLOSE UP on the name "SIMONE" painted on the stern of a

luxury yacht.

VIKTOR is at the helm, breathing in the clean air -- at last

a moment to savor his success. Simone's hit single plays on

the yacht's stereo. He looks at peace.

EXT. MARINA - DAY

A TOURIST has his arm around SIMONE, having his photograph

taken. However, we discover that the Simone is only a

lifesize cardboard cutout used by a STREET VENDOR to sell

snapshots. He also has cardboard cutouts of the POPE and

ELVIS.

MAX SAYER and MILTON walk by.

Tying up his boat, VIKTOR's mood is abruptly shattered by the

sight of Max and Milton walking down the pier towards him.

MAX:

Nice boat, Taransky.

VIKTOR:

It's a yacht.

MAX:

I know what you're up to.

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