The Family Man Page #15

...he hasn’t laughed like this in thirteen years.

Then...

JACK:

Are the kids asleep?

A sexy smile from Kate...they start kissing

passionately right there on the steps...it’s heating

up...

KATE:

(caught up in the

moment)

Say it, Jack...

JACK:

What...?

KATE:

C’mon, you know what I

like to hear...

JACK:

(in the throes

of passion)

Yeah, baby, I know what

you like to hear...

KATE:

(kissing him)

Then say it...just say it

to me...!

JACK:

(swept up in the

moment)

Oh yeah, you’re a bad

girl, baby... You make me

so hot...I’m gonna take

you to that special

place...

Kate pulls away.

KATE:

What...?

Jack looks up at her, he can practically see the

passion drain from her face...

JACK:

Not it...?

KATE:

Nice, Jack. You’re

sweeping me off my feet.

JACK:

What? You make me hot...

She gets up and heads up the steps, disappearing into

the bedroom...Jack shakes his head, frustrated. Then,

he feels something licking at his hand...

He looks down and sees Lucy standing next to him,

wagging her tail, looking up at Jack with an “I’ve

gotta go” look on her face. Jack heaves a sigh,

then...

JACK (CONT’D)

C’mon, Lucy, maybe one of

us can get a little

relief tonight...

He leads the dog toward the front door...

70EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - MINUTES LATER

Jack is walking Lucy. He passes a house that looks

familiar to him. Then he sees it...

...the name “THOMPSON” etched on the mailbox...

It’s the Thompson house, now sans the garish Christmas

decorations, a drying Christmas tree tied up on the

curb, ready to be picked up as garbage...

Jack stops, pulling the dog back, looking up at the

house...

He sees a light on in the upstairs bedroom...the faint

outline of a woman reading by the window...

EVELYN THOMPSON...

Jack looks around, sees the street is empty, then

nudges the dog, leading her up the path to the house.

He gets to the front door...moves his hand up to the

doorbell...but it’s a tentative move...he keeps it

there a moment, perched at the button...but for some

reason he can’t bring himself to push it...

He looks down the street, toward his own house, then to

the window upstairs. Finally, he turns...

JACK:

(pulling the leash)

C’mon, girl, let’s go

home...

71INT. CAMPBELL HOUSE FOYER - MINUTES LATER

The front door opens and Jack walks in with Lucy on a

leash, his face red from the cold outside.

He gives the dog a pat on the rump, then takes off his

coat, hanging it and the leash on a hook by the door...

He walks through the quiet house, into the living room,

rubbing his hands together to warm them up.

CHAPTER ELEVEN – HOME MOVIES

He goes over to a glass bar stand and pours himself a

scotch, taking a sip, letting the alcohol warm him...

He strolls through the room, looking at some of the

family photos framed and hanging on the wall, focusing

on his own face in the pictures, studying the

expressions...

He moves to a pile of video tapes sitting on a shelf,

marked with titles like, “Trip to Yosemite, ‘96" and

“Josh’s 1st Birthday.” He runs his fingers along the

tapes, stopping at one marked, “Jack Singing.” His

eyes linger there a moment...

He puts his drink down and pops the tape in the VCR...

ON TV:

It’s a party for Kate’s birthday thrown at the Kramers’

house...same crowd of people as the Christmas party,

cheesy “Happy Birthday” decorations.

The image jerks up and down, surveying the crowd...

Bill Kramer at the piano, playing some light cocktail

music ...Kate talking with a group of friends...

ARNIE (O.S.)

Jesus, Bill, this thing

is an antique. Don’t you

even have image

stabilization?

Bill stops playing and looks up at Arnie.

BILL KRAMER:

Four hundred bucks at Best

Buy, Arn.

Then...Jack comes into frame, a confident smile on his

face.

JACK:

And everyone knows image

stabilization is for the

weak...

Jack is jarred by the image of himself on the video...

Jack on TV...he smiles as Kate walks into frame, easily

putting an arm around Jack...

ARNIE:

So Jack, it’s your wife’s

birthday, got anything to

say to her?

JACK:

(to Kate)

It’s your birthday?

Today? What’s your

name? Where were you

born?

KATE:

Jack.

JACK:

Wait a minute. You’re my

wife?

She slaps him playfully on the arm...

JACK (CONT’D)

I do have one thing I

wanna say...

Kate looks at him expectantly. Then...

JACK (CONT”D)

(singing to her)

Oh those fingers in my

hair, that sly come

hither stare, strips my

conscience bare, it’s

witchcraft...

Jack doesn’t have the greatest voice in the world but

he’s not the least bit self-conscious...and Kate seems

to like it, there’s a twinkle in her eye...some of the

guests focus their attention on Jack and Kate.

Jack winces, embarrassed, as he watches himself sing...

JACK (CONT’D)

...and I’ve got no

defense for it, that heat

is too intense for it,

what good would common

sense for it do...

Bill Kramer still at the piano, chimes in with the

basic chords for “Witchcract,” sounding it out as he

goes along...

JACK (CONT’D)

...‘Cause it’s

witchcraft, wicked

witchcraft...and although

I know it’s strictly

taboo...when you rouse

the need in me, my heart

says yes indeed in me,

proceed with what you’re

leadin’ me to...

The camera catches the reactions of guests in the

crowd... the women, smiles on their faces, wrapped up

in the romance of the moment. Envy on the men’s faces

as they watch Jack serenade his wife...

A musical interlude from Bill as Jack takes off his

jacket...some HOOTS and HOLLERS from the crowd...Arnie

captures the image of Kate whistling at her husband...

Arnie follows with the camera as Jack strolls in front

of the gathered guests...

JACK (CONT’D)

It’s such an ancient

pitch, but one that I’d

never switch, there ain’t

no nicer witch than

you...

Jack watches himself move gracefully. But it’s no

longer embarrassment on his face, it’s fascination...

Back in the video, the camera catches Evelyn Thompson

watching longingly as Jack moves back toward

Kate...Evelyn can’t take it anymore, she abruptly turns

and walks toward the kitchen...

Jack raises an eyebrow...

In the video...Jack approaches Kate, she couldn’t have

a more delighted look on her face. He picks up the

verse...

JACK (CONT’D)

‘Cause it’s witchcraft,

that koo koo

witchcraft...and although

I know it’s strictly

taboo...

The camera pans across the crowd, even the men are

getting into it, focused on Jack as he sings lovingly,

unashamed, to his wife...Nick Careli mouths the words

along with Jack, almost as if he’s studying him,

revering him...

Jack watches the TV, seeing Nick do this...maybe he

underestimated his alter ego...

On the video...Jack staring into Kate’s eyes...

JACK (CONT’D)

...when you rouse the

need in me, my heart says

yes indeed to me, proceed

with what you’re leadin’

me to...

Jack and Kate exchange a sexy smile...

JACK (CONT’D)

It’s such an ancient

pitch, but one that I’d

never switch...

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote