The Great Gatsby Page #12

73.

NICK:

You see doctor... Gatsby’s real

name was... James Gatz.

DISSOLVE TO:

I/E. NORTH DAKOTA FARM HUT - DAY

PUSH TOWARD:
A dilapidated hut, shrouded in a storm of dust.

NICK (V.O.)

His parents were dirt-poor farmersfrom North Dakota...

DISCOVER:
YOUNG GATZ, barefoot, at a dusty desk, surroundedby tattered books, strange charts, and lists. He ispracticing his signature...

NICK (V.O.)

But he never accepted them as hisparents at all.

Young Gatz turns from his writing, and looks through a holein the roof towards the infinite heavens...

NICK (V.O.)

In his own imagination, he was... aSon of God...

CLOSE ON:
The little boy looks up at CAMERA.

NICK (V.O.)

Destined for future glory...

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. NORTH DAKOTA - PRAIRIE - NIGHT

The silhouette of TEENAGE GATZ, now 16 years old, disappearsinto the hills...

NICK (V.O.)

Chasing this destiny, a sixteenyear old Gatz ran far, far away.

DISSOLVE TO:

74.

EXT. LAKE SUPERIOR - LATE AFTERNOON

CLOSE ON:
A handsome 17 year old YOUNG GATSBY, in a tornjersey and dirty canvas pants, rowing with all his might.

NICK (V.O.)

One afternoon, off the coast of

Lake Superior, he spotted a yachtin peril...

Young Gatsby lets the row boat drift close to a magnificentyacht. Wind is whipping whitecaps on the bay.

NICK:

He rowed out and rescued the

vessel, and its captain, alcoholicmillionaire Dan Cody...

The bleary face of DAN CODY appears at the yacht’s railing.

CODY:

Whadzamatta...?

Cody is very drunk. Young Gatsby calls urgently.

YOUNG GATSBY:

Sir! The shoal here’s real bad,

this wind could drag you onto it...

Cody waves a dismissive arm...

CODY:

Whaderathinkyerdoin..., old sport?

He collapses, dead drunk.

PUSH IN:
On Young Gatsby; a plan forming...

NICK (V.O.)

This was his opportunity, and heseized it.

Springing into action, he clambers onto the yacht.

GATSBY (VOICE)

I decided right then and there tocall myself: Jay Gatsby.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. CODY’S YACHT - LATE AFTERNOON

Young Gatsby hoists the sail as the storm rages around him.

75.

NICK (V.O.)

He sailed the yacht out of danger -

and into his future...

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. CODY’S YACHT - DAY

A perfect sunny day. Young Gatsby and Cody are sailing.

NICK (V.O.)

Gatsby showed skill and ambition,

and for five years they sailed theworld...

GATSBY (VOICE)

He was alright, old Dan, he taughtme everything...

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. CLOTHING STORE - DAY

Young Gatsby, now transformed, models a suit in the mirror.

NICK (V.O.)

How to dress, act, and speak like agentleman...

He looks squarely at himself, and repeats a mantra.

YOUNG GATSBY:

Gatsby. Jay Gatsby. A pleasure tomeet you, sir. Gatsby. Jay Gatsby.

Gatsby. Jay Gatsby.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. CODY’S YACHT - DAY

Young Gatsby stands at the bow, as the yacht cut across theclear blue ocean... He turns to Cody and calls...

YOUNG GATSBY:

She looks well, doesn’t she...!?

Old sport.

HIGH AND WIDE:
The yacht sails toward the golden sun...

76.

NICK (V.O.)

Gatsby hoped to inherit Cody’s

fortune... But when Cody died,

Gatsby was cheated out of hisinheritance by Cody’s family...

He’d been left with an ability to

play the gentleman, but he was onceagain dirt poor.

SLAM CUT TO:

NEWSPAPER MONTAGE.

Piles and piles of New York City newspapers swirl rapidlyTOWARD CAMERA, and we read their headlines:

“GATBSY’S STAGGERING WEALTH -MONEY! MONEY! MONEY!”

NICK (V.O.)

By midsummer Gatsby was front page

news...

“GATSBY BUYING OUR CITY? INVESTMENT MONOPOLY FUELS CONCERNS”

“JAY CASHES IN! GATSBY STRIKES WALL STREET GOLD!”

“GATSBY INVESTS IN SKYSCRAPERS!”

“JAY PAYS FOR EVERYTHING: PARTIES, GALAS, PARKS, SCHOOLS!”

“WALL STREETS KING? MEET JAY GATSBY!”

A final newspaper COVERS FRAME:

“WHERE’S THE MONEY FROM!? MYSTERY MILLIONS SPARK WILD RUMORS”

We PUSH TOWARD the paper and DISSOLVE TOWARD:

EXT. GATSBY’S CASTLE - NIGHT

Another glittering party.

NICK (V.O.)

Where did the money comes from?

FADE IN:
Decadent, grotesque images of drunken revellers...

NICK (V.O.)

That’s what all of New York wanted

to know. And it was the same

question on Tom’s mind when he

accompanied Daisy to one ofGatsby’s glittering parties...

77.

DISCOVER:
Gatsby leading Tom, Daisy and Nick to the top ofthe terrace stairs.

EXT. GATSBY’S CASTLE - TERRACE/DANCE FLOOR - NIGHT

GATSBY:

We’ve got a great band here. Have alook around... Excuse me...

He turns briefly to talk to Senator Gulick...

TOM:

(mutters to Daisy)

A lot of these newly rich peopleare just filthy bootleggers.

DAISY:

Not Gatsby. He’s a businessman.

TOM:

(snorts)

Hah! A businessman...

DAISY:

He owned a lot of drug stores.

Gatsby gracefully introduces Senator Gulick to the group...

GATSBY:

May I introduce Senator Gulick?

This is Mr. Carraway and Mrs.

Buchanan...

DAISY:

Delighted...

GATSBY:

And Mr. Buchanan...

(a moment's hesitation)

The polo player.

TOM:

(objecting quickly)

Oh no. Not me.

SENATOR GULICK:

(shaking hands, nods)

Always a pleasure to meet aBuchanan.

Gatsby bids the Senator farewell, while Tom glowers to Daisy:

78.

TOM:

I’d rather not be the polo player.

DAISY:

Oh Tom... You should be proud ofyour achievements.

Gatsby interjects-

GATSBY:

(to the group)

May I show you around?

He guides them down the stairs...

GATSBY (CONT’D)

You must see the faces of a lot of

people you’ve heard of.

DAISY:

Absolutely!

TOM:

(scoffs)

We don’t go around very much. I

don’t think I recognize a single

person...

GATSBY:

Perhaps you know that lady there?

Gatsby indicates a lovely, orchid of a woman: MARLENE MOON,

the silent film star.

DAISY:

(taking Gatsby’s arm)

Its Marlene Moon... I adore her

pictures...

As Gatsby leads Daisy, we catch Tom repeating to Nick...

TOM:

I’d really rather not be the polo

player...

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. GATSBY’S CASTLE - GARDEN TABLE - NIGHT

Tom, Daisy, Nick and Gatsby sit an elaborately conceiveddinner table, watching the band...

79.

DAISY:

(to Nick)

These things excite me so...

Gatsby turns to Tom...

GATSBY:

I believe we’ve met somewhere

before, Mr. Buchanan. About a month

ago.

TOM:

That’s right... And you were with

Nick here. At the barbershop...

GATSBY:

That’s right. See... I know your

wife.

TOM:

Is that so?

GATSBY:

Yes.

As the number subsides, and the crowd applauds, Herzogappears and addresses Gatsby with whispered intensity.

HERZOG:

Mr. Gatsby sir. Mr. Slagle is

here...

Herzog indicates SLAGLE, a dark-suited man who stands on thedistant terrace with three sinister-looking 'associates'.

Gatsby, so besotted with Daisy that he cannot take his eyesoff her, whispers fiercely...

GATSBY:

Not now.

Herzog silently recedes...

A romantic foxtrot strikes up - Trimalchio introduces...

TRIMALCHIO:

And now...! Dice, Brass Knuckles

and Guitars, with: The Foxtrot!

Gatsby turns to Tom, and gestures to Daisy...

GATSBY:

Mr. Buchanan, would you mind,

terribly?

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