The Hollars Page #6

SALLY:

I wish Ron could find something. He’s so

lost.

(CONTINUED)

36.

18 CONTINUED:
18

Beat.

JOHN:

Yeah, I guess.

SALLY:

And what about your cartoon story?

JOHN:

It’s not called a cartoon story, Mom.

SALLY:

Oh. I’m sorry. What’s it called?

JOHN:

I don’t know. A graphic novel.

SALLY:

Rebecca sent me some of it.

JOHN:

... She did?

SALLY:

She says she thinks you should try to get

it published.

JOHN:

Yeah.

SALLY:

Why don’t you?

JOHN:

Well, because... it’s not good enough.

SALLY:

I like Rebecca... She’s pushy.

JOHN:

Yeah.

SALLY:

Men need to be pushed.

JOHN:

Well, Mom. Let’s face it. I made a

mistake. I’m not an artist.

SALLY:

You know just after your Father and I

first met we lived in Detroit. Only about

a year.

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

37.

18 CONTINUED:
(2) 18

He worked in a small office downtown and

I would pick him up every day. I don’t

think he never knew why... His office wasright by the Fox theatre. It was built inthe 1920’s as a movie theater. The first

movie theater in the world to be built

with speakers for sound movies. Your dadwould get off work at 5... and I’d leave

our apartment at 3 and walk down to theFox. There was never a show at that time.

And I’d go in. And I would sit in aseat... And I’d look up at the ceiling.

It was unlike anything I’d ever seen with

its beautiful design and colors. And

this enormous chandelier. It was made

from 1200 pieces of glass. It wasbreathtaking... And every day I’d go

back. I’d go in. And I’d look up.

SALLY (CONT'D)

JOHN:

You never told me that.

SALLY:

I never really had a chance to pursueanything creative. I got married so youngto your father and then Ronnie camealong.

JOHN:

Do you ever wish you’d...done things

differently?

SALLY:

(without hesitation)

Oh, yeah. Big time.

Really?

JOHN:

SALLY:

Definitely. Definitely.

Like what?

JOHN:

SALLY:

Well, I’m not sure it was a good idea to

marry your father.

What??

JOHN:

(CONTINUED)

38.

18 CONTINUED:
(3) 18

John looks stunned by what his mother has just said. But

before he can ask anything else Ron and his girls come

into the room. Ron holds Matilda’s hand.

RON:

Look who I found!

GIRLS:

Grandma!

The girls run to Sally and give her big, clutching hugs.

SALLY:

Girls! What are you doing out of school?

MATILDA:

(crying)

I don’t want you to die, Grandma!

Sally and John look at Ron. He holds a bag in his hands.

RON:

We brought you pretzels and ice cream.

Constance looks at Sally’s cat scans on the wall monitor.

CONSTANCE:

Is that your tumor?

John looks out at this scene and, still taken aback from

the conversation with his mom, walks to the door of the

hospital room.

JOHN:

Hey. I’m going to go for a little drive.

You need anything?

RON:

I wouldn’t mind a bag of Doritos.

JOHN:

I was talking to mom.

RON:

Oh.

SALLY:

No. I’m good, honey.

19 EXT. HOSPITAL ROOM. PARKING LOT. DAY. 19

John exits the hospital and sees his Aunt Pam walking up.

(CONTINUED)

39.

19 CONTINUED:
19

JOHN:

Aunt Pam!

PAM:

Hey, Johnny. You look great.

JOHN:

You’re a terrible liar.

PAM:

How’s Mom doing?

JOHN:

She’s good... Weirdly.

PAM:

She’s a tough broad. I never worry about

her... You’re dad, I always worry about.

JOHN:

Yeah... How’s the business doing?

PAM:

Not great. At this point it’s just about

keeping up the facade. But, you’d know

all about that.

JOHN:

Is there anything I can do?

PAM:

Yeah. Get your dad to hire your brother

back.

JOHN:

What?! What good could possibly come of

that?

PAM:

Well, first of all we won’t have to pay

him right away. Second, he’s the best

salesman we’ve had.

JOHN:

Ron?

PAM:

I didn’t say I understand it. I’m just

telling you how it is. Your brother is

the Rain Man of local plumbing sales.

JOHN:

Then why did Dad fire him?

(CONTINUED)

40.

CONTINUED:
(2) 19

PAM:

That’s family, right?

20 INT. BROOKLYN BROWNSTONE. DAY. 20

Rebecca stands in a makeshift studio filled with toy dogsin sweaters as a photographer takes their pictures. Her

cell phone rings.

Hello?

REBECCA (O.S.)

21 INT. CAR. DAY. 21

JOHN:

Oh thank God, it’s so good to hear your

voice.

John takes cigarette out of his pocket and lights itwhile he drives, talking on the phone.

INTERCUT:

REBECCA:

John? Hi! How are you?

Not so good.

JOHN:

REBECCA:

What’s wrong?

JOHN:

Well, my mom has a tumor the size of asoftball in her head. They don’t know if

it’s cancerous or not. The doctor wants

to perform a craniotomy the end of theweek. That’s where they take out the

tumor. My dad’s about to lose his

business. Mom says she thinks she regretsmarrying him. My brother is living athome and stalking his ex-wife. And on topof everything else my mom’s nurse hates

me.

*

REBECCA:

What? Why does your mom’s nurse hate you?

JOHN:

Oh, it’s just this guy. We used to go to

high school together.

(CONTINUED)

41.

21 CONTINUED:
21

REBECCA:

What’s his problem?

JOHN:

Oh, nothing. I don’t know. He’s...married

to Gwen.

REBECCA:

Gwen? Gwen, Gwen? Like...your Gwen?

JOHN:

Well, she’s not my Gwen anymore.

REBECCA:

Oh...wow.

JOHN:

Yeah. Anyway, he’s really insecure. He

still thinks Gwen has a thing for me.

(pause) Isn’t that crazy?

Rebecca’s face changes.

REBECCA:

Crazy...Are you going to see her?

JOHN:

What? I don’t know. I hadn’t really

thought about it. I mean, maybe. They

did invite me over for dinner.

Rebecca doesn’t respond.

JOHN (CONT’D)

Listen, don’t worry! Nothing’s gonna

happen. I don’t feel anything for her

anymore. I mean she just had a kid.

REBECCA:

Wow... That’s an incredibly insensitive

thing to say to me right now.

John takes a drag of his cigarette.

JOHN:

No! I didn’t mean-

REBECCA:

What is that sound? Are you smoking?

JOHN:

(meekly)

Kind of. Yeah.

(CONTINUED)

42.

21 CONTINUED:
(2) 21

REBECCA:

John... you don’t smoke. Just throw it

away and... call me later ok?

JOHN:

Rebecca, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-

REBECCA:

It’s ok, John. I have to get back to

work.

JOHN:

I was calling to tell you how excited I

was to talk to you.

REBECCA:

And I’m glad you did. We’ll talk later,

ok?

JOHN:

Ok.

22 OMIT SCENE 22

23 OMIT SCENE 23

24 INT. CAR ON HIGHWAY. DAY. 24

John drives through rural landscape. It’s all cornfields

and old farm houses. He stops and turns off onto a little

dirt road.

25 EXT. POND. DAY. 25

John pulls up to a swimming hole with a tire swing over

the water. He walks to the water, takes out a cigarette

and lights it. He stares wistfully at the little swimming

hole. He decides to hang on the swing. He grabs the swing

and gets on. He smiles as he swings above the water

smoking his cigarette. It reminds him of being a

teenager. But before the moment can last too long the

tree branch snaps and John falls into the water fully

clothed.

John emerges out of the water with a remote expression on

his face.

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