The Horse Whisperer Page #2

EXT. DYER HORSE FARM - MORNING

They lead their horses, now saddled and ready, from the barn.

Pilgrim tosses his head, prancing, playing with the snow.

GRACE:

Show-off.

The girls mount the horses and ride off together.

INT. ANNIE'S MAGAZINE OFFICE - MID-MORNING

Annie, casually dressed, enters the empty offices of her

magazine. She turns on the light, revealing a large row of

stalls and glassed in private offices. Everywhere we look,

we see indications of the kind of magazine she edits.

She strolls to her office -- the largest -- surrounded by

windows. The office walls are covered with photos, most of

which are COVER STORIES ON ANNIE.

(One photo is of Annie's father MARTIN. A BRITISH AMBASSADOR

with his young daughter on his lap, her arms affectionately

around his neck. Her mother stands right behind them, posing

like a member of the royal family.)

Annie sits and takes a breath. The only photo on her desk is

a family portrait, taken when Annie was given the Crystal

Award -- Robert, Grace, herself and the Award. She checks

her watch -- it is almost 9:30.

INT. MACLEAN FARMHOUSE, MASTER BEDROOM/CLOSET - MID-MORNING

A WALK-IN CLOSET of the master bedroom; one side is Annie's,

one side is Robert's.

Robert stands before his bureau in the closet -- he has just

showered and is putting on his watch and ring which lay beside

his cologne assortment. A FRAMED PHOTO OF HE AND ANNIE in

India -- younger, vibrant, in love... when they first met.

THE PHONE RINGS. Robert enters into the bedroom to pick up.

ROBERT:

Hello?

INSERT ANNIE:
They speak in dulled, emotionless voices:

ANNIE:

It's me.

ROBERT:

Hi.

ANNIE:

Hi.

Awkward pause.

ROBERT:

So, what, uh, what train are you

taking?

ANNIE:

I should be in by two.

ROBERT:

Okay. You want me to pick you up?

ANNIE:

Sure... What's Grace up to?

ROBERT:

Riding with Judith.

Beat.

ANNIE:

I'm sorry about last night. I

shouldn't have brought it up over

the phone.

ROBERT:

That's okay. We have to talk about

it and we're not always in the same

place... so... I just have to get

used to it.

(beat)

What do you want to do about dinner?

ANNIE:

I don't know. We'll figure it out.

Pause. There is a lot unspoken but understood between them.

Annie's other phone line rings. Robert hears it as well.

ROBERT:

Okay. We'll see you later then.

ANNIE:

Yeah. Bye.

Annie picks up the other line and her manner brightens, her

energy boosts...

ANNIE:

DON! My love, how are you? Did you

hear about Fiske?... No, suing is

too civilized. Can't we get your

friend at Le Cirque to serve him a

fatal piece of poached salmon?...

Ha, ha... That's even better...

EXT. CONNECTICUT COUNTRYSIDE - MORNING

LONG SHOT of the girls riding at an easy pacing, talking all

the time. Grace is an elegant rider, quite self-assured for

a 13-year-old... We come into the scene at the moment the

girls have just shared a secret or a fantasy. Judith is

giggling uncontrollably. Grace laughs as she says:

GRACE:

...Oh, come on! You think the same

thing!

JUDITH:

I just could never say it!

They stop at the end of the field, facing the woods.

GRACE:

Do you want to go around by the old

road?

JUDITH:

Why don't we just cut through the

woods?

Grace nods. They ride into the woods, continuing their talk.

EXT. WOODS - MORNING

The girls ride down, along a stand of hickories and poplars

to a RIVER. They stop the horses and their conversation, to

listen to the sound of the water. Below them, off in the

distance, they can just make out a two-lane country road.

GRACE:

You want to go down or stay along

the river?

JUDITH:

We already did the river. Let's go

down and across the old bridge. We

can circle back.

They begin to make their way.

INT. ANNIE'S OFFICE - MORNING

Annie's office is now crowded with a dozen or so employees;

sitting on the couch, on the window sills, on the arms of

chairs, against the walls... Paper bag emptied of bagels,

cream cheese, orange juice, paper plates...

Hand Held Camera captures the energy of the room as it follows

overlapping lines, laughter, etc... yet, no matter how casual

it all seems, Annie is very much at the center of control...

We enter the scene of LAUGHTER, as Annie asks KEVIN, a feature

writer:

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