The Ice Storm Page #3

JIM:

The very one -- something about a

first amendment defense fund --

well I believe in it --

DOROTHY:

Ted took me to see it.

JANEY:

Ted, how romantic.

DOROTHY:

I have to say, the movie didn't do

much for me. But being in that

theater, surrounded by all those

horny young college boys and

perverts, there was something in

the air that --

JUMP CUT:

The boys are pouring wine.

JIM:

-- pulls right up to the pump,

jumps out like there's no gas

shortage, oblivious, and by this

point everybody in line's piling

out of their cars ready to kill the

guy, when they notice it's that

Reverend Edwards --

BEN:

The Unitarian? The new one?

JIM:

Yeah -- claims he pulled off Creek

Road and didn't notice the line

going back Mill Street for half a

mile.

BEN:

He's either got his head in the

clouds or up his --

DOROTHY:

I hear he's slept with half the

women in his congregation --

TED:

Lucky bastard!

As this is said, Mikey accidentally spills some wine on Ben.

BEN:

Hell! -- I mean, no problemo there

Mikey. Here, I --

Janey leans over with her napkin and attempts a cursory wipe

of Ben's pants. Is there a just barely noticeable frisson

between Ben and Janey as she removes the napkin? If there is,

Elena doesn't -- or pretends not to -- notice.

CUT TO:

The boys, now in pajamas (Sandy's with padded feet, Mikey's a

combination of t-shirt and pj bottoms) are bringing out

coffee and dessert. The adults eye Mikey's handling of the

coffee pot with some nervousness.

DOROTHY:

(unconvincing)

So fascinating. Do you get free

tickets to the movies, that kind of

thing?

BEN:

No, my job is just to analyze the

entertainment stocks and advise our

institutional investors on where to

put their money. It's --

ELENA:

Don't be so modest, Ben. It's a job

that requires a certain prescience

with regards to entertainment

trends. You were the first to

predict that Billy Jack would be a

hit --

BEN:

(with a bit too much

conviction)

And as usual no one believed me...

Silence.

CUT TO:

The dinner party has moved to the living room for after

dinner drinks. Elena remains behind to help Janey pick up the

table. She stacks a plate on top of another.

JANEY:

Please don't.

ELENA:

It's not a bother.

JANEY:

I insist.

(beat)

Don't touch them.

Elena realizes that there's an edge to Janey's voice.

ELENA:

Oh.

JANEY:

(realizing she's gone too

far)

It's really quite all right.

ELENA:

Of course.

INT. WILLIAMS LIVING ROOM. NIGHT

The party progresses. Mikey and Sandy are lying on their

stomachs at the top of the stairs, out of sight.

DOROTHY:

And to think -- they met at a key

party of all things.

ELENA:

A key party?

DOROTHY:

You know, it's a California thing.

That scuzzy husband of hers dragged

her kicking and screaming to one

when they were out in L.A. you

know, the men put their car keys in

a bowl, and then at the end of the

evening the women line up and fish

them out and go home with whoever's

keys they've got. Anyhow that's how

she met this Rod person or whatever

his name is and he's left his wife

and she's packing for California.

Irwin is devastated. It's so

ironic.

JANEY:

Ironic?

DOROTHY:

(caught out)

Well, um, yes. Ironic. His name is

Rod.

INT. WILLIAMS FRONT HALLWAY. NIGHT

The guests are leaving. The men shake hands, the women kiss,

and the men and women awkwardly peck each others' cheeks.

ELENA:

Thank you Janey.

DOROTHY:

It was lovely!

BEN:

Hey Jim, next time you've got to

fill me in on whatever it is you're

up to these days.

JIM:

Will do.

INT. STAIRWAY. NIGHT

At the top of the stairs, a rather dejected Sandy and Mikey

finish spying on the leave-takings below. Mikey nudges Sandy,

and they silently head back the upstairs hall.

INT. MIKE'S ROOM. NIGHT

They enter Mike's room -- the door has a "nuclear waste

positively no admittance" sign on it.

As Mikey reaches his bed, he doubles over, groaning, and

starts to make retching noises. He then throws himself onto

the bed, his head leaning over the far side.

Sandy walks over and sees a pile of vomit next to the bed.

Taken aback for a moment, he then reaches forward and picks

it up -- it's fake plastic vomit. He throws it on top of

Mike's back, but Mikey doesn't take notice.

SANDY:

Stupid!

(pause, looking sullenly

at Mike's back)

Is Wendy Hood your girlfriend?

MIKEY:

(not looking up, but

alarmed)

Who said so?

SANDY:

No one.

MIKEY:

I don't have a girlfriend.

Mikey returns to his reading -- a copy of The Sensuous Woman,

obviously well pawed over. He absentmindedly picks his nose.

As he flips the pages, a beautiful, almost electrical HUMMING

SOUND begins to fill his ears. He frowns and pauses to listen

to it.

Sandy, who has picked up a balsa wood miniature plane,

obviously doesn't hear it.

Mikey focuses on the plane as Sandy waves it through the air.

Perhaps the hum is the sound of its engines as it soars

through the sky...

INT. WENDY'S BEDROOM. NIGHT

There is a large poster of a cartoon version of Richard Nixon

"Tricky Dick" -- on her wall. Wendy is on the phone to her

friend Beth.

WENDY:

-- he knows that when the March

24th tape -- you know with Dean,

where Dean tells him that there's a

cancer growing on the presidency --

She pauses as Beth asks a question.

WENDY (CONT'D)

Who? No way. He's like a big

infected whitehead wearing jeans. I

wouldn't --

She hears the downstairs door open.

WENDY (CONT'D)

(whispering)

-- sh*t, it's my parents.

She turns her light out.

INT. HOOD UPSTAIRS HALLWAY. NIGHT

Ben and Elena walking past Wendy's room to their bedroom.

BEN:

You'd think she'd learn how to cook

a chicken, eh? My drumstick was

still frozen when you cut inside

there. I'm probably going to get

whatever that disease -- and Jim,

how that guy ever became a

millionaire --

He pauses before a hall table, and, with his eyes, traces the

telephone cord under Wendy's room.

BEN (CONT'D)

Hmm. I knew she'd still be up.

Watch this --

But Elena simply continues into the master bedroom.

He starts to pull gently on the cord. And continues pulling.

No response for a few seconds. Then:

CONTINUED:
25

WENDY (O.S.)

(yelling behind her door)

Dad stop it!

BEN:

Get to sleep young lady -- and I

mean it.

Wendy opens the door to her room.

WENDY:

Fascist!

BEN:

If I were a fascist I would have

sent you to one of those Southern

military academies a long time ago.

Now get to bed.

She slams the door.

He opens it.

INT. WENDY'S BEDROOM. NIGHT

Ben enters the room, angry.

BEN:

Hey!

Wendy jumps into bed and under the covers, pulling them up

over her head. He stands over her, looking down at the

crumpled pile of sheet and blanket.

BEN (CONT'D)

(softening)

Hey, kiddo. Sleep well, huh.

He places his hand where her cheek should be, and caresses

the sheet.

WENDY:

(without pulling the sheet

down, but nicely)

Good-night dad.

BEN:

Good night kiddo.

Ben turns to the door, where he sees a silent Elena standing

in her nightgown, a slight smile on her face.

INT. HOOD BEDROOM. NIGHT

Elena is sitting cross-legged, eyes closed, on her side of

the bed. We hear the toilet flush from the master bath, and

see Ben emerge in his boxers. He pauses in front of the bed,

looking at Elena.

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