PLEASANTVILLE

                         BETTY
                    (to Jennifer)
               I put blueberries in them just the way
               you like.

                         JENNIFER
               Actually--I'm not real ... hungry.

                         BETTY
                    (big smile)
               Oh nonsense young lady. You're going to
               start your day with a nice big breakfast.

     She takes Jennifer by the shoulders and "guides" her into the
     chair. Jennifer looks down at a huge plate of GRAY WAFFLES.

                         BETTY (CONT)
                    (oppressively chipper)
               Here. Why don't you have some waffle
               cakes.
                    (beat)
               And there's sausage and eggs and some
               good crisp bacon ...
                    (beat)
               ... And a ham steak.

     Betty drenches the waffles in syrup and slathers on a huge
     slab of butter.

                         BETTY (CONT)
               ... And of course, a nice big bowl of
               oatmeal.

     Jennifer hesitates then glances over at her "mother" who
     looks at her expectantly. She glances at David who just looks
     stunned. Jennifer pauses then reaches down and takes a
     forkful of the oozing mess ...

                                                       CUT TO:

     FULL SHOT. PAT BOONE.

     He stands facing the CAMERA in an actual Kinescope from 1958.
     The backdrop is a painted pastoral landscape and the
     background singers are all white debutantes. He wears a
     letterman's sweater and button down shirt ...

                         PAT BOONE
               "... Tooty fruity--oh rooty. Tooty Fruity
               ... Oh rooty."

     He CONTINUES his homogenized version of Little Richard's
     nasty hit, (all the nastiness gone). It becomes a slow and
     lilting melody ...

                         PAT BOONE (CONT)
               "... Tooty fruity--oh rooty ..."

     SERIES OF SHOTS. PLEASANTVILLE.

     The MUSIC CONTINUES as the CAMERA CUTS TO image after image
     of this strange "Utopia." The effect is a weird, sanitizied
     version of MTV--as if Ronald Reagan had shot a music video.
     There are men tipping their hats and women walking their
     dogs; cheery gas station attendants and smiling policemen.

                         PAT BOONE (VO)
                    (slowly ...)
               "... A wap bop a loo bop--a wap barn boom."

     Pruned hedges. Twin beds. BIG houses. The CAMERA CRANES DOWN
     in the middle of a beautiful tree lined street to find David
     and Jennifer walking up the sidewalk, holding their stomachs.

                         JENNIFER
               I'm gonna hurl, David. I swear to God.

                         DAVID
               Just take deep breaths.

                         JENNIFER
               All that animal fat. I feel it in my
               pores or something.

     Jennifer clutches her stomach, but David's glance darts from
     side to side--totally absorbed.

                         JENNIFER (CONT)
               I still don't see why we're doing this.

                         DAVID
               We're supposed to be in school.

                         JENNIFER
               We're supposed to be at home David! We're
               supposed to be in color!
                    (wailing)
               Oh God ...

     A man calls out from across the street.

                         MR. SIMPSON
               Hello Bud.

                         DAVID
               Hello Mr. Simpson.

                         MR. SIMPSON
               Hear your Dad got a new car.

                         DAVID
               Oh yeah. A Buick. It's swell.

                         JENNIFER
               You know him?

                         DAVID
               Owns the hardware store.

                         JENNIFER
               Okay, now you listen to me! I don't know
               what's going on but you'd better fix it!
               I had a date with Mark Davis and I even
               bought new UNDERWEAR!

                         DAVID
               We just gotta play along for a little
               while ... till that guy shows up again.
               Then I'll talk to him and ...

                         JENNIFER
               Play along?

                         DAVID
               Well, yeah. I'm ... Bud Parker and
               you're ... um--Mary Sue.

                         JENNIFER
                    (ripping the barette from her hair)
               No! I'm not gonna do it! If I don't
               dress like this for Mom I'm sure as hell
               not going to do it for you!

                         DAVID
               We don't have a choice Jen. We're stuck
               until he comes back.

                         JENNIFER
               Why can't we just EXPLAIN IT?

                         DAVID
               To who?

     Jen looks around this cheery little street, and the horror
     starts to dawn on her. At that moment, they hear a screaming
     SIREN and a bright GRAY FIRE ENGINE comes racing up the
     block.

     WIDER.

     Jennifer and David step back on the curb as the firemen come
     flying out of the truck, grabbing the ladder on the back.

     DIFFERENT ANGLE. (FOLLOWING THE FIREMEN)

     They work in perfect precision. Two firemen grab the base of
     the ladder while a third takes the front. They go tearing
     across one of the lawns, in full "emergency response"
     anchoring the ladder into the ground and winging it up into a
     tree.

                         FIREMAN
               C'mere, kitty ...

     He emerges a moment later with the cat who was stuck in the
     tree. Jennifer sinks to the curb as he carries the kitten by
     them, petting it gently as he goes.

                         JENNIFER
               Oh God, we are. We're stuck in like
               "Nerdville".
                    (shakes her head)
               I always knew you'd pay a price for
               this. I knew you couldn't be hopelessly
               geekridden for this long without
               suffering some like, really tragic
               consequences.
                    (voice wavering)
               ... But it's just not fair. I mean--I'm
               starting to get really--popular. Debbi
               Russell transferred to another school
               and my skin's been great since March and
               Mark Davis is starting to come around
               and ...

                         BOY'S VOICE (OS)
               Hello Mary Sue.

     Jennifer turns to see a strapping blonde seventeen year old
     driving by in his convertible. He is extremely handsome with
     Jack Armstrong features and a Letterman's sweater. Despite
     her crisis, Jennifer's jaw drops open as he slows to a crawl.
     Biff Martin flashes a huge Pepsodent smile. The guy is a
     "dreamboat".

                         BIFF (CONT)
               What's all the commotion? Where's the
               cat?

                         JENNIFER
               Um ... It's ...

     Biff turns to see the fireman climb into the truck, with the
     kitty in his arms.

                         BIFF
               Ah, right ...
                    (smiling at her again)
               Well--guess I'll see ya later Mary Sue.

     He takes off down the street with the sun glinting on his
     really keen convertible. Jennifer gapes as he disappears
     around the corner.

                         JENNIFER
               Who's that?

                         DAVID
               Biff Martin. Captain of the basketball
               team.

                         JENNIFER
                    (still gaping)
               Does he--you know--like "me"?

                         DAVID
               As a matter of fact he does.

                         JENNIFER
                    (flicking her hair)
               Hunh.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT. PLEASANTVILLE HIGH SCHOOL. DAY.

     Streams of impeccably kept youngsters file through the double
     doors. All cheery and very pleasant looking. It looks like a
     Leni Riefenstahl movie.

     ANGLE. FROM ACROSS THE STREET.

     David stands beside Jennifer looking at the entrance to the
     school. Three girls huddle together by the front steps.

                         JENNIFER
               Those are my friends.

                         DAVID
               Peggy Jane, Lisa Anne and Betty Jean.

                         JENNIFER
                    (staring at them)
               Can we do any better?

                         DAVID
               I don't think so.

                         LISA ANNE
                    (seeing her)
               Mary Sue. You're gonna be late for
               Geography.

                         JENNIFER
               Okay ...

     She flicks her hair back--cops a first day of school
     attitude, and heads across the street like she owns the
     place.

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT. GEOGRAPHY CLASS. LATER ...

     It looks like a propaganda film from the Eisenhower
     Administration. The boys all wear crew cuts and short sleeve
     button down shirts. The girls all have lacy dresses buttoned
     to the neck. Everyone stares straight ahead at the
     blackboard.

     ANGLE. FRONT OF THE ROOM. TEACHER.

     Miss Peters stands in front of the class with a pointer in
     her hand. She indicates a diagram that spans the length of
     the blackboard.

                         MISS PETERS
               Last week Class, we discussed the
               geography of Main Street. This week,
               we're going to be talking about Elm
               Street. Can anyone tell me one of the
               differences between Elm Street and Main
               Street?
                    (pointing)
               Tommy.

                         TOMMY
               It's not as long?

     Jennifer looks stunned as several students nod.

                         MISS PETERS
               That's right, Tommy. It's not as long.
               Also, it only has houses. So the
               geography of Main Street is different
               than the geography of Elm Street.

     ANGLE. JENNIFER.

     She glances around at several students who seem to be nodding
     in agreement. All at once, she thrusts her hand into the air.

                         MISS PETERS
               Mary Sue.

                         JENNIFER
               What's outside of Pleasantville?

     The teacher looks at her with a puzzled frozen smile on her
     face. She looks vaguely troubled.

                         MISS PETERS
               What?
                    (beat)
               I don't understand ...

                         JENNIFER
               Outside of Pleasantville ... What's at
               the end of Main Street?

     The class lets out a knowing groan--as if to say "Oh. We get
     it now. Boy what a stupid question." Miss Peters gives a kind
     but condescending look.

                         MISS PETERS
               Oh, Mary Sue. You should know the answer
               to that. The end of Main Street is just
               the beginning again.

     Miss Peters gives a big grin as a series of heads nod up and
     down. Jennifer stares straight ahead, dumbfounded ...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT. GYMNASIUM. DAY.

     There are fifteen to twenty boys scattered around the Gym.
     Each is dressed identically in white shorts and black socks
     with a "PLEASANTVILLE" jersey.

     SHOT. DAVID.

     He stands at the free throw line with a basketball in his
     hand. (Not exactly an athletic image.) David lets go of a
     jump shot that swishes effortlessly through the net. He looks
     a little surprised.

                         DAVID
               Wow.

     He stares at the backboard slightly intrigued. David
     retrieves the ball and fires again, this time chucking it
     up blind. The ball sails through the hoop again, HITTING
     NOTHING BUT NET.

     FULL SHOT. OTHER SIDE OF THE GYM.

     Ten to twelve of his teammates fire simultaneously at the
     hoop. ALL OF THE SHOTS SAIL THROUGH THE HOOP, NONE EVEN
     NICKING THE RIM. The boys retrieve their shots as the coach
     claps his hands.

                         COACH
               That's it men. Keep it up. Big game
               tomorrow.

     ANGLE. DAVID.

     He gets the ball and turns his back on the basket completely.
     David flings the ball wildly over his shoulder. It bounces
     off all the walls of the gym, then glides through the net as
     smoothly as the others. He stares in amazement.

                         BIFF (OS)
               Bud ...

     WIDER.

     Biff Martin (the boy in the convertible) approaches from the
     other side of the Gym. He is a classic All American Hero--
     somewhere between 4-H club member and a future astronaut.

                         BIFF
                    (a little nervous)
               Hi ya Bud.

                         BUD
               Hi ya Biff.

     He fidgets nervously for a moment looking down.

                         BIFF
               Can I ask you a question?

                         BUD
               Sure.

                         BIFF
               Well ... If I was to ask your sister ...
               What I mean is, if I was to go up to
               Mary Sue ...

                         DAVID
               Oh God! Are we in that episode?

                         BIFF
               What?

                         DAVID
               I don't believe it.

                         BIFF
               What's the matter?

                         DAVID
               You want to ask her out tonight, right?
               And then you want to give her your
               school pin ...

                         BIFF
               Yeah ... How'd you know?

                         DAVID
                    (shaking his head)
               Lucky guess.
                    (beat)
               Look, Biff ... I don't think it's a real
               good time for that right now ...

     Biff's expression falls. He stands crushed in front of David.

                         DAVID (CONT)
               What I mean is ... Mary Sue's been a
               little "different" lately ...

                         BIFF
                    (stunned)
               She won't go out with me?

                         DAVID
               I didn't say that. It's just that right
               now ...

                         BIFF
               I don't know what I'd do if she wouldn't
               go out with me ...

     All at once, Biff takes the basketball he's been holding and
     hurls it toward the hoop. The ball does a couple of
     revolutions of the rim, and then amazingly pops out.

     WIDE ANGLE. GYM.

     Play comes to a halt. ALL THE PLAYERS TURN AND STARE,
     DUMBSTRUCK AT THE SIGHT OF A MISSED SHOT.

     SHOT. DAVID.

     He retrieves the ball quickly then hurries back to Biff.
     David pulls him aside as play slowly resumes on the other
     side of the gym.

                         DAVID
                    (under his breath)
               Look, I'm sure we'll work something out.
               I'll talk to her or something.

     Biff looks at him, troubled.

                         DAVID (CONT)
               Honest. It'll be fine.

     Biff nods, a little confused, as David pats him on the back.

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT. CORRIDOR. LATER ...

     David stands off to the side with his sister, while class
     pours out around them.

                         JENNIFER
               No way.

                         DAVID
               One date, Jen--that's all I'm asking. If
               you don't go out with this guy we could
               throw their whole universe out of whack.

                         JENNIFER
               It's too weird David. This place is
               giving me the creeps. Did you know all
               the books are blank?

                         DAVID
               What?

                         JENNIFER
               I looked in the library. They got covers
               with nothing inside them.

                         DAVID
               What were you doing in a library?

                         JENNIFER
               I got lost.
                    (beat)
               Oh here ... look at this!

     She reaches into her purse and pulls out a book of matches.
     Jennifer tries to light a Kleenex on fire.

                         DAVID
               JENNIFER!

                         JENNIFER
               Just watch. You know why those guys just
               get cats out of trees? 'Cause nothing
               burns around here, that's why! They
               don't need any firemen ...

     Sure enough the tissue has become flame retardant.

                         DAVID
               Jen, listen ...

                         JENNIFER
                    (trembling)
               I like--really need a cigarette, too.

                         DAVID
                    (putting his arm around her)
               I'll get us out of here. I really will.
               But if we don't play along we could
               alter their whole existence. We may
               never get home.

     She looks over at him, slowly.

                         JENNIFER
               You really think anybody's gonna, like,
               notice if I don't have a chocolate malt
               with this guy.

     At that moment, three of Mary Sue's "friends" come tittering
     around the comer. They skitter up to her like a group of
     wind-up toys.

                         PEGGY JANE
                    (high-pitched--rapid fire)
               You won't believe what we just heard.

                         LISA ANNE
               Biff Martin's going to ask you out.

                         BETTY JEAN
               And that's not all ...

                         PEGGY JANE
               No, that's not all ...

                         ALL THREE TOGETHER
               He's going to give you his pin!

     They explode in a torrent of TITTERS all over again. Jennifer
     looks over at David.

     EXT. PARKER HOUSE. DUSK.

     A lone streetlamp glows in the foreground. Jennifer's voice
     plays OS.

                         JENNIFER
               You sure I'm supposed to wear this?

     INT. MARY SUE'S ROOM.

     Jennifer emerges from the closet in a mohair sweater and a
     poodle skirt. Under the sweater she wears a 1950's "bullet
     bra" that turn her breasts into lethal weapons.

                         JENNIFER
                    (looking in the mirror)
               I could like kill a guy with these
               things.

                         DAVID
               It's in your closet.

                         JENNIFER
                    (examining her profile)
               I've worn some kinky stuff before ...

                         DAVID
               He won't notice anyway.

                         JENNIFER
               What do you mean?

                         DAVID
               They don't notice that kind of thing.

                         JENNIFER
               So what's the point?

                         DAVID
               Jen please ...

                         JENNIFER
               He-llo? I've got like three pounds of
               underwire here ...

                         DAVID
               Just go with the program--hunh? I'm late
               for work.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT. SODA SHOP. DUSK.

     The flashing neon ice cream cone looks good enough to drink.
     Underneath it, the swirling script spells "SODA SHOP". Johnny
     Mathis drifts out into the evening air ...

     CLOSER.

     David comes sprinting up to the screen door and pauses to get
     his breath. He adjusts a little soda jerk's hat, then plunges
     inside.

     INT. SODA SHOP.

     Mr. Johnson, the owner and proprietor is wiping down the
     counter. He is a "pleasant" looking man, in his early forties
     wearing a white apron and black glasses. The strains of
     "MISTY" get louder as Bud lets the screen door slam behind
     him.

                         MR. JOHNSON
                    (looking up)
               Bud?

                         DAVID
               Sorry ... I had to help my folks and
               then I couldn't find my hat ...

                         MR. JOHNSON
               Oh.