Purple Rain

She stretches her arms like a butterfly, does a little step –
 

VANITY

That means I can sing and dance.

(a beat)

Want to help me?

PRINCE

(swiftly)

Nope.

VANITY

(surprised)

Pardon me?

PRINCE

Nope.

She's perplexed –
 

PRINCE

Want to know why?

VANITY

(defensively)

Nope.

PRINCE

(a beat)

Because you wouldn't pass the initiation.

VANITY

What initiation?

PRINCE

Well, for starters you have to purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka.

VANITY

What?

PRINCE

You have to purify yourself in Lake Minnetonka.

Her brow furrows, she looks out across the lake. He's calmly throwing stones. Recognizing a challenge when she sees one, she formulates a plan, faces him seductively, shoots him an open look. He stops suddenly, locks eyes with her, feels his knees go weak. Her hold on him is unmistakable. She pulls off her blouse in one fluid motion, tugs off her boots, drops her pants to the ground. She's exquisite, takes a step toward him. Passion rings in his veins...

Suddenly she turns on her heels, moves purposefully toward the water. He's shocked, realizes that she's about to go in –

PRINCE

Hey, wait a minute! Thats –

But she silences him savagely –
 

VANITY

We made a deal!

And before he can react she scampers along a log, DIVES beneath the surface. He can't believe it – her spirit really impresses him. She breaks the surface coughing and sputtering, hops and jumps to the shore –

PRINCE
Hold it.

VANITY

What?

PRINCE

That ain't Lake Minnetonka.

He tries to keep a straight face, jumps on his motorcycle, STARTS it up. His words take a moment to sink in, then –

VANITY
(enraged)

You bastard. I don't believe it. How could you do that to me?!

She gathers up her clothes, tries desperately to put them on. She slips and falls – Prince can't help laughing –

VANITY

Damn you – I'll kill you.

She starts throwing stones. He laughs, blasts up the path –
 

VANITY

(screaming)

You prick! Are you sick?! Is this some kind of ritual – getting your kicks! How many girls have you done this to?

ACCESS ROAD

He blazes up the embankment, SAILS through the air, drops expertly onto the road. He fishtails to a slick stop. Vanity is by the lake, flailing about, throwing things, trying to get into her boots –

VANITY
Bastard!

He laughs heartily, wants to kid her, rides down the road as if he's leaving. Having his fun, he slows, turns to go back...

... his smile dissolves instantly. Vanity is in the middle of the road, flagging down a small PICKUP TRUCK. She hops in, slams the door. The truck peels out, bears down upon him. He gesticulates his arms wildly – wants to explain –

PRINCE
Hey...

But the truck streaks past – Vanity's look is cold, triumphant.

INT. CLUB (1ST AVE. ST. BAR) – NIGHT

MUSIC. The CLUB is PACKED! THE MODERN AIRES is onstage, a hi-techno funk group, performing their trademark, a frenzied song entitled "Modern Aire" The floor is dense with KIDS, all performing the same syncopated dance.

Prince moves through the club slowly, seems to be searching someone out. His face is drawn and haggard, his spirits strained. He cuts past the BAR, barely acknowledges Jill, or the other WAITRESSES by her side, KIM and KATY. Jill looks concerned –

KIM
Honey, you still chasing after that fool?

Kim is years and gorgeous, with dark eyes, a smooth sculpted face, and taut shapely legs. She is street-educated and doesn't need encouraging to speak her mind. Katy is also in her-early 20's, a tall, alluring Oriental, with an attractive, intelligent face –

JILL

I'm doing what I'm doing. It's my business.

KATY

He doesn't even look at you. That's the last thing you want from a man.

JILL

You just don't know him like I do.

KIM

Honey... Look, Listen, and then Feel. If you do them in any other order, you're headed for trouble.

Matt and Bobby (members of Prince's group) stroll up –
 

BOBBY

Hey, Jill – where's our drinks?

JILL

They're coming – just wait.

Matt stares hungrily at her breasts –
 

JILL

What you want isn't on the menu.

BOBBY

Jill, in ten years they'll be on the table.

She swats him with her order pad – Bobby ducks, taunts her –
 

BOBBY

C'mon, c'mon...

She goes to swing, Matt moves in, squeezes her breasts –
 

MATT

(horn sound)

BooPoo!!

KIM

Get out of here, you jerks!

MATT

Sweetheart... do you have a real hot place where I could stick my nose?

KIM

Sure – try a microwave.

The Guys bust up, head for their tables –
 

KATY

Those guys are deep.

KIM

Yeah – deeply retarded.

INT. / EXT. CLUB – MONEY WINDOW – NIGHT

Vanity stands in line waiting to get in. She wears a short, black dress and red heels, carries a black and red clutchbag. Her hair is swept back and wind-blown, her eyes dark and dancing. She looks wickedly wonderful and knows it.

Chick stands by the window, arms folded, as massive as a Sequoia. He regards her Suspiciously –

VANITY

(sweetly)

I'm paying... see?

(to cashier, gruff)

Keep the change.

Chick advances on her – her eyes widen with fear –
 

CHICK

The manager wants to see you.

VANITY

Really...? Oh, great... like to see him too.

She breaths a sigh of relief.

Jerome watches as Chick escorts Vanity to the upper level. He stays short distance behind.

INT. CLUB UPPER LEVEL – NIGHT

As Vanity and Chick come to a halt in the middle of the fIoor –

CHICK

He'll be right with you.

Chick walks away. Jerome makes a move toward her, but pulls himself up short – BILLY SPARKS has approached her –

BILLY SPARKS
Hi, I'm Billy Sparks, I manage this place.

Vanity turns around – her eyes widen with surprise –
 

He's years old, 5'3" tall and weighs about 1pounds. He's dressed in a baby-blue running suit. and white tennis shoes that come to a point. A dark-skinned, smooth-faced black man, he's wearing small, white sunglasses and a base-ball cap perched on his head. Fred Flintstone in Harlem. A hip, fast-talking jive motherfucker who uses profanity like a light saber. Chubby, cuddly, cherubic Billy Sparks. He'd sell his mother if he thought he could make a buck.

They size one another up in. about three seconds –
 

VANITY

Hi – I really like your club.

BILLY

Really...

VANITY

What time is it?

BILLY

Nine, sweets.

VANITY

Oh, that's a really nice watch. Very pretty.

Billy lights a cigarette, offers her one, she accepts –
 

VANITY

You look like a guy I used to go out with – he was a lot older, but I like older men.

BILLY

Really, what a coincidence.

VANITY

I just came off a Broadway play. My grandmother got sick.

BILLY

Does she live here?

VANITY

No, in New York...

(catches herself)

But, huh, I have a sister here, lives in Saint... huh...

BILLY

... Paul.

VANITY

Amazing.

BILLY

Ye-es.

(smiles)

What do you want to do? You don't want to be a waitress do you?

VANITY

No... no... Actually I was thinking more in the way of the stage.

BILLY

Of course... how about dinner?

VANITY

Theatre?

BILLY

Dinner, then the theatre, my sweets.

VANITY

Oh, huh...

Jerome appears –
 

JEROME

Hi ya, Billy.

BILLY

Good evening, Jerome.

Vanity sees her escape –
 

VANITY

Jerome – I was looking all over for you!

They BOTH look at her surprised –

BILLY
You know each other?

VANITY

Of course.

Jerome goes along with it –
 

JEROME

Yes, we've met. I have something to show you.

VANITY

Great. See you later, Billy.

She walks away with Jerome, arm in arm –
 

VANITY

You rescued me.

JEROME

(smiles)

Ye-es.

INT. DRESSING ROOM – NIGHT

Prince and his band (Mark, Bobby, Matt, Lisa) sit backstage, waiting to go on. An air of tension permeates the room. Lisa sits in the corner and fidgets, casts sidelong looks to Prince. He sits apart from the group, deathly silent, locked in thought.

Wendy walks in and shares a look with Lisa. She goes up to Prince, her voice filled with nervousness –

WENDY

Hi ya, Prince. I heard through the grapevine you had a new tune written by two great girls. By chance did you hear it?

He stares at her – if looks could kill Wendy would be dead –
 

LISA

I knew it – he didn't listen to it. He probably dropped it under his bike and rolled over it.