BLUE VELVET

BLUE  VELVET 

screenplay by

David Lynch

FADE IN:

FOLDS OF BLUE VELVET UNDULATE EVER SO SLOWLY.

WITH TITLES

DISSOLVE TO:

1. EXT. BEAUMONTS' FRONT LAWN - DAY

Blue skies. PAN SLOWLY DOWN to clean white picket fence, with beautiful

red roses in front of it. Birds CHIRP in the distance. A faint sprinkler

SOUND is heard. Very sweet MUSIC is playing.

DISSOLVE TO:

2. EXT. TREE - DAY

A songbird SINGS in the tree.

DISSOLVE TO:

3. EXT. CROSSWALK - SHADY STREET - DAY

A very clean uniformed, smiling POLICEMAN with arms outstretched allows

clean happy SCHOOL CHILDREN to cross the street safely.

DISSOLVE TO:

4. EXT. SHADY STREET - DAY

A bright red gorgeous fire engine is moving very slowly down the street.

We MOVE IN to see the happy face of a FIREMAN.

DISSOLVE TO:

5. EXT. FLOWER GARDEN - DAY

Yellow tulips sway in a warm afternoon breeze.

DISSOLVE TO:

6. EXT. BEAUMONTS' FRONT LAWN - DAY

The same white picket fence with roses in front of it.

PANNING SLOWLY now away from the roses down to the rich green lawn

and over to the sprinkler which goes around and around shooting water

droplets sparkling in the light.

This is slightly SLOW MOTION and DREAMY.

DISSOLVE TO:

7. EXT. BEAUMONTS' FRONT LAWN - DAY

CLOSER ON WATER DROPLETS. The water droplets are somewhat abstracted

as they dance in the light.

PAN DOWN now to the green grass, traveling along the grass.

The MUSIC becomes fainter as we MOVE SUDDENLY under the grass, now as

if in a dark forest.

SLOWLY MOVING THROUGH.

The grass is like great timbers.

It is GETTING DARKER and ominous SOUNDS come up as we discover black

insects crawling and scratching in the darkness.

FADE TO:

8. EXT. BEAUMONT'S FRONT LAWN - DAY

MR. BEAUMONT is watering flowers and grass with the hose.

He is dressed in khaki trousers, canvas shoes, old white shirt, straw

hat and dark glasses.

CLOSE - MR. BEAUMONT

watches his watering, then looks up.

The sky and the neighborhood are reflected in his dark glasses. He

moves his false teeth around a little in his mouth, jutting out his chin

in the process. He's thinking about who knows what.

He looks back down at his lawn.

CLOSEUP - WATER ON GRASS

The water hits the grass and mats it down.

WIDER - MR. BEAUMONT

moves the hose over a bush and gets a kink in it.

Water stops coming out of the nozzle and there is a LOUD HISSING NOISE

of water under pressure.

CLOSEUP - KINK IN HOSE

Loud HISSING NOISE.

Mr. Beaumont goes around the bush and is undoing the kink when he is

suddenly hit with a tremendous seizure.

CLOSEUP - MR. BEAUMONT

He's doubling over and falls to the ground. He continues to grasp onto

the hose.

Water shoots crazily onto the driveway and his car.

Mr. Beaumont seems to be in tremendous pain.

CUT TO:

9. INT. BEAUMONTS' LIVING ROOM - DAY

Mrs. Beaumont is curled up on the couch, smoking a cigarette and watching

T.V. It's a daytime soap.

CLOSEUP - MRS. BEAUMONT

Takes a big drag of her cigarette and luxuriously french inhales a huge

quantity of blue smoke. She's enjoying her show.

CUT TO:

10. EXT. BEAUMONTS' FRONT LAWN - DAY

CLOSEUP - MR. BEAUMONT

His teeth are crooked in his mouth now as he tries to scream.

No sound is coming out.

WATER SOUND is loud.

WIDER - MR. BEAUMONT

Water is still spraying out over the driveway and onto the car and into

the yard beyond.

A small boy, GREGG, appears wearing only white underpants and a white

t-shirt. He holds a large red popsicle.

Gregg waddles around looking at the crazy water show. He holds his hand

out to get it wet in the spray. This makes him screw up his face in a

laugh.

He waddles over and looks at Mr. Beaumont on the ground.

Mr. Beaumont seems to be worse now, unconscious, but still gripping the

hose tightly. His clothes are sopping wet.

11. EXT. GREGG'S HOUSE - DAY

Screen window of Gregg's house. Gregg's mother calls out but remains

looking at a bowl she is holding in her hands.

GREGG'S MOTHER

(calling out)

Gregg. Billy's waiting for his teddy.

She then turns to look out.

GREGG'S MOTHER

(continuing)

GREGG! Billy's waiting for his teddy, honey.

CUT TO:

12. EXT. BEAUMONTS' FRONT LAWN - DAY

GREGG'S MOTHER P.O.V. THROUGH SCREEN WINDOW

IN THE DISTANCE, she sees Gregg's back, a bush, some legs with wet khaki

trousers and water squirting up in the air.

GREGG'S MOTHER (V.O.)

TOM!!!

CUT TO:

13. EXT. COLLEGE CAMPUS BUILDING - NIGHT

TRAVELING along sidewalk, bushes, to lighted windows of an auditorium.

MUSIC is heard.

14. INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT

A dance is going on. Sixties MUSIC plays, performed by a live band on

stage. College kids dance.

A COLLEGE BOY enters the auditorium, urgently looking for someone. He

quickly approaches a GIRL.

COLLEGE BOY

Louise? Where's Jeffrey? His mother's on

the phone - it's an emergency.

LOUISE

He disappeared to the men's room a little

while ago. I'm getting very tired of

waiting - let's go find him.

15. INT. JANITOR'S QUARTERS - COLLEGE - NIGHT

We MOVE INTO the face of JEFFREY. He is hiding behind a furnace. He is

fascinated by a sight beyond in the darkness of this basement room.

He sees a male student trying to rape his girlfriend. She is crying and

telling him to stop but the boy keeps forcing her down toward the ground.

forcing her clothes off her. Jeffrey at this point hears his name being

called. Each time he hears his name the caller is closer. The boy is now

hurting the girl. Before Jeffrey leaves the furnace room he yells out:

JEFFREY

Hey, shit head. Leave her alone. Don't

force girls!

The couple looks up but cannot see Jeffrey. The boy is scared and releases

the girl who promptly pulls farther away, crying.

Jeffrey leaves the furnace room.

16. INT. HALLWAY - COLLEGE - NIGHT

Louise and the college student see him and move quickly toward him.

COLLEGE BOY

Jeffrey, your mother's on the phone. It's

an emergency.

LOUISE

Thanks for keeping me waiting so long.

As Jeffrey moves quickly toward the telephone.

JEFFREY

I'm sorry, Louise.

17. INT. PHONE/HALLWAY - COLLEGE - NIGHT

The phone dangles on its cord in the foreground as Jeffrey moves toward

it in the background. Louise slowly follows Jeffrey, but stays in back

of him. Jeffrey picks up the phone.

JEFFREY

Hello. Mom? What's wrong with Dad?.

What's happening?. Come home? Sure I will.

18. INT. BEAUMONT'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Mrs. Beaumont sits talking on the phone in a dark quiet bedroom.

MRS. BEAUMONT

I mean, for good, Jeffrey.

CUT TO:

19. INT. PHONE/HALLWAY - COLLEGE - NIGHT

CLOSEUP - JEFFREY

JEFFREY

For good?. I can't. Mom. Not right in

the middle of the term.

CUT TO:

20. INT. BEAUMONT'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

MRS. BEAUMONT

(now looks very tired and

poor health)

Jeffrey. honey. Your father's condition

is serious. It's going to cost so much.

We just won't have the money to keep you

in school. I'm telling you this now, so

that you can get your things together and

check out of school, honey, or whatever you

have to do. it'll save you another trip back.

You're going to have to work at the store.

CUT TO:

21. INT. PHONE/HALLWAY - COLLEGE - NIGHT

CLOSEUP - JEFFREY

JEFFREY

(crying)

Mom.

Louise looks at Jeffrey crying, then turns away. Jeffrey hangs up the

phone.

CUT TO:

22. INT. BEAUMONT'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Mrs. Beaumont hangs up her phone. just next to the phone traveling into

a shadow is a winged termite.

FADE TO:

23. INT. GIRLS DORM LOBBY - COLLEGE - NIGHT

Jeffrey is waiting in a girls dorm lobby for Louise.

Girls are milling around. Louise gets off an elevator with some other

girls. She forces a smile at Jeffrey as she comes toward him.

JEFFREY

Can't you come to the damn airport?

LOUISE

Jeffrey. I can't. I really can't. I

have to go to that class tonight. I can't

get out of it. I really can't. I love

you, Jeffrey. I'll miss you.

JEFFREY

Alright. I'll call you in a couple of days,

you know. I'll let you know how things are.

LOUISE

Okay. I'll be here. You better git-going. I

gotta go too sweetie. I hope your father's

okay. I love you. I'm sorry, Jeffrey.

JEFFREY

I love you too, Louise. Damn it. I'll see you.

They kiss.

CUT TO:

24. EXT. LANDING STRIP

A PLANE TAKES OFF

DISSOLVE TO:

25. EXT. ANOTHER LANDING STRIP

A PLANE LANDS

26. EXT. AIRPORT - NIGHT

Jeffrey comes walking out of the airport, where his Mother and AUNT

BARBARA, who is a very absent-minded little woman with very thick glasses,

are waiting for him.

They are parked illegally and another car is honking at them. Their

trunk is open in anticipation of Jeffrey's things. They are waving and

yelling at Jeffrey to get his attention. He finally joins them and kisses

his Mother, then his Aunt.

JEFFREY

Hi Mom. Hi Aunt Barbara.

They AD LIB hellos.

MRS. BEAUMONT

(a bit concerned)

Where's all your things, Jeffrey?

JEFFREY

This is it.

Mrs. Beaumont looks at Jeffrey.

JEFFREY

I sent a trunk home yesterday. This is

all I have.

AUNT BARBARA

You look good, Jeffrey. Did you have a nice

flight?

JEFFREY

Yeah. How's Dad?

MRS. BEAUMONT

He's alright. We'll tell you on the way home.

27. INT. BEAUMONT'S CAR - NIGHT

They get in the car. Aunt Barbara is driving. She is not a good driver

and makes Jeffrey nervous. He watches her every move from the back seat.

They drive on surface streets. Many gas stations, traffic lights, bars.

MRS. BEAUMONT

He had a cerebral hemorrhage and they think

there's some sort of clot, or tumor, or

something in there. They're doing all sorts

of tests. On the surface, he looks pretty

good, but there are problems. They think he

may have to stay in two weeks now, at least.

You can go see him though tomorrow, Jeffrey.

AUNT BARBARA

They tore down the A & P, Jeffrey. Did you

see that?

JEFFREY

Aunt Barbara that was 5 years ago.

CUT TO:

28. EXT. BEAUMONTS' HOME - NIGHT

The car pulls into the Beaumonts' driveway. The neighborhood is quiet and

dark.

CUT TO:

29. INT. BEAUMONTS' LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Jeffrey, Aunt Barbara, and Mrs. Beaumont enter the living room. Mrs.

Beaumont turns on a table lamp. A cold circle of light hits the light

blue rug.

AUNT BARBARA

Home again, home again, jiggidy jog.

They look at Jeffrey. He looks at them.

CUT TO:

30. INT. JEFFREY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Jeffrey enters his small attic-type bedroom, turns on the overhead light,

and sets his suitcase down. He goes to his desk and leans across it to

look outside.

JEFFREY'S P.O.V. - EXT. STREET

The street is dark, except for a pool of light from a street light.

CLOSEUP - JEFFREY

A breeze of cold powerful string MUSIC blows as we watch Jeffrey stare into

space.

31. INT. BEAUMONTS' KITCHEN/HALLWAY - DAY

Mrs. Beaumont is calling upstairs to Jeffrey.

MRS. BEAUMONT

Jeffrey, breakfast is ready.

JEFFREY (V.O.)

(calling)

Be right down.

Mrs. Beaumont joins Aunt Barbara at the breakfast table in the kitchen.

AUNT BARBARA

This is marvelous jam. Are you going this

morning?

MRS. BEAUMONT

I think Jeffrey would like to see his father

alone.

Jeffrey comes down the stairs. Everyone says their "good mornings," and

Jeffrey sits down to breakfast.

JEFFREY

What time are visiting hours?

MRS. BEAUMONT

I've made arrangements with Dr. Gynde for

10:30. But Jeffrey, you'll have to walk

over; I need the car this morning.

JEFFREY

Well. Okay.

MRS. BEAUMONT

Jeffrey, when you see your father.

JEFFREY

Yeah?

MRS. BEAUMONT

He doesn't know you're out of school. He

thinks it's a vacation for you.

JEFFREY

What?

MRS. BEAUMONT

It would be too much for him. So please

let him think as he does, that you're

home just to see him.

JEFFREY

Thanks a lot, Mom.

MRS. BEAUMONT

.Jeffrey!. Nobody wanted you to leave

school and go to work in the store. maybe

going back to school will be an option one

day. I hope so.

AUNT BARBARA

I think it's important not to get depressed.

Depression is a terrible thing. They say it

can bring on illness.

JEFFREY

(angry)

Aunt Barbara. I'll try not to get depressed.

CUT TO:

33. INT. HALLWAY - HOSPITAL - DAY

Jeffrey follows a nurse to a hospital room.

NURSE CINDY

Please wait outside while Dr. Gynde prepares

him to see you.

JEFFREY

Prepares him?

She peers into the room. Jeffrey does too.

34. INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY

All he can see are curtains surrounding a bed and stacks of medical

machinery. Doctor Gynde comes out from behind the curtains and walks to

Jeffrey.

DR. GYNDE

Hello Jeffrey.

JEFFREY

Hello, Doctor Gynde. How is he?

DR. GYNDE

He's fighting hard. Jeffrey. it's very

important that your father doesn't try

to move. he's been immobilized. It would

be very painful for him. sit close. you do

the talking and moving. He knows you're

here. He became very emotional. I don't

think he likes the idea of you seeing him

like this.