CRUEL INTENTIONS

CRUEL INTENTIONS 

by Roger Kumble

             based on the novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses

                        by Choderlos De Laclos

                                                 February 10, 1998

1    EXT. MANHATTAN SKYLINE - DAY                               1

     We circle around the island of Manhattan moving closer and
     closer till we're looking down on Fifth Avenue. As the
     melody continues to play we MOVE towards a building and ZOOM
     into a window.

2    INT. THERAPIST'S OFFICE - DAY                              2

     A fifty-year old female therapist (DR. GREENBAUM) sits at
     her desk, frowning as she takes notes. Books of Jung and
     Freud line the shelves.

     A young man (SEBASTIAN VALMONT) sits in a chair in front
     of her looking impatient.

     The therapist continues to write notes.

                              DR. GREENBAUM
               Jesus. We've been at this for six
               months.

                              SEBASTIAN
               I know.

                              DR. GREENBAUM
               And you haven't made an ounce of
               progress.

                              SEBASTIAN
               I know.

     Sebastian takes out a cigarette.

                              DR. GREENBAUM
                    (not looking up)
               There's no smoking in my office.

     Sebastian sneers at her then puts the cigarette away. Dr.
     Greenbaum finishes her notes and looks up at him, shaking
     her head.

                              SEBASTIAN
               What do you want me to say? That I'm
               supposed to feel remorse because I act
               the way I do? The truth is I don't.

     Dr. Greenbaum shakes her head and takes notes.

                              SEBASTIAN (cont'd)
               Look, I'm not like all the other kids
               in high school. I don't care about book
               reports and extra-credit. Teachers
               are idiots anyway. The only challenge
               out there for me is women. You see a
               girl you like. You pursue them. You
               conquer. You move on. It's exciting.

                              DR. GREENBAUM
               But you said you have the worst
               reputation.

                              SEBASTIAN
               I do.

                              DR. GREENBAUM
               Don't you want to change that?

                              SEBASTIAN
               Let me tell you something, doctor.
               Chicks love a guy with a bad rap.
               They say they don't, but they don't
               mean it. They all think that they're
               the ones that are going to "save me."
               The trick is to let them think it's
               true.

                              DR. GREENBAUM
               I think that's all the time we have
               for today.

                              SEBASTIAN
               Same time next week?

                              DR. GREENBAUM
               No. This is going to be our last
               session.

                              SEBASTIAN
               Why? I like spending time with you.
               You know, you're quite attractive for
               a woman your age. You have killer legs.
               Killer.

                              DR. GREENBAUM
               This isn't a joke. Your parents spend a
               lot of money to send you here. I'm
               trying to help you.

                              SEBASTIAN
               Don't be insecure, Doc. You're a big
               help.

     Sebastian picks up a book of Freud.

                              SEBASTIAN (cont'd)
               He was a coke addict, you know.

                              DR. GREENBAUM
               You think you can come in here with that
               cute little smirk on your face and try
               and flirt with me. It doesn't work,
               Sebastian.

                              SEBASTIAN
               It works a little.

                              DR. GREENBAUM
               No it doesn't. I see right through you.

                              SEBASTIAN
               You do?

                              DR. GREENBAUM
               I hope for your sake you grow out of
               this immature phase. It's going to get
               you into trouble.

                              SEBASTIAN
               Well, you don't have to get nasty about
               it.

     Sebastian approaches a photo on her desk and picks it up.

                              DR. GREENBAUM
               My daughter, Rachel.

                              SEBASTIAN
               Yummy.

                              DR. GREENBAUM
               Don't even think about it. Rachel is an
               exceptionally well rounded young
               woman, who happens to be attending
               Princeton this fall. She's way too
               smart to fall for your line of b.s.

                              SEBASTIAN
               Really? Care to make a wager on that?

                              DR. GREENBAUM
               Good luck, Sebastian.

                              SEBASTIAN
               What, nervous I'm going to win?

                              DR. GREENBAUM
               Would you please leave.

     Sebastian puts on his glasses and leaves.

                              DR. GREENBAUM (cont'd)
               Asshole.

     The doctor stews for a moment, then reaches into her
     desk, sifts through some papers where she finds a pack of
     Benson & Hedges and lights one up. She looks at the photo
     of her daughter, then hits the speaker phone and dials.

                              DR. GREENBAUM (cont'd)
               Rachel, it's mom.

                                                  INTERCUT WITH:

3    INT. RACHEL'S BEDROOM - DAY                                3

     RACHEL, Doctor Greenbaum's daughter sits at her desk,
     crying while holding the phone.

                              RACHEL
               Hi, mom.

                              DR. GREENBAUM
               Honey, is something wrong?

     Rachel cries for a moment.

                              RACHEL
               He told me he loved me and I believed
               him.

                              DR. GREENBAUM
               Who told you?

                              RACHEL
               You don't know him. I'm so stupid.

     She continues to cry.

                              DR. GREENBAUM
               Alright honey, just calm down, take a deep
               breath, and step out of the circle.

                              RACHEL
               Would you cut the psycho babble bullshit,
               mom. There's pictures of me on the internet.

     WE PAN OVER TO HER COMPUTER CONSOLE. CLOSE ON: COMPUTER
     MONITOR - A nudie web-sight. The title reads "Ivy League
     Bound." Beneath the caption is a photo of Rachel tied to
     a bed and smiling with a Princeton banner covering her
     privates.

                              DR. GREENBAUM
               What kind of pictures?

                              RACHEL
               Nudie pictures, what do you think?

                              DR. GREENBAUM
               Jesus Christ, how can you be so
               stupid?

                              RACHEL
               I don't know. He was just so charming.
               All he did was talk about how I had
               killer legs and how we wanted to
               photograph them. Things just got out
               of hand from there.
                    (she hears the phone drop)
               Mom? Are you there? Mom?
                    (screaming)
               Mother!!!!

4    INT. THERAPIST'S OFFICE BUILDING - HALLWAY - DAY           4

     Doctor Greenbaum bolts out of her office and spots
     Sebastian standing in the elevator.

                              DR. GREENBAUM
               You son of a bitch.

     Doctor Greenbaum races down the hall pushing several
     people out of her way. Sebastian stares at her
     expressionless as the elevator doors close.

                              DR. GREENBAUM (cont'd)
               You're gonna pay for this you little
               shit. You hear me.

     A DENTIST peers outside of his office to see what's
     going on. He exchanges looks with Doctor Greenbaum.

                              DR. GREENBAUM (cont'd)
               Fuck off, Harold.

     He gasps.

5    EXT. VALMONT TOWNHOUSE - DAY                               5

     A METER MAID is writing a ticket on a car when a Porsche
     pulls up in front of the townhouse and parks in a red
     zone. Sebastian steps out of the car and walks up the
     steps to the townhouse.

                              METER MAID
               You can't park there.

     Sebastian turns to her and sneers. He takes out a wad of
     money and shoves it in her breast pocket before entering
     the townhouse.

6    INT. VALMONT TOWNHOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY                     6

     A SERIES OF SHOTS

     CLOSE ON:  A tuna on a chopping board. WHACK! A butcher
     knife comes down on the tuna cutting it's head off.

     CLOSE ON: Two hands ripping open the fish.

     CLOSE ON: Two hands rolling a chunk of tuna into a rice
     roll.

7    INT. VALMONT TOWNHOUSE - HALLWAY - DAY                     7

     CLOSE ON: Two hands which carry a lavish tray of sushi
     through several doors until we enter the final door
     leading into -

8    INT. VALMONT TOWNHOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY                 8

     A enormous living room by Manhattan standards, with a
     view that overlooks the park. Eclectic art from around
     the world emphasize the Valmont's passion for travel.

     SOOK-HEE, the Valmont's housekeeper sets a tray of sushi
     in front of -

     KATHRYN MERTEUIL, a seventeen year old porcelain
     skinned WASP with all the grooming you could want in an
     East Coast child. She sits with a forced smile on her
     face and listens attentively as -

     BUNNY CALDWELL, a forty year old nouveau-riche socialite
     talks incessantly. CECILE CALDWELL, her beautiful
     teenage daughter, sits by her side. She wears a T-shirt
     with a Koala Bear on it.

                              MRS. CALDWELL
               I can't tell you how happy we are that
               Cecile is going to be attending Oakwood with you
               this fall. You've always been an
               inspiration to Beau and I on raising
               her. We just hope she can rise to the
               high standards which you've set for
               her.