Four Rooms

SIGFRIED

Maybe to a fault.

TED

Don't beat yourself up over it.

SIGFRIED

That's nice of you to say, Ted, but I probably should make a clean break of it, cut her loose and get my own place. I just can't imagine living without her. Do you think I should seek professional help?

TED

It's not for everyone, but maybe in your case it could help.

SIGFRIED

You ever been out on the ocean at night?

Ted shakes his head.

SIGFRIED

(continuing)

I have... scary as a motherfucker, all that darkness around you. It's like a big black carpet rolled out as far as the eye can see. Sometimes, if you're lucky, you'll see a light. It could be as small as a little spark, but it will cut a path straight through all that blackness, straight to you. It could be another boat, or some distant fire on an island, but that light will shed a shining path of diamonds cutting through mile after mile of darkness to lie at your feet. That's love, Ted, it's like a path of light in an ocean of darkness.

Ted and Sigfried stare out of the window in peace, transfixed by the glimmering lights of the city. A loud SHOT rings out, shattering the still moment. The two men spin around. Angela stands there with a smoking gun hanging at her side. Sigfried drops to his knees. Ted checks him out, no blood. Angela has fired the gun into the floor below. Ted looks up at Angela. Angela opens the chamber of the pistol and hands the bullets to Ted.

ANGELA

(to Ted)

You'd better go check to see if I killed anybody downstairs.

Sigfried is bent over, silently weeping on the floor.

TED

You people gonna be okay?

Angela sits next to Sigfried and gently strokes his back.

ANGELA

We're fine, Ted.

Ted points to a tray with half-eaten food on it.

TED

Would you like me to...?

ANGELA

Another time, Ted.

Ted slowly walks toward the door and takes one last look at the strange couple at rest in the corner of the room before closing the door behind him.

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY – MOMENTS LATER

Ted walks down the hallway, lost in thought. An energetic Young Guy with a bouquet of flowers plows into him.

YOUNG GUY

Happy New Year, buddy.

TED

Happy New Year.

YOUNG GUY

I was just in room 404, what a party! You know where room 409 is at?

TED

Beats me. It's somewhere around here.

The guy takes off in the direction Ted's walking from. Ted suddenly realizes who this guy is and whips around, shouting to the Young Guy.

TED

(continuing)

Hey, what's your name?

The door SLAMS on room 409.

FADE OUT

FADE TO BLACK

STORY TITLE CARD:

"ROOM 716

THE MISBEHAVERS"

FADE UP

THE FRONT DESK
 

SUPER: "10:30 p.m."

Ted is relaxing at the front desk. He breathes slowly. He finally has one moment's peace after an already long night. He even has a chance to straighten his tie.

The phone RINGS.

TED

Front desk.

CUT TO:

ROOM 716

CLOSEUP of a cigarette hanging out of a Man's mouth as he speaks into the telephone.

MAN

Bottle of Moet et Chandon. Fast.

Man hangs up the phone and stubs out his cigarette into an already overstuffed ashtray by the bed. Man turns around to face the camera. He is a dark and handsome Latin male in his mid-30s. Dangerous. Impatient.

He walks toward the camera as he continues straightening his tie.

He stops at the door of the bathroom and watches his Wife and two kids get ready for the party. Wife seems to be a beautiful woman in her mid-30s. The children are Sarah, nine, and Juancho, six.

Man strikes up another cigarette and finishes his tie.

He watches his Wife comb Juancho's hair down and to the side like an idiot.

Not being able to stand it anymore, Man tears Juancho away from his Wife and snatches the comb.

MAN

Give me that...

Man begins to slick Juancho's hair back.

MAN

There... see? You look cool with your hair up like this. Like me...

Juancho is smiling now. He's happy he's going to look like his dad.

MAN

Not down and to the side, all stupid like your mom likes to comb it.

Juancho looks over at Sarah, who is going through the tortuous ritual of having her mother brush the tangles out of her long, unmanageable hair.

Wife seems to be taking out her aggressions on the tangled mess.

Man is starting to have problems of his own with Juancho's hair. Juancho's hair is thinner than Man's, so it won't stay up.

Man puts down his cigarette in order to get a better handle on it. We see the frustration growing in his face.

Juancho picks up the cigarette and pretends he's smoking too, just like his dad.

Man tears the cigarette away from Juancho and smokes it down to the filter. He looks at his own cool hair, and then down at Juancho's, which won't stay up.

Man flicks the cigarette butt into the toilet in frustration.

MAN

You've got your mother's hair.

In anger, Man starts messing up Juancho's hair.

MAN

I can't do anything with it.

Furious, Man simply swipes Juancho's hair back down and to the side, the way Wife had it before. Juancho looks like an idiot again.

MAN

There. Go.

Juancho slouches past everyone as he exits the bathroom.

Sarah watches him leave as her own hair is finished.

WIFE

(putting a plastic clip in Sarah's hair)

There. Go.

Sarah exits.

Wife then finishes her own gorgeous hair. Man lights up a new cigarette.

WIFE

(mocking)

So, are we gonna have fun tonight?

Man blows smoke in Wife's face as he walks out of the bathroom.

WIFE

I didn't think so.

Sarah has joined Juancho in watching television.

Man watches the children watch TV. We can see the wheels turning in Man's head.

He turns back to the bathroom.

He watches Wife now. Wheels turning. Practically burning rubber.

MAN

Hey.

Wife puts the lipstick down and turns to her husband. She is beautiful.

MAN

(shrugs)

Let's just leave the kids here.

Wife glances out at the children, eyes glued to the tube.

WIFE

Here in the room? By themselves?

MAN

No... with the television.

Wife thinks about it for a second. She shrugs a "sure."

MAN

You want to have fun tonight, don't you?

WIFE

Yes.

MAN

They'll be fine.

He kisses Wife's face and exits the bathroom. She covers the wet spot with more cake makeup.

MAN

Hey.

The children turn to face him.

MAN

You guys are going to stay here and watch TV.

The children look at each other.

MAN

I want you to be in bed asleep before twelve. Your mother and I will be back later on.

Wife goes straight for the door.

MAN

Okay?

He blows one kiss. One for both of them.

As Man and his Wife walk out the door, Man turns back to the children...

MAN

Don't misbehave.

He closes the door.

Sarah stands in the middle of the room. She's looking at the door Man and Wife just disappeared through. Stunned.

Her dress looks frilly and beautifully uncomfortable. She touches the edges of the fabric.

SARAH

Why did we have to get all dressed up if we weren't going with them?

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY

Man and Wife are walking down the hall.

Man stops in his tracks. Wife stops too and looks at Man. They wait.

CUT TO:

ROOM 716

Juancho shuts off the television. He drops the remote to the floor. His attention is on the fireworks outside. He leaps to the window and begins unlatching it.

SARAH

What are you doing?

JUANCHO

Escaping. Stinks in here, anyway.

Man bursts through the door of the hotel room and stands in the doorway, glaring at the mischievous Juancho.

Juancho bangs his head on the window trying to get back inside. He leaps to the floor and tries to turn on the TV with the remote.

MAN

(stern)

What did I say?

Juancho turns to Man as if he'd been sitting there watching television the whole time.

MAN

Behave.

JUANCHO

Yes, Papa.

Ted appears at the door with Man's champagne.

TED

The champagne you ordered, sir.

MAN

No time for this. Leave it on ice.

Ted proceeds to place the champagne in the room.

WIFE

But I want some now...

Ted is torn. Man pushes him into the room.

MAN

There'll be plenty for you and the party, baby, you can bomb yourself all you want at the party.

WIFE

What a waste.

Ted places the bucket near the bed. After setting up the bottle, he turns to leave, but now Man closes the door, trapping Ted inside with them.

MAN

(to Ted)

Hey.

Ted looks around, bewildered. Now what?

Man is reaching into his coat pocket.