The Horse Whisperer

The Horse Whisperer  

Screenplay by
Eric Roth

Revised by
Richard LaGravenese

Screenplay by
Erich Roth

Based on the Novel by Nicholas Evans
Revised by
Richard LaGravenese

Second Draft
1/21/97

 FADE IN:

 A DREAM:

 INT. STABLES; PILGRIM'S STALL - MORNING

 Sunlit illuminates the darkened stable, highlighting the
 contours of a magnificent HORSE (PILGRIM) in surreal, dream-
 like imagery: his legs, his muscles, his sheen, his mane...
 his eyes. He shakes his head and stamps his feet. He seems
 confined. Eager to run.

 INT. STABLES - MORNING

 Pilgrim bursts through the stall and runs out the stables
 into a blinding white morning.

 EXT. AN OPEN FIELD LEADING TO WOODS - BRIGHT MORNING

 Whiteness. Snow and sky without any discernible line between.

 Camera is POV, as if on the horse, riding through the
 whiteness. Snow kicks up from the side. We hear the breathing
 of the horse. As we travel on hills, through trees, we
 experience of sense of wild, exhilarating freedom.

 We hear the giggles of a GIRL (GRACE) on the horse. An
 occasional line;

      GRACE (O.S.)
      Yeah, fly boy... that's it... go...
      go... go...

 END OF DREAM as we CUT TO:

 INT. GRACE'S BEDROOM - MORNING

 Grace awakens, calmly. Takes a breath. Slides out of bed and
 stands before a window, overlooking a beautiful Connecticut
 country house. We see a snow-covered field and distant woods.
 Grace presses her faces against the cold, frosted window
 eager to get out.

 INT. MACLEAN NEW YORK APARTMENT - MORNING

 Alarm rings, ANNIE MACLEAN awakens. She shuts the alarm and
 scoots up in bed. She waits. Seconds later the television
 across the foot of her bed turns on from a timer -- to a CNN
 24 NEWS channel.

 INT. HALLWAY/ANNIE & ROBERT'S BEDROOM - MORNING

 Grace, fully dressed except for her boots, tiptoes past a
 partially opened bedroom door. Her father ROBERT is asleep,
 alone, on his huge king size bed.

 INT. MACLEAN FARMHOUSE KITCHEN - MORNING

 Grace is putting on her boots on a bench beside a back door.
 She is wearing her mother's outfit. As she slides the boot
 on, we see behind her a row of framed photos -- Robert, Grace
 and Annie in happy times.

 She slaps a note on the refrigerator, with a magnet -- "Gone
 riding. Back around 10. Love, G."

 EXT. MACLEAN FARMHOUSE, BACK ENTRANCE - MORNING

 Grace slips on her jacket and hat as she comes down the
 steps, her feet hitting the walk...