剧本《马语者》horse_whisperer
Horse Whisperer, The (1998)
by Eric Roth.
Based on the Novel by Nicholas Evans.
Second Draft, 1/21/97.
More info about this movie on imdb.com
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...
EXT. CENTRAL PARK - MORNING
Annie's feet hit the ground, running -- her breath showing in
the cold air. She passes other joggers with ease. She crosses
the street and heads for an elegant CPW building.
INT. MACLEAN'S NEW YORK APARTMENT - MORNING
Dressed in running clothes, Annie opens the door and picks up
several newspapers that were delivered. She carries them into
the kitchen and sets them beside a huge stack of publications,
magazines, papers, etc... Knowing she must read all of them at
some point, she breathes a disgusted sign. She thumbs through
the POST as she pours herself a cup of coffee. Something
catches her eyes and she snarls:
ANNIE
That little shit!
She dials a portable phone and moves through the apartment as
she talks:
ANNIE
Hi Lucy?... Did I wake you?... Have
you read the Post?... They've got a
little item about me and Fiske. He's
saying I fired him and that I faked
the new circulation figures.. Ha, ha...
Oh, please... It's the last act of a
desperate gnome... Set up a phone call
with Don Farlow for 9:30...
Throughout the phone call, Annie is selecting clothes,
turning on the shower, undressing...
EXT. DYER HORSE FARM - MORNING
The snow has stopped falling. Grace walks along a hill, hands
in pocket. Spread out on the landscape are horses, on a horse
farm, standing like statues in the white covered fields.
As Grace comes along the hill, we see another GIRL (JUDITH)
coming from the opposite direction. She doesn't have Grace's
lean elegance but her warm, friendly smile brightens her
face. Upon reaching her, Grace returns the smile with a hug.
JUDITH
It's warmer than I thought.
GRACE
You want to go to a movie tonight?
JUDITH
I thought your mom's coming up?
GRACE
(prickly)
So?
Judith immediately senses a problem so she continues casually,
as they begin walking away from Camera...
JUDITH
My parents are having friends from
college over. They're really nice...
They have this gorgeous son who wants
to be a forest ranger.
GRACE
Can I come? I'll start a fire...
Judith laughs as they continue talking, their voices trailing
off, as the girls head for the stables.
INT. STABLES, THE DYER HORSE FARM - MORNING
There are several horses in their stalls. Grace and Judith
enter, talking, carrying their English saddles. Judith stops
at a stall, disappearing into it as she says "Hello?"...,
Grace continues to the end stall.
Pilgrim (the horse from the dream) stands looking at her.
GRACE
Hello, beautiful boy.
He's a massive figure beside her but she shows no inhibition.
She enters, touching his muzzle. He plays with her by nudging
her back.
GRACE
Stop... Will you stop!
EXT. DYER HORSE FARM - MORNING
They lead their horses, now saddled and ready, from the barn.
Pilgrim tosses his head, prancing, playing with the snow.
GRACE
Show-off.
The girls mount the horses and ride off together.
INT. ANNIE'S MAGAZINE OFFICE - MID-MORNING
Annie, casually dressed, enters the empty offices of her
magazine. She turns on the light, revealing a large row of
stalls and glassed in private offices. Everywhere we look, we
see indications of the kind of magazine she edits.
She strolls to her office -- the largest -- surrounded by
windows. The office walls are covered with photos, most of
which are COVER STORIES ON ANNIE.
(One photo is of Annie's father MARTIN. A BRITISH AMBASSADOR
with his young daughter on his lap, her arms affectionately
around his neck. Her mother stands right behind them, posing
like a member of the royal family.)
Annie sits and takes a breath. The only photo on her desk is
a family portrait, taken when Annie was given the Crystal
Award -- Robert, Grace, herself and the Award. She checks her
watch -- it is almost 9:30.
INT. MACLEAN FARMHOUSE, MASTER BEDROOM/CLOSET - MID-MORNING
A WALK-IN CLOSET of the master bedroom; one side is Annie's,
one side is Robert's.
Robert stands before his bureau in the closet -- he has just
showered and is putting on his watch and ring which lay
beside his cologne assortment. A FRAMED PHOTO OF HE AND ANNIE
in India -- younger, vibrant, in love... when they first met.
THE PHONE RINGS. Robert enters into the bedroom to pick up.
ROBERT
Hello?
INSERT ANNIE: They speak in dulled, emotionless voices:
ANNIE
It's me.
ROBERT
Hi.
ANNIE
Hi.
Awkward pause.
ROBERT
So, what, uh, what train are you taking?
ANNIE
I should be in by two.
ROBERT
Okay. You want me to pick you up?
ANNIE
Sure... What's Grace up to?
ROBERT
Riding with Judith.
Beat.
ANNIE
I'm sorry about last night. I shouldn't
have brought it up over the phone.
ROBERT
That's okay. We have to talk about it
and we're not always in the same place
... so... I just have to get used to it.
(beat)
What do you want to do about dinner?
ANNIE
I don't know. We'll figure it out.
Pause. There is a lot unspoken but understood between them.
Annie's other phone line rings. Robert hears it as well.
ROBERT
Okay. We'll see you later then.
ANNIE
Yeah. Bye.
Annie picks up the other line and her manner brightens, her
energy boosts...
ANNIE
DON! My love, how are you? Did you hear
about Fiske?... No, suing is too
civilized. Can't we get your friend at Le
Cirque to serve him a fatal piece of
poached salmon?... Ha, ha... That's even
better...
EXT. CONNECTICUT COUNTRYSIDE - MORNING
Long Shot of the girls riding at an easy pacing, talking all
the time. Grace is an elegant rider, quite self-assured for a
13-year-old... We come into the scene at the moment the
girls have just shared a secret or a fantasy. Judith is
giggling uncontrollably. Grace laughs as she says:
GRACE
...Oh, come on! You think the same thing!
JUDITH
I just could never say it!
They stop at the end of the field, facing the woods.
GRACE
Do you want to go around by the
old road?
JUDITH
Why don't we just cut through the
woods?
Grace nods. They ride into the woods, continuing their talk.
EXT. WOODS - MORNING
The girls ride down, along a stand of hickories and poplars
to a RIVER. They stop the horses and their conversation, to
listen to the sound of the water. Below them, off in the
distance, they can just make out a two-lane country road.
GRACE
You want to go down or stay along
the river?
JUDITH
We already did the river. Let's go down
and across the old bridge. We can circle
back.
They begin to make their way.
INT. ANNIE'S OFFICE - MORNING
Annie's office is now crowded with a dozen or so employees;
sitting on the couch, on the window sills, on the arms of
chairs, against the walls... Paper bag emptied of bagels,
cream cheese, orange juice, paper plates...
Hand Held Camera captures the energy of the room as it
follows overlapping lines, laughter, etc... yet, no matter how
casual it all seems, Annie is very much at the center of
control... We enter the scene of LAUGHTER, as Annie asks
KEVIN, a feature writer:
ANNIE
... So what did you say to her?
KEVIN
I said, thank you very much...
(LAUGHTER, AD LIBS)
I really should do the interview... But
perhaps if you'd like to have dinner...
LAUGHTER... Everyone starts Ad Libbing...
VARIOUS CHARACTERS
Dinner!!... He's so cute.... Why don't I
get those kind of interviews?... Look,
he has husband number eight written on
his forehead...
ANNIE
All right, all right, all right... Kevin,
good job. Write the interview. If I don't
like it, you may have to sleep with her
for a follow-up!
(laughter)
Now... I'm thinking about another fashion
designer spread... Who's news out there?
Characters shout out designer names and comments as the phone
rings and LUCY picks up... speaking amdist the talking...
LUCY
Hold on.
(presses hold)
Gottschalk.
The room goes dead quiet, instantly. Then erupts in laughter
as everyone realizes it. Annie, however, waves her hand as
she takes the phone...
ANNIE
Quiet... Quiet!
Everyone obeys. Annie presses SPEAKER PHONE.
ANNIE
David?
DAVID GOTTSCHALK (VO)
Who's there?
ANNIE
Everyone. Working overtime. Just for you.
DAVID GOTTSCHALK (VO)
Did you speak to Farlow?
ANNIE
Yes. We're suing.
DAVID GOTTSCHALK (VO)
Is that absolutely necessary? It'll just
make it a bigger story.
ANNIE
David, he signed an agreement that he
wouldn't talk to the press and he's
libeled me by saying I faked the figures.
You're not going soft on me, are you?
Silence. Gottschalk doesn't immediately respond. Everyone
waits. Covert looks between characters suggest this is
interesting -- has Annie over-stepped her bounds with the
magazine's owner? Annie waits without a shred of anxiety --
even though she might have some. Finally:
DAVID GOTTSCHALK (VO)
Well, I suppose we could use another
good public feud...
ANNIE
Exactly...
Everyone silently acknowledges Annie guts and influence.
EXT. COUNTRYSIDE - MORNING
It's perfectly still. We are looking down an empty TWO-LANE
ROAD covered with fresh snow. We see the girls slowly riding
out of the woods, talking. They cross the road and start up
into the woods on the other side... They are trying to sing a
LIZ PHAIR song, "CHOPSTICKS"
GRACE/JUDITH
(singing)
"I met him at a party and he told me how
he like to drive me home... He said he
liked to do it backwards..."
GRACE
(singing)
"... I said it--"
JUDITH
(singing)
"... and I said that"...
GRACE
(stops singing)
No, wait, it just goes... "he said he
liked to do-"...
Suddenly there's the SOUND OF THE METAL OF JUDITH'S HORSE
scraping on some sheer ice hidden under the soft snow. Judith
notices first...
JUDITH
What was --
The horse staggers... Judith looks to Grace --
JUDITH
Grace!
The horse tries to find tracing with his hindfeet, kicking
up sprays of snow and ice shards. The horse suddenly falls on
the ice and goes down hard on its knees...
GRACE
JUDITH!
The horse stumbles to get back on its feet, slipping again.
Frightened, it rears and Judith, caught off balance, is
thrown, her foot catching in the stirrup...
JUDITH
GRAAACE!
Her horse, unable to find its balance, starts to slide backward
down the incline.
GRACE
PILGRIM, COME ON! MOVE!
Grace, directly behind Judith, tries to turn Pilgrim to avoid
being hit by the errant horse.
What follows, we see from Grace's perspective. The details
that form the images and sounds of Grace's mind are fast,
disembodies, almost surreal as --
Judith's horse bulldozes into Pilgrim, taking his legs out
from under him, sending both horses careening down the icy
slope. Grace hangs onto Pilgrim's neck. Judith, her leg
helplessly tangled in the stirrup, is dragged, her head
bouncing on the frozen ground.
They slide all the way back down to the COUNTRY ROAD. Pilgrim
is the first to find his legs and stand. Grace manages to sit
up in the saddle. She sees Judith's horse stumbling back onto
its feet, one of his legs broken at the ankles, walking in
confused circles, dragging Judith -- her face bleeding, her
leg hanging from the stirrup.
GRACE
(frightened)
Jude, you okay?
JUDITH
(softly, crying)
I'm okay... I'm okay.
She tries to extricate her leg from the stirrup.
Grace sees it before she hears it. A GLINT off of steel. We
then hear the rumbling SOUND of a TRUCK coming around the
bend... The Girls on their horses in the middle of the road...
The Truck, an 18 wheeler carrying logging equipment, comes
around the turn... Grace grabs the bridle, trying to get
Judith's horse out of the road... The driver, seeing them, lays
on the air horn. The Horses bolt at the sound, the bridle
slipping out of Grace's hand...
GRACE
JUUDE!!!
... The horses turn apart. The Driver starts furiously
downshifting, trying to brake... He seems to get it under
control when suddenly THE TRUCK SKIDS on some ice. It begins
to slide, out of control, the truck bed and the cab jack-
knifing. The truck literally plows over the helpless Judith
and her horse -- the horse going down on the pavement, Judith
disappearing under him. The truck's cab, like a mythic
monster, heads right for Grace and Pilgrim... Grace looks
right into the Driver's helpless, frightened eyes... Suddenly,
Pilgrim rears up at the truck, sending Grace flying, bouncing
her off the pavement and under the wheel of the truck.
Pilgrim instinctively jumps onto the hood of the truck, his
hooves caught between the rear-view mirrors like some
grotesque ornament. His head and chest slams into the window,
shattering through the glass.
And then it is still.
The truck has stopped halfway in the road. Judith's horse
lies in the road, motionless. Pilgrim, on the truck's hood,
his legs splayed, stuck, his head and chest, bleeding. He
shrieks, struggling to get to his feet. He manages to free
his legs and, stepping off the cab onto the road, walks off,
wounded, in pain, into the sanctuary of the woods...
The Driver stumbles out of the cab, his head bleeding, in
shock. He sits on the ground. All we hear is the sound of the
river and the wind in the trees.
Grace, halfway under the truck, frozen, stares up at the
beautiful morning sky.
WE HEAR THE SOUND OF A HELICOPTER...
INT. MACLEAN FARMHOUSE/KITCHEN - LATER MORNING
ANGLE ON GRACE'S NOTE on the refrigerator as Robert enters
from the outside with two bags of groceries. He places them on
the counter near the PHONE MACHINE. He sees ONE MESSAGE is
there. He presses PLAY as he puts away the groceries.
A BEAT LATER the PHONE RINGS and he picks up, with the machine
still playing...
ROBERT
(on phone)
Hello? Paul, hi -- are you guys back?
How was it? Oh that sounds great. Oh
Paul.. hold on...
LIZ
(on machine)
Robert! Are you there?... Robert! It's
Liz!... Look, there's... there's been
an accident... Uh... Jesus... uh...
As Robert listens, the voice of Liz's on the machine from
inside, pulls his attention. On hearing "accident," Robert
lowers the receiver, frozen, as he listens to Liz...
LIZ
(on machine)
Robert, just call me on my call phone...
1-917-449-7805...
EXT. THE WOODS - LATE MORNING
Pilgrim is hiding in the shadows under an old railroad bridge,
standing up to his knees in the river. His chest is cut open,
bleeding. His face cut, contorted and swollen. LIZ HAMMOND,
the local veterinarian, hides a hypodermic needle in her
jacket, quietly walking into the water.
A Policeman is going into the water downstream from Pilgrim,
whose chest is heaving, blood drips into the water. He
watches Liz. She is almost to him when suddenly he bolts,
running upstream.
The Policeman behind him shouts and waves his arm. Frightened,
Pilgrim wheels back toward Liz, who manages to stick the hypo
in his neck. He rears, knocking her down, then runs out of
the river, the hypo still in his neck. He runs for the
sanctuary of the woods.
INT. TRAIN - LATE MORNING
Annie sits on a train -- her laptop out, notes beside her,
her cellular phone, ever-ready. The train passes through
beautiful countryside but Annie is focused on an editorial
she's writing.
The train pulls into a station and stops, causing Annie to
take a break and stretch her arms and neck. She looks out the
window for the first time and sees:
A MAN, his hands in his pockets, waiting on the platform. She
watches as the Man holds out his arms to his two young
children, who are getting off the train. He picks them up as
his wife enters the scene, kissing him and wrapping her arm
around his waist. The children talk a mile a minute and the
father listens to every word.
Annie doesn't even realize she is staring. As they leave the
platform, she turns back to her laptop. As the train begins
to move again, Annie returns to work.
HER CELLULAR PHONE RINGS. She answers.
ANNIE
Yeah?... Hi. I made the 1:00 so...
The expression on her face sinks into a stunned panic.
INT. HOSPITAL, CONNECTICUT - DAY
Annie is running through the corridors, her bags in tow. She
sees Robert standing in the corridor talking to a DOCTOR. She
runs for them.
When she appears, Robert and the Doctor stop their
conversation. Robert looks to Annie, who is waiting for news.
ANNIE
WHAT!?
Robert is teary eyed, beaten down.
ROBERT
Judith's dead.
Annie's horrified, waiting for news of Grace.
ANNIE
What about Grace?
ROBERT
She was in pretty bad shape. They've
done a C.A.T. Scan -- she has some
hemorrhaging...
DOCTOR
But nothing we can't handle...
ANNIE
(impatient)
Where is she now?
DOCTOR
Surgery.
ANNIE
Surgery! For what-?
ROBERT
(interrupting)
Annie, her leg was shattered -- what
they call the distal epi.. epi..
DOCTOR
Distal epicondyle of the femur...
ROBERT
(quietly, crying)
They have to take the leg off.
Annie responds without tears and cries but with a quiet
shock. We can tell her mind is racing, trying to process the
information, until finally she asks:
ANNIE
Which leg?
The Doctor and Robert are surprised by the question.
ROBERT
What difference does it make?
Annie stares for a beat, then nods apologetically.
EXT. WOODS - DAY
Pilgrim is sedated, lying in his own blood in the snow,
surrounded by Police and trackers. He is being attended to by
LIZ HAMMOND, who is dictating to her assistant:
LIZ
... His skull, cheek, and nose are
severely fractured. He has a deep
chest wound. I'm not even sure it
can be closed.
LOCAL TRACKER
(deadpan, local accent)
Animal should be put down -- anybody can
see that.
Liz looks up to him, resentfully, but knows he's right.
INT. GRACE'S HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY
Camera moves from Grace's face down her body to Robert's
hand, which rubs her good leg. He looks at her lovingly,
pushing the hair from her forehead.
Annie, needing to do something, tenderly straightens Grace's
blankets. It is plain to see where her leg had once been.
Robert can't look. Annie, one to face her fears, bravely
looks at it head on. She notices the I.V. Bag and rises on:
ANNIE
That bag's almost empty.
ROBERT
(looking)
No, it's got a little left. They'll be
in to change it.
ANNIE
(as she exits)
Robert, you leave it up these people...!
Robert is about to respond but Annie is already out the door.
We hear the O.S. DIALOGUE as Robert listens.
ANNIE (O.S.)
Excuse me, my daughter needs a new
I.V.
NURSE (O.S.)
We have her down, we'll be right in.
ANNIE (O.S.)
I'd like it taken care of now please.
Annie enters first.
ANNIE
You have to keep on top of these people
or else they just sit on their --
But Robert is ignoring her. Facing Grace, smoothing away her
hair. He's giving her the silent treatment. Annie knows this
means Robert doesn't approve of her dictatorial behavior.
Annoyed, she turns away as well.
The Nurse enters with a new bag and begins to replace the old
one as Robert backs away.
ROBERT
I'm sorry.
ANNIE
Tch. What are you --
Annie, about to respond to his inappropriate politeness, is
stopped by Robert, who finally looks at her. It's a powerful
look that tells her to calm down and shut up. It's a look
that, for all of Robert's sensitivity, affects Annie. She
gets the message and stays calm.
As the nurse leaves, Annie is about to say thank you, but
Robert beats her to it.
ROBERT
Thank you.
Annie and Robert stand facing each other, when the PHONE RINGS.
Annie picks up.
INTERCUT
EXT. WOODS - DAY
LIZ HAMMOND on a cellular, walking away from the crowd.
LIZ
Annie, it's Liz. How's Grace?
ANNIE
(journalistic)
Her leg was shattered so they had to,
uh... remove it. She had some bleeding
but it's under control.
LIZ
Oh God, Annie, I'm so sorry. I... I
know you're being hit with a low now,
I don't want to take too much of your
time but I have to talk to you about
Pilgrim.
Annie hears the name as if it's some distant echo she can't
quite identify; Liz speaks quickly as Annie watches Grace
breathing in her sleep --
LIZ
It's not good. I've never seen an animal
with these injuries still breathing. I
know this is difficult to hear right now
I'd like your permission to put him down.
It's the really best thing we can do for --
That was too much information for Annie;
ANNIE
Wait, uh, I, I don't understand. Start
again -- He's alive...
LIZ
Yes, but he's in a tremendous pain...
ANNIE
Well, of course, right...
ROBERT
What is it?
LIZ
(overlapping)
We really shouldn't wait...
ANNIE
(overlapping)
Hold on, Liz...
(to Robert)
Something about Pilgrim...
The Doctor pokes his head in.
DOCTOR
(overlapping)
Mr. and Mrs. MacLean...
ANNIE
(overlapping)
-- put him down. She says...
ROBERT
(overlapping, to Doctor)
Yes. Hi.
(to Annie)
Tell her you'll call her back.
He exits with the Doctor.
ANNIE
Liz, listen, the Doctor's here and I
just can't, uh... talk now... so --
LIZ
(interrupting)
I understand, but Annie, please...
ANNIE
(overlapping)
- See, what you can do for him --...
LIZ
(overlapping)
Annie, no matter what I do, this horse
will never be the same.
ANNIE
... I just don't know right now! Do
whatever you can and when Grace is --
LIZ
It isn't right to make him suffer...
ANNIE
And I can say the same thing about my
daughter! But she is suffering! Can you
solve that problem!
(Liz is quiet)
I can't deal with this now, Liz! If you
need a yes or no right now, then no --
don't do it! Not until I know Grace is
all right. Now, please! Just do what you
can. Okay?
(softer)
Please.
Liz is stopped by Annie's almost pleading tone.
LIZ
All right...
They hang up. Annie takes a breath. Robert re-enters.
ANNIE
What did he say?
ROBERT
Nothing new. He's just going off duty.
Beat. Silence.
ANNIE
I'm going to get all the nurses'
names... It's good to know all their
names.
Robert nods. But neither of them moves. They stand motionless
for a beat, then Annie begins to break down and eases herself
into Robert's arms.
Robert embraces her, kissing her head, with an almost fatherly
comfort. His expression tells us it's the moment he's been
expecting... and wanting. Now she'll be all right, in his arms.
Whatever distance between them, whatever problems felt
insurmountable last night on the phone, are now, for the moment
-- for Robert -- gone.
But Annie's expression tells us something different. Her
instinct to hold him was honest... but the effect isn't the
same anymore. Something doesn't feel right. Something isn't
working anymore about his comforting embrace.
ANNIE
I should go get some of her things.
ROBERT
No, let me go.
ANNIE
(gently pushing away)
No, I'll go. You stay... In case she
wakes up.
INT. THE UNIVERSITY ANIMAL HOSPITAL, RECOVERY STALLS - NIGHT
A line of recovery stalls with various sick and hurt animals.
Liz, exhausted asleep, on a chair outside a stall. There's a
slight scratching sound. A hoof against the stall. It gets
louder, awakening Liz. She gets up and looks inside the
paddled stall:
Pilgrim is lying in the stall, heavily bandaged. He is waking
up. His first instinct is to kick at the paddled stall walls.
He looks at Liz, his eyes filled with madness -- enraged to
still be alive.
INT. GRACE'S BEDROOM IN FARMHOUSE - NIGHT
Annie opens the door and enters, flicking on the light.
Camera is on her back, as she places a small suitcase on the
bed and opens it. She begins her task with cool efficiency.
Opening drawers and closets, assessing what should be taken,
what isn't necessary.
Suddenly, she stops. She feels disoriented for a moment. She
can't remember the last time she was inside this room. She
takes a moment to pause and actually look around.
In the light, we now see more of Grace's inner sanctum. Horse
riding prize ribbons in various colors adorn the walls.
Books. A girl's bureau cluttered with teenage possession
ranging from childhood toys to items that suggest a reaching
towards adulthood. Annie examines some items, affectionately.
A GOOD LUCK CHARM from India sits among her things. Annie
takes it to pack in the suitcase.
She notices a framed 8X10 of Grace sitting proudly atop
Pilgrim with Judith at her heel. She then notices the edge of
another picture behind this one, in the frame. She pulls the
Pilgrim photo out to reveal: An old 8X10 of Annie hugging
Grace as a toddler. With her back to Camera, Annie remembers:
MEMORY:
INT. GRACE'S ROOM - A DAY REMEMBERED
Annie is playing with toddler Grace. Chasing her around the
room. Picking her and tossing her onto a small, toddler bed.
Blowing into her stomach. Grace is laughing uncontrollably.
END OF MEMORY
Annie slides the Pilgrim picture back into the frame, then
returns to her task of packing.
INT. GRACE'S HOSPITAL ROOM - NIGHT
Annie enters. No one else is there. She places the suitcase
on a chair and opens it. She takes out the INDIAN LUCKY CHARM
and some horse books, and places them on her bedside table.
She takes care to prop up the Lucky Charm.
She wets a cloth with some water from a pitcher and gently
wipes Grace's sweaty brow... INSERT VISUAL FLASHBACK HERE,
instead of in Country House.
Annie then continues unpacking the suitcase. She opens
Grace's closet and sees a hospital bag filled with Grace's
clothes at the time of the accident. Annie examines them and
discovers they are hers. Annie shoves the clothes into a bag
and starts unpacking.
INT. HOSPITAL CAFETERIA - PRE-DAWN
The Clock is ticking on the wall. The cafeteria is empty
except for one tired Intern, drinking coffee on a break.
Robert and Annie are having a cup of coffee. In the silence,
they search for things to say. Until:
ROBERT
I saw Judith's parents while you were
at the apartment...
(Annie listens)
I wanted to say something...
(beat)
But I... I was so relieved that Grace
was still... that it wasn't our daughter.
ANNIE
We're very lucky.
ROBERT
(nods)
The funeral's on Friday.
He rises and crosses to the self-help coffee dispenser as he
continues...
ROBERT
Oh, uh, I meant to tell you... Alex
brought that fabric over...
ANNIE
Okay.
ROBERT
It's on the table by the phone. I didn't
know what to tell him...
(returns to table, sits)
... Whether or not we were...
(beat)
... if we still we're thinking of redoing
the couch.
Annie just nods. She senses Robert is looking for some kind
of reassurance, but she can't give it to him. He continues;
ROBERT
... And uh... Mario called about moving
the wisteria?
ANNIE
Oh. Right. I'll call him.
Pause. Annie looks at her husband as he stares off to the
side, deep in his thoughts. She can sense he's sinking as he
fidgets with the napkins. She remembers:
MEMORY:
INT. A SMALLER APARTMENT, KITCHEN - A NIGHT REMEMBERED
A younger Annie stands in a bathrobe, noticeably pregnant,
cooking at a stove -- reading instructions from a propped up
cookbook. FRANK SINATRA IS BLASTING as she sings along, in
full voice, without inhibitions;
ANNIE
"SHE'S LOVES THE THEATRE BUT NEVER COMES
LATE... SHE NEVER BOTHERS WITH PEOPLE SHE
HATES... THAT'S WHY THE LADY IS A TRAMP!..."
A younger Robert, wearing a suit, arrives home from work. Seeing
her, he smiles affectionately. He puts down his briefcase and
bursts into his own playful Sinatra impersonation:
ROBERT
"She loves the free..."
Startled, Annie turns around and smiles:
ROBERT
(sexily undoing his tie)
"... FRESH, WIND IN HER HAIR... LIFE
WITHOUT CARE... SHE'S BROKE... BUT
IT'S 'OK'...
ANNIE
(a la fan)
Sing it to me, Frankie!
ROBERT
(a la Sinatra cool)
How's my pregnant chick!
She moves to him and they embrace... He wraps his arms around
her. They kiss. Annie laughs.
ANNIE
You can hardly get your arms around me.
How depressing. You're so early.
ROBERT
I had to excuse myself from a meeting.
It's ridiculous. I kept thinking about
the baby... you... and, I swear, I was
going to start bawling right into my
briefs.
ANNIE
(loving it)
Aw... that's so sweet.
ROBERT
I love you.
ANNIE
Do you? Do you really?
They turn to each other and kiss.
END OF MEMORY.
INT. HOSPITAL CAFETERIA - PRE-DAWN
Annie and Robert sit silently at the table in an empty hospital
cafeteria, a lifetime later.
INT. GRACE'S HOSPITAL ROOM - DAYBREAK
The room's lights are dimmed. Dawn is being to break through.
Grace, slowly, opens her eyes coming out of sedation. She
takes a moment to figure out where she is... to remember.
She uses her hands to hoist herself up, but she's unsteady
and knocks into her bedside table -- knocking the Good Luck
Charm from India off the table. It rolls under the bed, with
a water tumbler. Grace never sees the Charm.
Grace looks where her leg once was. She feels the blanket,
the empty space where her leg once was... just like her mother
did (did her father couldn't). Instead of self-pity, she's
oddly fascinated.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. GRACE'S HOSPITAL ROOM - LATER THAT DAY
Daylight pours in. Robert and Annie enter. Robert, loaded
with gifts, immediately crosses to Grace, on the side of her
good leg. Annie takes her position beside the lost leg.
Robert kisses his daughter;
ROBERT
Hi, sweetheart...
Annie's hand finds Grace's hand, and holds one of her fingers
tightly. Grace responds by wrapping her hand around her
mother's. They exchange a look of respect and gratitude.
GRACE
Have you heard from Judith's parents?
ROBERT
No, not yet.
GRACE
How's Pilgrim doing?
ANNIE
Liz is taking care of him.
(to change the subject)
The doctor said the sooner you start
therapy the better the chances are you
can --
GRACE
I can't even get out of bed yet! You're
already putting me in therapy!!
Annie, slightly hurt, drops it as Robert takes over:
ROBERT
The doctor said whenever you're ready.
Take your time. You tell us... But he
thinks it'll only be a few months, then --
As Robert continues talking, Annie drifts to the Nurse.
Needing to manage something, she asks:
ANNIE
Did you get her fresh towels?
SOME TIME LATER:
EXT. CENTRAL PARK WEST APARTMENT BUILDING - DAY
A limousine drives up as the Doorman gets the car door. The
weather is slightly warmer. People's clothing looks as if
spring is coming nearer.
Annie exits first, carrying a jacket for Grace. She is
followed by Robert, who immediately turns to help Grace. We
hear her O.S.
GRACE (O.S.)
Dad! I can do it, OK?!
ROBERT
OK, OK.
Annie shoots him a disapproving look.
We see Grace's good leg exit first... then two crutches,
followed by... a PROSTHETIC LEG. Grace scoots into view, and
takes a breath.
GRACE
You all go ahead. I'll be up by
Christmas.
INT. CENTRAL PARK WEST APARTMENT - NIGHT
The three sit at a dinner table, eating dinner. Grace picks
at her food. Robert can't help staring at her. Annie eats,
watching them both.
ROBERT
Do you want something else, honey?
We order something else?
GRACE
No, I'm just not that hungry.
ANNIE
Why don't you go lie down?
GRACE
I don't want to lie down. I've been
lying down enough.
ROBERT
You want to watch some television?
GRACE
(edgy)
Maybe... look -- just...
Robert and Annie wait. She doesn't continue. She rises,
reaching for her crutches. Robert moves to help.
GRACE
I got it! I got it!
She exits into her room. Annie looks at him disapprovingly.
INT. ANNIE AND ROBERT'S BATHROOM/BEDROOM - NIGHT
Annie and Robert stand before their separate sinks, talking
to each other through their separate mirrors, as they wash up
for bed.
ANNIE
You've got to stop doing that?
ROBERT
Doing what?
ANNIE
Helping all the time! Running to her
every time she trips or falls...
Anticipating her all the time.
Robert shuts off his sink and dries his face, without a word.
He exits into the bedroom, and gets into bed. For a beat, he
stares up at the ceiling -- then says quite plainly.
ROBERT
You know, Annie, this didn't just happen
to you.
Annie is applying moisturizer when she hears this. As it
sinks in, she doesn't like it.
INT. GRACE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Grace stands by her door and can hear her parents muffled,
tense voices. Annie is angry at his complacency. Robert just
wants what's best for Grace. She closes the door. Silence.
She puts her crutches against the wall and tries to walk
towards her bureau without them. It is a struggle, but she
does... almost falling, but grabbing the bureau just in time.
The 8X10 of her and Pilgrim, falls face down. She props it up
and looks at it -- focusing on her horse, then on Judith.
Suddenly, she lashes out, knocking the photograph onto the
floor...
ROBERT (O.S.)
Honey, you all right? Did something
fall?
GRACE
(angrily shouts)
NO!
EXT. GRACE'S PRIVATE SCHOOL - MORNING
Annie pulls up in a Range Rover and stops. Grace moves for
the door. Annie asks respectfully;
ANNIE
Do you want any help?
Grace doesn't even bother to answer. She manages to get onto
the pavements, then turns for her bag...
Annie notices other kids looking at Grace from behind, as they
enter the school.
ANNIE
Dad'll pick you up today, all right?
GRACE
Okay.
Grace looks up to her mother. What is unspoken between them
is the understanding that today will be difficult and there's
nothing either one can do about it.
ANNIE
You'll be fine.
Grace nods and turns to the school. Annie watches her go.
INT. GRACE'S SCHOOL - MORNING
Grace makes her way through the hall. It is the first time
she has had to maneuver through a crowd. Some of the younger
children are especially unconscious. Grace sweats her way
through, trying to maintain her balance and her sanity.
As Grace slowly moves along, whatever small faith she had
that she could get through this day, begins to diminish.
INT. ANNIE'S OFFICE - DAY
Annie moves about the office, hands in pocket, in front of
her wall of windows. LUCY and her staff sitting around the
office. Annie is speaking to a YOUNG WOMAN staff member;
ANNIE
I don't care what he told you! The
man's a liar! The man's an actor, for
Christ's sake. They're all liars!
They'll say anything to get a cover...
The Young Woman looks insulted. AN ASSISTANT comes in to give
Annie a note;
EXT. GRACE'S SCHOOL - DAY
Annie is crossing an empty school yard. Grace is sitting on
the ground, her back against a wall, her "legs" in front of
her. She has been crying. She looks up to her mother.
GRACE
It's too hard.
Annie kneels before her sympathetically brushing her hair away:
ANNIE
Oh, honey... What happened?
GRACE
Doesn't matter. I... I don't want to
come back, that's all.
ANNIE
(softly)
Oh. Well, what are you going to do? You
have to go to school, honey. I mean, what --
GRACE
(snaps)
I'm not coming back! That's it! I want to
go home!
ANNIE
Grace, listen to me. Your body is just
healing. You have to give the rest of you
time as well...
GRACE
Is that your version of a pep talk?
ANNIE
You are not staying home all day feeling
sorry for yourself. You're going to get
up and you're going to figure this out.
GRACE
(snotty)
Fine!
ANNIE
It's still early. What's your next class?
With secret delight, Grace viciously utters the word:
GRACE
Gym!
INT. ANNIE AND ROBERT'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Annie is at her desk studying Grace's book on Horse Whisperers.
Robert is on his bed with briefs laid out before him.
INT. GRACE'S BEDROOM - SAME NIGHT
The door is closed. A SONG blares on her stereo. Grace is in
her bed watching a video of her and Pilgrim... riding at a
horse show. There's a shot of Annie standing proudly,
watching her ride. Another shot of her and Judith, both of
them on their horses, waving to camera.
INT. BEDROOM - SAME NIGHT
Grace enters.
GRACE
Dad?
Both Robert and Annie look up.
ROBERT
What, sweetheart?
GRACE
(beat)
I want to see Pilgrim.
Robert and Annie exchange an anxious look.
EXT. DYER HORSE FARM, CONNECTICUT - DAY
It's raining. The MacLean car is parked by the barn. They
are walking towards the stables under their umbrellas as Liz
runs to greet them.
LIZ
Hello...
(to Grace)
It's so good to see you. How ya
doing?
ROBERT
She's doing just grea. Aren't you
kiddo?
GRACE
I'm fine.
LIZ
Well, come on. He's out back now...
(leads them)
Mind how you go. It's pretty muddy back
there.
GRACE
Why is he in the back? Why isn't he in
the barn with the other horses?
Liz stops, causing everyone to stop. She turns to face Grace,
realizing she doesn't know. She looks at Robert and Annie,
accusingly. She tries to explain:
LIZ
Well, Grace, you see... Pilgrim just...
isn't the same horse he used to be.
(to the parents)
As a matter of fact, maybe now's not
the best time to --
GRACE
I really want to see him.
Liz looks at Annie. Annie nods. Liz leads them on.
They reach a row of empty old stalls. They cross to one of
the stalls -- its doors are closed. Liz draws back the bolt
on top half of the door.
There is an immediate explosion of sound inside the stall,
the sound of fear, startling them. Then it's still. Liz
slowly opens the door. Grace, with the aide of her cane,
walks to the stall. She hesitates, then looks in. It takes a
moment for her eyes to grow accustomed to the dark. She sees
Pilgrim with his head down in the shadows...
GRACE
Hello, beautiful boy...
He lifts his head at the sound of her voice. Grace, and the
audience, see him for the first time -- His mad eyes, his
terrible disfigurement...
Grace cries out, stepping backwards, nearly stumbling in the
mud... What is left of her horse are gone. Annie realizes
what's happened and, together with Robert, rush to her... They
too see the monster Pilgrim has become and are horrified.
Grace angrily pushes away from them and "runs" off. Robert
goes after her.
Annie is standing in the rain with Liz -- her eyes unable to
move away from the sight of Pilgrim.
LIZ (O.S.)
You should have told her, Annie. I
tried to explain to you how bad it was...
I guess you had to see it. But, there's
nothing to be done. This animal's beyond
help. Annie, can I have your permission
now to put him down?
Annie stands in the rain, hands in pocket, fixed on Pilgrim
and more determined than ever;
ANNIE
No.
EXT. CENTRAL PARK WEST APARTMENT - NIGHT
Alone in her study, Annie sits before her computer searching
the Internet for information on HORSES -- Veterinarian
Journals, Therapies, Accidents, Eistories... We sense she's
been at it a while...
She locates an ITEM TITLE -- HORSE WHISPERERS. Interested, she
brings it up on the screen.
INT. NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY - NIGHT
Annie sits in the huge reading room, books spread out before
her, under a green reading lamp. Her voice tells us what she's
reading:
ANNIE (V.O.)
"It was in America that horses first
roamed..."
In the books, we see pictures, lithographs, paintings and
drawings...
ANNIE (V.O.)
"A million years before the birth of
man, they grazed the vast empty plains of
grass and crossed to other continents
over bridges of rocks... They first knew
man as the hunted knows the hunter, for
long before man saw horses as a means to
killing other beasts, man killed them for
meat..."
ANNIE'S V.O. CONTINUES OVER;
INT. PILGRIM'S STALL - NIGHT
ANNIE (V.O.)
"...The alliance with man would forever
be fragile -- for the fear he'd struck
into their hearts was too deep to be
dislodged... Since that Neolithic moment
when a horse was first haltered, there
were those among men who understood
this..."
INT. GRACE'S ROOM - NIGHT
Grace sits alone in her darkened room, staring out the window
but not looking at anything. There's a discomforting distance
in her expression.
ANNIE (V.O.)
"... They could see into the creature's
soul and soothe the wounds they found
there..."
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. A FAIRGROUNDS PARKING LOT, CALIFORNIA - DAY
A hot, dusty fairgrounds horse arena. The worn wooden bleachers,
crowded. Lines of cars and pick-up trucks.
ANNIE (V.O.)
"...For secrets uttered softly into
troubled ears, these men were known as
The Whisperers..."
One particular pick-up truck has its back door opened. A
MAN'S LEG is sticking out, putting on a pair of boots.
A moment later the Man gets out of the car. Holding a cowboy
hat, he has a certain quality, a self-respect, that men who
know themselves seem to have. TOM BOOKER.
A weathered redheaded woman named RONA -- late forties, strong,
wiry horsewoman's build -- is walking towards him.
RONA
Hey, darlin'.
TOM
Hey, Rona. Sorry I'm late.
RONA
I wouldn't know what to do if you were
on time.
They walk together towards the fairgrounds.
TOM
You're looking fit.
RONA
Fit? You want to check my teeth.
(Tom laughs)
Good crowd today. I think you'll have
some fun. You going to stay for dinner?
TOM
If it's not too much trouble, I thought
I might.
RONA
(playful)
Kind of trouble I'm in the mood for.
TOM
Oh-oh... Maybe I better get back in the
truck.
Rona lets out a hearty laugh as they enter the horse arena.
EXT. HORSE ARENA, CALIFORNIA - DAY
Inside the corral, a small black thoroughbred is being worked
by Tom. As he rides and narrates into a radio microphone to
the crowd, we sense this is a man of good humor and great
skill -- guileless, sensible, of the earth.
TOM
... It's always kind of interesting to
hear the horse's side of the story...
The crowd laughs warmly. He directs his comments to a WOMAN
wearing an expensive Ralph Lauren western outfit, standing
outside the corral...
TOM
Now if he was cranky or lazy, like you
say he is, we'd be seeing his tail
twitching there and his ears back,
maybe. But this isn't a cranky horse,
it's a scared horse. You see how braced
he is up around the neck back there.
He just doesn't know which way to turn...
The Woman nods. Tom turns the horse on a dime so that he
always stays facing the circling thoroughbred...
TOM
You see how he keeps pointing his
hindquarters in at me? Well, I'd guess
the reason he seems reluctant to move
out is because when he does, he gets in
trouble for it.
THE WOMAN
He's not good at transitions, you know?
When I want him to move from a trot to a
lope, say...
TOM
(smiles)
Well, I'm sure that's what you think but
that's not what I'm seeing. You may think
you're asking for a lope, but your body
may be saying something else altogether.
You might be putting too many conditions
on him. For instance, you might be saying
"GO, but, hey, don't go too fast." He can
tell that from the way you feel. Your
body can't lie. You ever give him a kick
to make him move out?
THE WOMAN
He won't go unless I do.
TOM
And then he goes and you feel like he's
going too fast, so you yank him back?
(she nods)
And next thing you know, he's bucking.
(she nods again)
Well, if someone told you to go, stop,
go, stop -- you'd buck too.
The people laugh. The Woman smiles self-consciously.
TOM
It's a dance, see... Somebody has to lead
and somebody has to follow.
Tom gracefully moves his horse around the ring, "dancing". He
then takes up a long coiled rope and throws it so that the
coils slap against the black horse's flank, making it burst
into a lope. And again... Making the animal go from a trot to
a lope, letting it slow, then up to a lope again.
TOM
I want him to get so he can leave real
soft. He's getting the idea now. He's
not all braced up and tense like he was
at the start. He's finding out it's okay.
He throws the rope again and this time the transition to the
lope is a smooth one.
TOM
You see that? He's getting better
already. Pretty soon, if you work at
it, you'll be able to make all these
transitions easy on a loose rein.
(sotto voce, wry)
Yeah, and pigs'll fly.
(to Woman)
He's going to be okay -- so long as you
don't go yanking on him.
She nods, but he can see she's upset, feeling foolish. He
walks the horse over to her, turns off the microphone and
speaks sympathetically:
TOM
Look, the truth is it's all about self-
preservation. These animals.
(with great affection)
... well, they just have such big hearts,
you know? There's nothing they want more
than to do what you want them to do. But
when the messages get all confused, the
only thing they know to do is try and
save themselves... Now, why don't you go
saddle up and see what happens.
Feeling better, and not a little attracted to his heartfelt
man's man, the Woman smiles and reaches for his hand to climb
over the rail. Her horse lets her come right up to him and
stroke his neck. Tom comments;
TOM
They won't ever hold a thing against
you. They're the most forgiving
creatures God ever made.
Turning on his mike and turning back to the crowd, he says:
TOM
Okay, who's next?
A Young Boy leads a mule into the ring. Tom smiles:
TOM
Now God has another idea entirely with
the mule.
EXT. THE FAIRGROUNDS - LATER THAT DAY
Tom has finished his "show." People are shaking his hand,
thanking him, as he walks away from the corral, towards a
trailer.
The Woman in the Ralph Lauren approaches:
WOMAN
Excuse me.
He faces the Woman:
WOMAN
Hi. I'm Dale. I just wanted to -- I can't
get over the way he felt under me after
you'd finish with him. Everything had
just, I don't know, freed up or something.
The Woman is flirting. Tom shrugs, uncomfortably;
TOM
Well, that'll happen.
WOMAN
Where did you learn all this stuff?
TOM
What stuff is that?
WOMAN
About horses? I'd love to learn more
about it myself. Do you offer any
private lessons for riders?
TOM
(getting the message)
Well... Dale... you know, a lot of this
stuff... it just... nuts and bolts.
WOMAN
What do you mean?
TOM
Well, if the rider's nuts, the horse
bolts.
(smiles)
That's the whole lesson right there.
You have a good day now... Just... keep
on freeing yourself up.
He leaves her, entering the trailer.
INT. RONA'S TRAILER - NIGHT
A small, well-used trailer. Tom and Rona are finishing dinner
like comfortable old friends. Rona rises, taking the plates
into the kitchen and starts rinsing them:
RONA
Oh I clear forget. You had a call from
some woman in New York. She sounded
pretty wound up.
TOM
I don't any woman in New York. But from
what I hear, most of them are wound up.
RONA
The number's by the phone.
He nods but doesn't move. He just looks at Rona and smiles.
She's a good woman. But Tom hopes she doesn't want anymore
than what they have together. Rona notices him looking and
smiles:
RONA
What are you looking at, young man?
TOM
How long were you married?
RONA
Long enough.
TOM
You ever miss it?
RONA
Does a horse miss a saddle?
TOM
Sometimes.
She chuckles, shuts the water off and crosses back to him,
sitting beside him.
RONA
Well as a matter of fact, I don't... most
of the time.
She starts unbuttoning his shirt.
TOM
You know, Rona, we weren't all that good
together even when we were good together.
RONA
Honey... I was always good.
Tom smiles as Rona leans in. They kiss.
INT. ANNIE'S OFFICE, N.Y.C. - MORNING
Annie is looking over a magazine cover with Lucy and her staffers.
She is unhappy.
ANNIE
You know it's perfectly shot, it's
perfectly cropped, it's perfectly laid
out and I'm so bloody bored, I'd rather
buy a Motor Racing magazine -- Start
over.
Some general whines and groans as her assistant hands her a
note.
ANNIE
Uh, would you all excuse me a moment?
She waits for them to leave as she sits before the phone. One
of her lines is lit:
EXT. A ROADSIDE SERVICE STATION SOMEWHERE IN UTAH - DAY
An endless sky. An empty ribbon of two-lane highway in Utah.
A small roadside station. Tom's pick-up truck, his horse
trailer hitched to it, getting gas.
Tom is on the pay phone. We hear Annie's voice:
ANNIE (O.S.)
This is Annie MacLean.
TOM
Yeah. Hello. This is Tom Booker. I got a
message you called.
INTERCUT ANNIE in her office:
ANNIE
(efficient, expeditiously)
Oh! Yes. Thank you for calling back. Uh,
all right, let me try to explain my
situation as briefly as possible... You
see, my daughter had an accident with
her horse... They were both injured and
she, my daughter, she hasn't been able
to... fully... uh... It was an extremely
traumatic experience... and uh...
Tom, sensing her turmoil, listening compassionately.
ANNIE
I went on the Internet and found this
article about you... It says you're a Horse
Whisperer, that you... you help people
with horse problems. And you have quite a
success rate when it comes to traumatized --
TOM
Well, see, truth is, ma'am, I help horses
with people's problems.
ANNIE
Well, you know, however you want to put
it -- I got your information from the
publisher of the article. I called
Montana and your sister-in-law, I think,
gave me this number.
(trying to be charming)
I'm been hot on your trail you could say
because I was hoping you'd consider
coming to New York and taking a look at
my daughter's horse and possibly --
TOM
Ma'am, I'm very sorry about your problems
and I appreciate what your daughter must
be going through, but I'm afraid you've
misunderstood whatever it is you read. I
don't do that sort of thing.
ANNIE
Well, if you could just come for the day.
New York's only a few hours by plane,
I'd have you home by dinner...
TOM
Look, even if it was nearer, that's just
not what I do. I give clinics. And I'm
not even doing them for a while. I'm
heading back to Montana right now. I got
a ranch to take care of...
ANNIE
(interrupts, abruptly)
I'll pay you for your fare. I'll send you
to Montana first class.
TOM
(getting impatient)
Ma'am, first class to Montana is a waste
of good money. Now, am I being too polite
here or when I say NO in Utah, does that
mean YES in New York City?
Annie is taken aback. Tom feels badly.
TOM
I, I don't mean to sound insensitive. I
understand your situation. But there's
nothing I can do. You just called the
wrong person, that's all. I hear there
are a bunch of therapists in New York.
Maybe you should call one of them.
ANNIE
Mr. Booker, if I could just ex --
TOM
I am very sorry, ma'am. Goodbye now.
He hangs up before Annie can continue.
INT. GRACE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Annie reaches for Grace's bedroom door, then pauses. She
realizes she should knock. She does and whispers:
ANNIE
Grace?
(knocks again)
Grace, it's mom.
Annie slowly opens the door. She finds Grace's bed empty. She
looks over to the window to find Grace sitting in a chair, in
the dark, looking out the window.
ANNIE
Grace. What are you doing?
Not looking up, Grace speaks in a hollow voice.
GRACE
I can't find that charm Daddy gave me
from India.
ANNIE
I brought it to you in the hospital.
GRACE
No, you didn't.
ANNIE
Grace, I put it on the table near your --
GRACE
(apathetic)
Doesn't matter.
Beat.
ANNIE
Have you decided about Pilgrim?
GRACE
What about him?
ANNIE
Well... how you feel all right about
telling Liz to put him down...
GRACE
I think we should. It's not fair to let
him suffer. He's not much use anymore.
He'd hate living like that.
ANNIE
I think that's... very compassionate
and... mature way of looking at it.
GRACE
Mom?
ANNIE
Yeah?
GRACE
Maybe they should put me down too.
ANNIE
What?
GRACE
I mean, I'm not much use anymore. Why
can't they be compassionate to me?
What frightens Annie most is the calm and apathy in Grace's
voice. She's surrendering... Annie, for the first time in a
long time, feels she's losing control.
INT. CENTRAL PARK WEST APARTMENT - NIGHT
Annie sits alone at the kitchen table, nursing a glass of
wine.
Robert enters and sits opposite her, wearing a tuxedo -- his
tie and collar undone.
ANNIE
How was the dinner?
ROBERT
(wry)
All our "favorite" people were there
saying all their "favorite" things about
their "favorite" subjects. I thought to
myself, we've been friends with these
people almost twenty years and nobody
knows anybody. We're so afraid we won't
like each other and have nobody go to
dinners with.
ANNIE
Why did you go?
ROBERT
(surprised)
They're still our friends, Annie. It's
nothing serious. You kid about them all
the time... And I could tell Paul really
appreciated me being there.
He drinks Annie's wine as she looks at him.
ROBERT
Did you get a hold of that horse guy?
ANNIE
Yeah.
ROBERT
What did he say?
ANNIE
No.
Robert nods. Accepting. Silence. Annie sips her wine. Then:
ROBERT
I was thinking... Maybe we should think
about the three of us going someplace
warm... Remember that house we rented in
Bermuda... The pink one with the --
His arm accidentally spills the wine.
ROBERT
Shit.
As he bends down to wipe it up with a napkin, Annie watches
Robert clean the spill. Something about his movements, his
posture -- a sense of weakness, of surrendering, of not having
the inclination to fight, of just accepting and smoothing
over the rough sports -- strikes her hard. Annie realizes the
love she feels for Robert isn't fading. It's gone.
He finishes cleaning and sits.
ROBERT
What was I saying?
ANNIE
About us going someplace warm...
Someplace Grace'll have to wear shorts
or bathing suits or summer dresses...
Robert looks at her and realizes it's a bad idea. He nods,
again, getting the message. Silence. In that silence, Annie
looks at him... and makes a decision:
ANNIE
Robert, I want to take Pilgrim out to Mr.
Booker. Drive him out to Montana... With
Grace.
Robert is confused... and a little worried.
ROBERT
I don't understand. You just said he
said no.
ANNIE
He did, but... I think I can change his
mind.
ROBERT
That's the craziest thing I ever heard.
Absolutely not.
ANNIE
Robert, Grace isn't adjusting to school.
And she can't sit in this apartment all
day... I think it would be good for her.
ROBERT
(at a loss)
NO! What are you -- you're serious about
this?
ANNIE
I've called Liz. They can set me up with
a trailer for Pilgrim. I thought we'd
stay at motels along the way...
ROBERT
(overlapping)
You've already made arrangements!?
ANNIE
No. I was just researching. Calm down.
ROBERT
I come home and you tell me we're going
to drive a psychotic horse to Montana! I
can't just pick up and leave...
ANNIE
I'm not asking you to. I'll do it.
ROBERT
You want to do this by yourself? How?
You can't take care of Pilgrim all the --
ANNIE
He'll be sedated. I know horses, Robert.
I'm the one who taught Grace how to ride.
ROBERT
(overlapping)
What... Bo-... What about the magazine?
ANNIE
I'm in charge. I went back very soon
after the accident. They didn't expect me
for a couple of months. I'll just take
that time now... I can still oversee
things from Montana... Take my fax...
My computer...
Beat. Robert fears this is about the marriage. Yet --
ROBERT
No. It's, uh... No, I really don't think
it's a good idea
ANNIE
Why?!
ROBERT
(searching)
Her psychiatrist... said... she needs
security now... stability...
ANNIE
I can't say he's been all that effective
with her.
ROBERT
Are you a psychiatrist? He said it takes
time.
ANNIE
I don't care what he says! We have to do
something, Robert! I can't sit here and
trust everything's going to work out just
by pretending it will.
ROBERT
I'm not pretending anything!
Beat. Robert just stares at her. He looks concerned... almost
worried. Annie gets uncomfortable.
ANNIE
What?
It is very difficult for Robert to say;
ROBERT
I thought... well, ever since the
accident, I just thought we...
He stops. Annie knows where he headed and prays to God he
doesn't continue. He doesn't. A thick silence hangs between
them.
ROBERT
I really wish I could understand why
you think this is so necessary.
ANNIE
(frustrated)
Robert, we're losing her. We're losing
her.
(he listens)
I don't care what the doctors say. The
truth is, they don't know anymore than
we do -- less, when it comes to Grace...
This may not sound sensible or... logical,
but nobody's suggesting anything better.
I can't explain it, Robert. I just have
this feeling... this annoying... bloody
feeling that if... if, somehow, Pilgrim
can be made all right... then so can Grace.
I just know it!
Robert can feel the strength of her will. He can find no way
around it.
ROBERT
What if she doesn't want to go?
ANNIE
She will if you think she should.
ROBERT
And you think it's best if I don't come.
ANNIE
(hesitates)
No, that's not what I said. I'm not a
dictator. If you feel you should come,
then come. Just do whatever you think
is right.
At some moment, they realize Grace is standing at the entrance
to the kitchen. They are surprised.
GRACE
I'm not going! I don't care what she
says!
Annie lowers her head. Robert stares at Grace as she walks to
him.
GRACE
Daddy?... I don't want to go.
Grace stands next to Robert. He holds her hands. Annie looks
at him, without sympathy. Robert looks back. In his face is
the total acceptance of what must be. As well as the sadness
of it's inevitability. He looks back at his daughter, whose
eyes have never left him.
EXT. JOAN DYER STABLE - DAY
Pilgrim is being loaded into the trailer by four strong stable
men, violently kicking and pulling all the way.
Annie watches with anxiety -- an almost giddy Liz by her side.
ANNIE
Maybe we should give him another
sedative.
LIZ
Problem is, there aren't many
volunteers. He's already had enough
to sink a battleship. You have a
pin, just in case?
ANNIE
Of course not.
LIZ
Probably best. You may want to shoot
yourself half way to Ohio.
In the back seat of ANNIE'S SUBURBAN sits Grace -- her back to
the action. Hearing Pilgrim's struggle. Putting her walkman
on her ears and raising the volume... We hear --
GRACE'S MUSIC, ON THE SOUNDTRACK, bringing us to:
EXT. A HIGHWAY, IN PENNSYLVANIA - DAY
Annie's Suburban drives along Route 80, pulling the horse
trailer behind.
INT. SUBURBAN - DAY
Grace, in the back seat, wearing her headphones, listening to
her music (maybe LIZ PHAIR OR HOLLY COLE). Detached. Non-
committal. As trucks pass by, their time slapping the pavement,
she reacts and turns to the other window.
Annie, in sunglasses, shifts her attention between the road
and her rear-view mirror -- checking on Grace.
EXT. HIGHWAY IN - EARLY MORNING
The Suburban drives as the sun begins to set.
EXT. MOTEL IN OHIO - NIGHT
The Suburban and Horse Trailer are parked in the lot.
INT. MOTEL ROOM, OHIO - NIGHT
A small furnished motel room with two twin beds.
Grace sits up in bed watching TV, with no expression. A sitcom
with canned laughter serves as a hypnotic drug.
Annie enters from the bathroom, after showering, drying her
hair. Grace doesn't bother to look up.
ANNIE
You want to take your bath?
(Grace shakes her head)
We have to get up early tomorrow. You
may not have enough time to --
GRACE
Fine -- I'll take my bath.
She begins moving off the bed.
ANNIE
No, I don't mean you have to. It's just
that we may not have enough --
GRACE
-- enough time tomorrow. I know.
ANNIE
Look, if you want to take it in the
morning, that's fine.
GRACE
(interrupts on "fine")
I don't care.
Annie realizes she may have pushed too hard, but she also
realizes there's no talking to Grace now. So, she achieves
her goal --
JANNIE
Take it now.
Grace hobbles off the bed, enters the bathroom and shuts the
door.
INT. MOTEL ROOM IN OHIO - NIGHT
The lights are off. Annie lays in bed, wide awake. It is the
middle of the night.
Grace, asleep in the other bed, begins whimpering. She's
having a bad dream. Annie rises -- considering whether or not
to intercede... Finally, Grace begins to cry out... softly at
first, but with increasing intensity until she awakens in
fear... Annie appears right by her side.
ANNIE
What, sweetheart? What?
Shaken, Grace cannot fight how much she needs her mother at
that moment. She wraps her arms around her, tightly, and tries
to catch her breath.
ANNIE
It's sleeping in a strange bed,
that's all. Happens sometimes. It's
Ok. It's OK.
EXT. ANOTHER ROAD, MID-WEST - DAY
The Suburban continues its journey.
Once again -- Annie, in the front, and Grace, in the rear,
drive without a word between them.
INT. SUBURBAN - DAY
Grace and Annie occupy their same positions. Annie is on the
car phone with her office.
ANNIE
Okay, listen -- let's do this. When
I get to the next motel, I'll see if
they have a fax. If not, I'll call
you tomorrow to --
Annie continues O.S. when we hear a shifting, a rocking in
the trailer behind them. As if Pilgrim made a sudden move.
Grace quickly turns her head. Annie looks in the rear view at
Grace.
ANNIE
Uh Lucy, look, I have to go. OK...
Later.
Annie hangs up and smiles at Grace through the mirror. Grace
reaches for her walkman and headphones. Annie offers;
ANNIE
Grace! GRACE!
Grace lowers one side of her headphones;
ANNIE
Would you like to put your music on
up here?
Grace shrugs. Annie shrugs it off as well. Grace replaces the
headphone. Annie turns on the radio -- nothing but country or
gospel or religious talk shows... She shuts it off. Frustrated,
Annie looks up ahead and sees:
A TRUCK STOP DINER
Annie yells to be heard through the headphones;
ANNIE
IT'S ALMOST LUNCHTIME. ARE YOU
HUNGRY!?
GRACE
(shrugs)
Whatever you want.
ANNIE
Fine!
GRACE
Fine.
Annoyed, Annie pulls onto the gravel and stops, talking to
herself --
ANNIE
Fine!
She exits the car, banging the door. As she walks acrund the
car to help Grace, she talks to herself in a sarcastic whisper:
ANNIE
"Whatever you want!" Well, this is what
I want. I want to eat lunch and I want
to smoke a cigarette and I want to keep
talking to myself for the next two
thousand fucking miles..."!
She opens Grace's door. Grace senses her mother's anger.
INT. TRUCK STOP DINER - DAY
Annie and Grace enter. They look around:
Formica floors, truckers in caps and beer bellies stuffed
into booths or at the counter. There is not a single space
available.
Annie and Grace stand near the entrance. Another Trucker
enters and they step aside, huddled together in this foreign
land.
INT. MOTEL IN IOWA - NIGHT
Grace and Annie enter the room to find A DOUBLE BED instead
of two twins. Neither comments.
Annie exits O.S., carrying the bags inside, as she says:
DISSOLVE TO:
ANNIE
You should call your dad before it
gets too late.
GRACE
I already did.
(Annie's surprised)
This morning. When you went running.
ANNIE
Oh. You didn't tell me.
GRACE
I didn't know I had to.
ANNIE
(stares angrily, speaks
softly)
You don't.
Silence. Annie exits past her to the car.
DISSOLVE TO:
LATER
Grace is asleep in her twin bed. Once again, Annie is wide
awake. The clock reads: 4:55 AM. But Annie can not sleep.
Camera moves away from Annie, past her side of the bed, to
the other side of the room.
WE SEE THE SHADOW OF A WOMAN coming towards the bed. She
comes in camera angle and we follow to her back to the bed,
which has now transformed into --
A BED FROM THE PAST, IN WHICH A TEN-YEAR-OLD ANNIE IS
SLEEPING WITH HER YOUNGER BROTHER GEORGE.
WE ARE IN MEMORY.
The Woman gently shakes little Annie awaken.
WOMAN
Annie... Annie, sweetheart... wake
up.
The little girl, with sleep in her eyes, turns and sees her.
WOMAN
Bad news I'm afraid. Your Daddy's
gone.
END OF MEMORY.
Annie, in present time next to Grace, thinks of this as she
stays awake. Putting her jogging parka on over her nightgown,
she goes outside.
EXT. IOWA MOTEL - NIGHT
She crosses the motel parking lot to the horse trailer. She
looks in through the siding at Pilgrim, checking on him. She
sees he is caught his halter on the side of the van. She
crosses to the trailer door, hesitates, then opens it.
Pilgrim looks at her. Gathering her courage, she climbs
inside. He is still, looking at her. She carefully frees his
halter. And suddenly he bares his teeth, biting at her. She
stumbles back out of the trailer, slamming the door shut. She
stands leaning against the trailer -- wondering if she's out
of her mind for attempting this.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. IOWA MOTEL - LATER THAT SAME MORNING
Annie is returning from her jog, sweating. As she crosses to
her motel room, she stops by the window, looking in to see:
Grace, on the floor, straining to do her exercises.
Annie fills with compassion for her girl -- reminded of the
struggle she faces everyday.
EXT. THE BADLANDS - DAY
In the distance, the Suburban and horse trailer look like a
dot on the horizon, moving across the Badlands.
INT. THE SUBURBAN - ANOTHER TIME, DUSK
Grace leans against the window in the back, in one of her
darker moods. Annie switches radio stations, from Bible
thumping to Farm reports. She shuts it off. Silence.
She sees a ROAD SIGH: "LITTLE BIGHORN NATIONAL MONUMENT".
ANNIE
Grace, look!
Grace reads the sign.
ANNIE
Would you like to see that?
GRACE
I don't care.
ANNIE
(overlapping)
I don't care.
Annie's comic mimicking, throws Grace off center.
Annie turns off onto the exit. They drive by a massive casino
-- it's neon sign flickering. They drive up a hill past a cafe,
two Indians in high crowned Cowboy hats standing outside of
the cafe. She drives up a hill towards the parking lot of the
Monument...
ANNIE
This'll be nice. We haven't seen any
of the sights yet. It's history. When
I was thirteen I used to love seeing
things like this.
GRACE
You were never thirteen, Mom.
Annie laughs, taking it as a joke. Grace almost smiles.
But, Annie drives up to sign only to find a CLOSED SIGN. The
park was closed at six. Annie stops the car. She's hit a
brick wall once more. Silence. Finally, Grace speaks with her
usual sarcasm;
GRACE
Great idea. So now what?
Beat. Annie's patience snaps;
ANNIE
How long is this going to go on?
GRACE
What?
ANNIE
You know what I mean?
(turns to the back seat)
Is this it now? Is this the way we're
going to be from now on?
Ignoring her, Grace edges to the passenger side and exits the
car. Annie gets out of the driver's side and walks around as
she speaks:
ANNIE
Do you want us to turn around and go
back home? Do you?
GRACE
What are you asking me for? You didn't
ask me if I wanted to come in the first
place -- now I get to decide? Forget it!
She begins to turn away. Annie grabs her arm.
ANNIE
Who do you think I'm doing this for?
I'm doing this for you!
GRACE
Bullshit! It's about you! About you
deciding! About you always being
right! You always getting everything
your way, controlling everybody --
like we work for you or something!
ANNIE
I don't believe this!
GRACE
You just want to get away from Daddy
and you're using me to do it!
ANNIE
That's not true! Whatever problems your
father and I are having, have nothing
to do with this.
GRACE
You're amazing! You act like I don't
live in that house! Don't you think I
hear the two of you!? Don't you think
I can tell what's going on? I'm not
five years old, Mom!
(Annie is stopped)
You want to divorce Daddy and Daddy
doesn't want to.
ANNIE
Did he tell you that?
GRACE
He doesn't have to! It's, like, so
obvious you can't stand him.
ANNIE
That's not true!
GRACE
Then why do you want to leave?
ANNIE
It's... it's not that simple to explain.
I know you think it is, but it's not.
The truth is, I don't really know what
I want to do. I don't have all the
answers.
GRACE
No, you just act like you do.
Annie is choked with fury. She doesn't know whether to
scream, cry or strangle Grace. She turns away and begins
walking quickly, blindly, up past a grove of trees. She comes
to a CEMETERY enclosed by a black railing. At the crest of
the hill there's a stone monument "The Little Bighorn
Cemetery."
In the growing darkness, she sees, scattered on the hillsides
below her, white tombstones. A place of sorrow. A cool breeze
ruffles her coat and she sticks her hands in her pockets.
Frustrated, alone, at a complete loss as to what to do, what
action to take -- Annie, for the first time in frozen,
standing still -- and with her, comes a rush of emotion.
She sits with her back against the monument and begins to
weep. For Grace, for Robert, herself, for the tombstones, for
everyone.
A FLASHLIGHT shines on her face. It is a PARK RANGER.
PARK RANGER
You okay, ma'am?
ANNIE
(wipes face)
Yes. Fine.
PARK RANGER
That young lady is getting a little
worried.
Annie realizes she left Grace alone as it got darker.
ANNIE
I'm sorry. I'm sorry...
Annie rises and is escorted back to the Suburban by the
Ranger. She sees:
Grace is sitting in the front seat now, waiting for her --
like a little girl lost.
INT. SUBURBAN - CONTINUOUS
Annie gets into the driver's seat. Buckles up. Grace holds
back tears.
ANNIE
You buckled up?
(Grace nods)
You cold?
GRACE
Little.
Annie reaches into the back seat and pulls a blanket out,
handing it to Grace, making sure it covers her. Grace turns
towards the window and closes her eyes. Annie starts the car.
EXT. MONTANA, BACK ROAD - MORNING
C.U. on Pilgrim's head in the trailer as we PULL BACK to
reveal the Suburban coming down an empty, seemingly infinite
stretch of two-lane road in Montana.
INT. SUBURBAN - MORNING
Annie and Grace, both in front seats, eating doughnuts and
coffee. They stop.
POV -- Through the windshield is an endless sky and a rolling
sea of land.
GRACE
Gee, this looks like a fun place.
ANNIE
Don't they believe in signs here?
GRACE
What would they say? "Ten miles to big
rock." "Twenty miles to bigger rock."
ANNIE
There was supposed to be a turn off.
Did I miss it?
GRACE
I didn't see it.
Their Suburban is the only vehicle on what seems like miles
of road. Annie sighs and puts the Suburban in drive.
EXT. PETERSON'S MOTEL & STABLES, RED FORK MONTANA - DAY
The Suburban and the horse trailer, pulls into Peterson's -- a
collection of motel cottage adjacent to an expanse of land
that includes stable, corral, a main house and various riding
trails into the mountains.
Mr. Peterson runs out from the main house to greet Annie as
she gets out of the car.
INT. SUBURBAN, ON ANOTHER MONTANA BACK ROAD - LATER THAT DAY
Annie, showered and changed, is trying to follow Mr.
Peterson's directions to Tom's ranch -- written on Peterson
motel stationary. She is lost once again.
ANNIE
(reading)
... after left, stay on main road until
rise, then...
(frustrated)
What bloody rise?!? What main road!?
She stops the Suburban (no longer carrying the trailer).
EXT. ANOTHER MONTANA BACK ROAD - CONTINUOUS
From outside the Suburban, we see, but cannot hear, Annie
hitting the steering and cursing in frustration.
INT. SUBURBAN - CONTINUOUS
Annie, panting, looks ahead and sees nothing but empty space,
above and below -- as if the earth and sky met with nothing in
between.
She sighs and starts the car again. As she moves forward, she
senses an almost indistinguishable rise in the road -- as we
follow her POV up the road through the windshield to reveal:
POV -- A BREATHTAKING VALLEY just beyond the rise, hidden
from view only a few yards before. THE DOUBLE DIVIDE RANCH
sits nestled in the valley, a few miles away. Annie is
impressed.
EXT. THE DOUBLE DIVIDE RANGE - DAY
Men are working in the corral, saddle horses standing nearby,
trying to get a sick calf to suckle a cow. One of the men is
Tom Booker, working along side his brother FRANK, and his
nephew, JOE. Frank is a good man -- solid work ethic,
Christian fearing, wry sense of humor. With the build of a
football player, his strength never overwhelms his boyish,
good-natured heart. Joe is eleven, wearing his cowboy hat
like a badge of honor. The three men seem as inseparable to
each other, as they are to the land. As they work:
JOE
Can we take a look at Bronty's foal
when we're done here, Dad?
FRANK
Sure. As long as she don't mind.
JOE
There's a kid at school says we
should've imprint-trained him.
Tom and Frank don't say anything. Just nod, knowingly.
JOE
He says if you do it soon as they're
born, it makes them real easy to handle
later on.
FRANK
That's what some folks say.
JOE
There was this thing on the TV about a
guy who does it with geese. He has this
airplane and these baby geese all grow
up thinking it's their mom, and he flies
it and they just follow.
(to Tom)
You hear 'bout that, Uncle T?
TOM
Yeah, I hear about that.
JOE
Well, what do you think about that
stuff?
TOM
Well, Joe, I'll tell ya -- I don't know
a whole lot about geese. Maybe it's okay
for them to grow up thinking they're
airplanes. But horses, as far as I can
tell, can't fly.
Frank laughs. Joe smirks as Tom messes his hat up. There's the
sound of a car. They turn.
The Suburban is coming over the ridge, heading down the
driveway in a cloud of dust.
JOE
We expecting company?
Frank shakes his head. As the Suburban slows down, Tom
recognizes the driver.
TOM
I don't believe it.
FRANK
You know her?
Annie, out of her element, hiding behind sunglasses, gets out
as Tom approaches her by himself. Annie girds herself for the
confrontation.
ANNIE
Hello, Mr. Booker. Annie MacLean. From
New York. We talked on the phone.
She extends her hand. TOM shakes it, nodding, staring at her
curiously.
ANNIE
It's, uh... beautiful country. I had a
little bit of a hard time finding the
place. There are no signs.
TOM
Plenty of signs -- just none of them
printed. Who do I get the idea you're
not just passing through!
ANNIE
Well... OK... here it is... Uh... I'd
like you to take a look at my horse.
Now -- it won't take long and if, after
that, you still don't feel...
TOM
Were you thinking of personally driving
me back East?
ANNIE
Oh no. She's here. I brought him along.
And my daughter, too. We're staying at
Peterson's...
TOM
You mean you hauled him all the way out
here? Just like that?
ANNIE
(slightly taken aback)
Well... yes... I had a trailer. It's not
like I made him run along side of the car.
TOM
All by yourself?
She nods. Tom cannot help be impressed by her guts and fortitude.
Camera cuts away for a moment to a window in the ranch house,
through which DIANE -- Frank's fiery, loyal pioneer wife --
looks at the duo with suspicion.
TOM
I uh... ha, ha... I don't think I ever
met a lady quite like yourself and I
appreciate all the pains you've gone
through to --
ANNIE
Look! Please! Don't do the "shucks,
ma'am" thing again!
(Tom, surprised, listens)
I've driven a few thousand miles for a
few minutes of your time. I've brought
him here -- to your neck of the...
(seeing no woods)
-- mountains. Just take a look at him.
If you still feel the same way, I'll
be on the road by morning and you'll
never see me again. OK? Deal?
Tom tries to hide a smile of respect. Annie, thinking she may
have him, starts backing away towards her car -- as one would
a dangerous animal they think they might have tamed...
ANNIE
We're at Peterson's. Whenever you're
free. You don't even have to call.
She gets into the Suburban. Tom watches her drive off.
EXT. ANNIE AND GRACE'S COTTAGE - DAY
Tom walks up some wooden steps to a door and knocks. He hears
a TV on inside. And Grace's Voice:
GRACE (O.S.)
MOM! The door!
He hears Annie's muffled reply from O.S. He hears some banging
as Grace fumbles for her crutch and comes to the door. She
opens it only so far as to reveal her upper body:
GRACE
Yeah?
TOM
Uh, I'm Tom Booker. Your mother
around?
Grace hops to the side as Tom walks by her, into the room.
Grace is closing the door as he turns to see, for the first
time, that Grace is one leg.
GRACE
She'll be right out. She's on the
phone.
Grace hops back to the bed in front of the TV. Tom nods and
puts his hat down -- noticing the prosthetic leaning against
the window, near her bed. He hears Annie on the phone and
looks to the other room, the door ajar -- seeing only her
legs, seated on the edge of her bed, as she talks. Her foot
taps impatiently.
TOM
First time in Montana?
Grace, rudely nods, still looking at the TV.
Beat. Tom doesn't like her manner, but can easily see through
it. He sits.
TOM
She gonna be long?
GRACE
Probably. She's on the phone twenty-
three hours a day.
TOM
What does she do?
GRACE
She's an editor.
TOM
Mmm. An editor.
GRACE
Not like books or literature or anything.
Just a magazine... Just in case she
hasn't told you -- which I'm sure she
hasn't -- I don't want to be a part of
this, OK?
Tom just sort of nods. A beat or two later, Annie enters.
ANNIE
Sorry about that. Hi. Grace, this is
Mr. Booker... Have you looked at
Pilgrim?
Tom sees Grace turn away, just as Annie enters. He takes a
moment. He could say no right there, but something stops him.
TOM
Uh, no. I was gonna take a look now.
ANNIE
You want us to come with you? I just
have to run to the main house and give
Mr. Peterson a check.
TOM
Doesn't matter.
ANNIE
Grace?... Grace, you want to come with
us, take a look at Pilgrim?
Grace keeps looking at the TV. No reply. Tom is half way out
the door when he says to Annie -- making sure Grace can hear --
TOM
Probably best she stays behind, anyway.
He disappears. Annie gives Grace a final look and exits, closing the door.
Alone, Grace flings her body across the bed, reaching for her
prosthetic -- putting it on feverishly. She is completely
intrigued by Tom.
EXT. PETERSON'S STABLES - DAY
Tom stands alone at the stable. Opening the bottom door,
ducking under the stall, he goes inside.
TOM
Okay now... Okay now...
Walking towards him, Tom raises his hand, showing Pilgrim a
sign of respect, of trust... He quietly makes his way along
Pilgrim's side, along his flank, prompting Pilgrim to move
out from the shadows, into the light. Tom moves to look at
him. And Pilgrim suddenly kicks out at him. Tom, not cowed,
stands his ground. He bends, looking at Pilgrim's withered
legs. He looks up at his scarred head. He looks into the
pools of the horse's tortured eyes. Pilgrim stands still --
allowing Tom this brief intimacy.
As Grace walks towards the stable, she realizes that the door
is open and Tom must be inside. She is amazed.
Annie, appearing behind her, is also impressed.
Tom exits the stable and sees them, as he closes the doors.
ANNIE
Well... You're closest anyone's
gotten.
He walks straight towards them -- veering more to Grace. He
stops in front of her and they look into each other's eyes --
in a way that reminds us of how Tom looked at Pilgrim.
Except, Grace is made even more uncomfortable by the intimacy.
She turns away and walks to the corral, to lean on a post --
as if she doesn't care. Tom turns to Annie.
TOM
I have to be honest. I still feel
you made a long trip for nothing.
He looks at Annie. Annie has no more words -- just an ever-
present pleading in her face.
Tom watches as Grace makes a small, naked movement -- putting
her hand on her cheek, like a hurt child.
He can't help but see these three being connected by one wound.
TOM
But before I even think about it, I
need to know something here and now.
It's a question for Grace here.
Grace stiffens.
TOM
When I work with a horse, it's no good
just me doing it. It doesn't work that
way. The owner needs to be involved too.
ANNIE
Well, that'll be a little complicated --
TOM
You can make it as complicated or as
easy as you like. But she's the one
who's gonna be riding him, am I right?
So here's the deal. I'm not sure I can
do anything, but I'm prepared to give
it a go --
(to Grace)
-- if you'll help.
(Grace gives a bitter laugh)
You have a problem with that?
GRACE
Isn't it like, obvious?
TOM
Not to me. Either you want to or you
don't.
ANNIE
Look, I'll talk to Grace and call you
later--
TOM
Excuse me, with all due respect, but
this is her decision, not yours. And I
don't want to waste anybody's time --
mostly mine.
Grace reacts anew to Tom's remark. She likes her mother being
dis-empowered. Annie keenly understands the importance of Tom
putting it this way to Grace. Grace has all eyes on her --
just what she wants. All waiting for her response. She turns
away, flicks her head and says:
GRACE
Well, there's nothing else to do around
here.
Annie smiles in relief. But Tom isn't satisfied.
TOM
Not good enough. I can't help you.
He starts walking away. Annie doesn't know what to do. Grace
mumbles.
GRACE
What do I have to do?
Tom keeps walking out... Grace says it louder.
GRACE
I said, what do I have to do?!
Tom stops and looks at her. Annie holds her breath.
INT. THE RANCH HOUSE, DOUBLE DIVIDE - NIGHT
Frank, Tom, Joe and TOM TWIN BOYS, 6 years old, sit at a dining
table eating dinner, as Diane serves. We parachute into the
middle of the conversation:
DIANE
... well, I just think she's got a lot
of nerve showing up here. Draggin' that
child and that poor animal all the way...
(TO ONE OF THE TWINS)
You eat with those fingers again and you
know what'll happen!
(the boy cowers)
Frank, don't you think she's got a nerve?
FRANK
Oh hell, I don't know... According to Tom,
she's a pretty determined woman. Must've
thought it was worth it.
DIANE
(sits down)
I guess they'll want feeding and all, out
here all day long.
TOM
I don't believe they'll expect that.
DIANE
What, they ain't going forty miles into
Choteau everytime they want a hamburger.
FRANK
Mixed salad.
DIANE
What?
FRANK
(slyly)
I believe women from New York eat mixed
salads. Ain't that right, Tom?
Tom hides a grin -- he knows Frank into teasing her now.
TOM
I believe so. Saw it on a television
show, once.
DIANE
Well, that's just what we need on a cattle
ranch -- a vegetarian from New York.
Everyone eats. Beat.
JOE
When you figure on branding?
FRANK
Weekend after next...
TOM
If the weather holds.
Frank nods. Silence again. Everyone eats. Beat.
JOE
What's an editor do anyway?
DIANE
(playing)
We're not sure, sweetheart, but they
eat like rabbits.
Tom and Frank chuckle. Diane smiles -- in on the joke with
them. The children are curiously confused.
INT. ANNIE AND GRACE'S MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Camera moves to reveal Annie on the phone in front of her
computer and fax... plugging in extension cords as she talks:
ANNIE
... the phone company's putting in extra
lines. I'll call back with the numbers.
Oh, and I want you to get in touch with
this lady in town here -- they say she's
sort of a physical therapist for the
rodeo boys but keep the one at the
hospital we already contacted on call...
Grace sits alone in the living room. Watching TV, but anxious
and disturbed about what she's committed herself to.
INT. DOUBLE DIVIDE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS - NIGHT
Diane is in her bathrobe doing bills at the kitchen table, as
she listens to a BOOK OF TAPE. Her hand on her forehead, her
other hand writing. Tom enters to take his hat off the
sideboard. He moves to the table and reaches over for a
cookie from a plate of cookies. Without looking up, Diane
slaps his hand. Tom then pours himself a cup of coffee... then
swiftly sneaks his hand back and grabs a cookie. Diane smiles.
Tom exits.
It is only then that Diane looks up after him.
INT. UPPER FLOOR OF RANCH HOUSE - NIGHT
Camera follows Tom towards his bedroom -- passing the others.
Perhaps we see Frank sprawled out asleep already in his
underwear. We might see the Twins in their bunks. One of the
Twins' lower torso is laying outside of the blanket. He
casually flips the blanket over the kid's bare feet and
continues to his room.
INT. TOM'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Tom enters and closes the door. Turns on a stereo which plays
a cello piece by Yo-Yo Ma. Books fills his room. He sits at
his desk, puts on eye glasses and looks through some paperwork.
Suddenly he stops, looking over the paperwork, into space. A
thought passes by. We don't know what.
FADE OUT:
EXT. THE RANCH, A CORRAL - DAYBREAK
First light of day. Pilgrim stands stock still in the middle
of the corral. Tom, motionless, is crouched on his haunches
in the corral -- watching him.
TOM'S POV: As Pilgrim moves, he can see that the horse is
stove up.
He softly tosses a handful of dirt at Pilgrim's withered
legs... Pilgrim, sensitive to the slightest provocation,
bucks, wheeling away from him. Then stops. Tom sits on his
haunches again... and watches him.
Frank appears, exiting from the barn (perhaps).
FRANK
Tom?
TOM
Yeah.
Tom leaves Pilgrim, hooking up with Frank -- the two brothers
go off, discussing the ranch work that is ahead of them.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. THE RANCH - ANOTHER DAY
Annie and Grace arrive in the Suburban. They exit. As they
head towards the ranch, they see in the distance:
Pilgrim standing along the fence of a round pen. Tom stands
in the pen, holding a rope, looking at Pilgrim.
EXT. THE ROUND PEN - DAY
Tom stands in the pen with Pilgrim. He looks to see Annie and
Grace approaching but makes no acknowledgement. He turns his
focus back to Pilgrim.
Annie and Grace appear. Grace takes a position (that is to
become her regular spot) a distance away from the pen. Annie
moves in closer, beside SMOKEY (a ranch hand) with one leg
up on the pen fence.
SMOKEY
Howdy...
(sees Grace)
Howdy.
He and Annie watch as Tom stands before Pilgrim -- turning
sideways... then standing...
ANNIE
What's he doing?
SMOKEY
Trying to get his eye.
ANNIE
How's it going?
Smokey doesn't respond -- how it's going is exactly how it
looks. Tom takes a few steps, stops and stands still again. We
sense the process is long and requires great patience.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. ROUND PEN - DAY
Two hours later. Grace is in the same spot. Smokey is gone,
doing his work. Annie has taken a different position, looking
over SEVERAL PAGES OF FAXES on her lap.
Tom is still standing in the pen trying to get Pilgrim's eyes.
Joe has joined the proceedings, sitting on the pen rail.
Tom deftly throws a hoolihan, gently lassoing Pilgrim around
the neck. And Pilgrim, at the touch of the rope, crazed,
resists, pulling back, striking at the rope... The rope
cutting into Tom's hands. Tom gives him some slack, giving
his head, letting him relax... then gently heads him by the
rope, walking him around the pen, getting his feet to moving.
Grace's eyes never leave Tom.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. DOUBLE DIVIDE - DAY
Tom, off in the distance -- against a sky that seems to be
touching the land -- is riding along a creek. Closer up, we
see he's rustling the bushes with a stick. Some stray cows
run out of the bushes. Tom races after them. His horse
shepherds the cow across the creek and up a hillside.
At the top of the hill, with the ranch spread out endlessly
before him, Tom sees Frank on his horse, chasing strays. Tom
whistles. Frank waves back. In the near distance, a pickup
truck is parked on the range.
Joe and the TWINS are throwing food pellets out of the back
of the truck. Cattle come from across the range for the food.
What begins as a handful of cows becomes dozens, then
hundreds -- the truck virtually disappearing among them.
Tom stops for a moment to look out at his ranch. Far off in
the distance, he sees Annie's Suburban coming along the road
to the ranch. He watches as Annie's distant figure gets out
of the car with Grace. Annie instinctively turns and looks
across the land. Even though there is such a distance,
there's a sense Tom and Annie are looking at each other.
Tom senses Joe driving Frank's truck, slowly moving off the
range -- the Twins in the back, the cattle following. Tom sits
on his horse atop the hill.
EXT. THE DOUBLE DIVIDE - ANOTHER DAY
Pilgrim, his scarred head above water, legs moving in odd
sycopation, swimming. We discover he is in a pond, tethered
to a pole... Except for the sound of his legs in the water,
everything is quiet and focused on Pilgrim.
SMOKEY, holds the pole, walking on the outside of the pond,
leading Pilgrim back and forth as he swims. Tom, crouched by
the pond, silently concentrating on Pilgrim...
Grace watches, off by herself... Annie stands beside Joe. She
can't help but be intrigued by the sight. She asks Joe;
ANNIE
I though horses were afraid of
water?
Joe doesn't answer her. Grace likes that. Annie, frustrated,
feels she has the right to simple shout out to Tom.
ANNIE
Is that to get his strength back?
Tom pays her no mind -- concentrating on Pilgrim.
Suddenly, Annie's CELL PHONE rings, jarring the proceedings.
Tom turns to Annie. She hides her embarrassment by answering
it, walking away. Tom gives her a look. Grace is loving this.
Tom turns back to Pilgrim. After a few moments --
Tom, taking the rope tether, unhooks it from the pole. He
starts to lead Pilgrim out of the water. Pilgrim, fearful,
fights him. He rears, splashing Tom, not wanting to come out
of the water. Grace is worried. She looks to Joe and sees he
is concerned too, though he stands quietly.
Annie hears the commotion from where she stands and finishes
her call to return to the pond.
Tom enters the pond, waist deep in water, trying to grab
Pilgrim's rope. Pilgrim rises up, rearing at him. Joe and
Smokey, sensing danger, come closer to the pond. Annie
appears beside Grace and watches as Tom reaches for the rope
again. Pilgrim rears again. Tom stumbles backwards from his
hooves. Annie gasps. Grace turns to walk away from the pond.
She can't watch -- it brings back too much. But as she does,
she is stopped by the sight of --
Tom, righting himself, unphased, calmly walks back to Pilgrim.
The horse, baffled by this man's lack of fear, lets him take
the rope and walk him out of the pond.
Grace can't help but be impressed. Joe nods. Annie is shaken.
ANNIE
Mr. Booker, I'm not at all comfortable
with you taking those kinds of chances...
As Tom leads Pilgrim out, the horse suddenly whirls, bolting,
knocking Tom down...
ANNIE
Oh, God!
Pilgrim runs off, pulling the wet rope behind him. Joe runs
over and grabs for the rope.
TOM
NO... LET HIM GO!
Joe obeys. Pilgrim runs past the corral and down into a hill
out onto a pasture, He keeps on running into the distance --
running across the pasture, not knowing where he is going...
Tom, arms folded across his chest, watches him run. A
concerned Annie approaches.
ANNIE
She's running away! How are you going
to get him back?
Tom doesn't respond. He walks off down the hill out onto the
pasture, stops, arms folded and watches Pilgrim. Annie turns
when she hears Smokey, who appears behind her:
SMOKEY
He don't really want to run. Don't
know where he's going. All this open
space scares the daylight out of him.
Confused, Pilgrim stops running and walks, in no particular
direction.
SMOKEY
My guess is he's spent his life in a
six-by-eight stall... He's forgot what
it's like to be a horse...
Smokey ambles off and she turns back to see Tom crouching on
his haunches, sitting in the grass, just waiting. Pilgrim
walks back towards the ranch, stops a distance from Tom,
looks at him... Annie, needing to know exactly what's going
on, crosses down the hill to him.
ANNIE
So what now? Should we leave?
Tom continues watching Pilgrim. Annie looks at him, sitting
there motionless and feels like an idiot. Clearly she doesn't
understand all this and clearly no one thinks this is the
time to explain to her.
ANNIE
Well, we're going to go then...
Without looking at her, Tom just nods. Annie, awkwardly,
walks back up the hill to where Grace is...
ON THE GRASSY HILLSIDE, Grace is watching the scene by herself
as Joe appears, staring at her leg... It makes her uncomfortable.
She turns to him with a curt, impatient tone;
GRACE
What?
Their eyes meet. Joe is so guileless, Grace is taken off guard
when he asks in such a compassionate voice;
JOE
Does that hurt you?
Grace tries to think of an answer -- and of how to say it:
GRACE
Only when I kick somebody.
Her gentle delivery makes him smile. She smiles, then:
GRACE
Don't you go to school?
JOE
Twice a month they give you a day off
to work on the ranch.
He tips his hat down as he looks out to Pilgrim with respect;
JOE
Look at him out in the pasture -- Yeah,
he must've been a big, beautiful looking
horse. How was he to ride?
Grace is uncomfortable again. She looks away, just struggling.
Joe senses she's done talking;
JOE
Excuse me. I got chores to look after.
He tips his hat and walks off, passing Annie as she arrives.
ANNIE
You ready to go?
Grace hesitates. Then mother and daughter take one more look --
POV -- Pilgrim standing in the pasture with Tom crouching in
the grass waiting for him.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. PASTURE - LATER THAT DAY
Tom is still sitting in the grass, just where we left him --
waiting patiently. Pilgrim is still out in the pasture.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. PASTURE - STILL LATER THAT DAY
Afternoon shadows cross the ranch. Tom is in the exact same
spot and position. Pilgrim is somewhat closer -- but still at
a distance -- watching him.
Frank rides back from work. As he passes Tom, the two nod as
if nothing usually is going on. Frank rides up to the barn.
INT. PETERSON'S MOTEL -
Grace is flicking the television -- repeating the only three
channels over and over...
Annie works at her computer, surrounded by work. She notices
the time, gets a thought and dials the phone...
ANNIE
Hello, Mr. Booker... Oh, hello, Frank.
This is Annie MacLean... I was
wondering, has-...
(listens)
Uh-huh... And Pilgrim?...
(listens)
Still?... Uh-huh...
(politely cheery)
Okay then. Thank you.
She hangs up, pauses, then speaks to the window out loud enough
for Grace to hear --
ANNIE
He's still sitting in that damn
field.
GRACE
(w/o looking at her)
I think they call it a pasture.
Annie looks at her as if to say the last thing I need to know is
a lesson on the local lingo...
ANNIE
Let's go see what's going on, then
get something to eat.
EXT. DOUBLE DIVIDE RANCH - DUSK
The sky is changing colors, the temperature has dropped. Tom
is still sitting in the grass, although someone has brought
him a blanket for his shoulders. Pilgrim is in the pasture,
but now -- he too is motionless, looking back at Tom.
The sound of a car makes Tom turn to see Annie driving up.
She gets out, stands by the car with a proprietary air,
watching Tom and Pilgrim. Grace remains in the car. There's a
sound. She turns to see Diane coming out of the house...
DIANE
There's coffee inside... I was just
bringing this to Tom.
ANNIE
Would you mind if I did? I'd like to
talk to him.
Diane, knowing full well Tom ain't in a talking mood, hands
her a cup...
DIANE
Sure.
(seeing Grace in car)
Does your daughter want to come
inside?
ANNIE
Uh, no, we're going to dinner... Is
this the way to the pasture?
DIANE
Pasture? Oh, that stretch of field near
the hill? Yeah.
She's gone. Annie grimaces, then crosses the hillside to
where Tom is squatting down. She appears to his side and,
without speaking, tries to indicates she has his coffee by
leaning it toward him. Tom sees her and accepts it with a
grateful nod. Annie waits. Nothing happens. Feeling foolish,
she begins to walk back.
At some point, she turns to see Pilgrim moving across the
pasture toward Tom. He stops in front of him, just a few feet
away. Tom says something to him. Annie is intrigued -- and she
knows enough to stay quiet now. She watches Pilgrim walk over
to him. She watches as Tom gets up and pats Pilgrim's scarred
head. In spite of herself, Annie is somewhat moved by this act.
Only we see Grace, peering out from the car, seeing this act
of communion as well. Only we see her reaction to it.
As Tom turns and walks back to the ranch, Pilgrim follows him.
As he passes Annie, all he says is...
TOM
From now on, leave your phone
somewhere else...
As he moves past her, Annie responds;
ANNIE
But I have business calls I have
to --
Tom keeps heading for the barn as he suggests, without turning
back;
TOM
Then drop off Grace in the morning,
go on back and do your business.
Come pick her up around dinner.
Standing there, Annie has the impulse to respond to this
suggestion, but has no idea what to say and saying it wouldn't
make much sense since Tom is already out of ear shot.
Diane appears from the house and calls out:
DIANE
Mrs. MacLean -- why don't you and
daughter stay for dinner?
ANNIE
Oh uh, thank you. No, we don't want to
impose.
DIANE
No imposition. Plenty of food. Gonna
get pretty dark soon. Hard to find a
place.
Annie looks up to the alien sky and realizes she's right. She
looks to Grace, who doesn't seem to oppose the idea.
INT. RANCH HOUSE/KITCHEN - NIGHT
Everyone sits around the kitchen table. Joe, still wearing
his hat, eyes Annie and Grace with acute curiosity.
DIANE
Joe, take off the hat -- I'm not
going to say it again.
Joe obeys. Diane puts the last of the serving plates on the
table -- pork chops, potatoes, gravy, peas, bread... And a big
bowl of mixed salad. The boy can't help eyeing how the
"vegetarians" will act.
Annie and Grace eye the food. Annie reaches out for a serving
ladle, picking up Grace's plate to serve her as Grace reaches
for a piece of bread, when:
FRANK
Dear Lord, we are humbly thankful
for...
Annie and Grace freeze as Frank continues his prayer -- they
notice everyone's head bowed slightly.
FRANK
(continues)
these gifts. For the blessings on our
home, our family and our guests. Bless
those that aren't as fortunate. Bless
all God's creatures.
EVERYONE
Amen.
Everyone begins eating. Annie and Grace breath a sigh of relief.
Silence. Utensils hitting plates, the only sound.
FRANK
Bank out us a couple more men to run
the cattle.
TOM
We should be fine, then.
Beat. Annie and Grace listen...
JOE
Teacher asked me why we raise Black
Angus-Herefords 'stead of Pure Herefords.
FRANK
Tell her they suit the weather better.
Their udders are black, 'stead of pink.
TOM
They don't get burned by the sun bouncing
off the snow. And they're good mother.
FRANK
Our daddy raised Pure Herefords.
Silence... Eating... Annie tries her hand at conversation:
ANNIE
You know, that's interesting. I always
wondered when I went into a restaurant
what was the difference between a regular
steak or a Black Angus steak. I couldn't
taste any difference although I could
swear one was more tender. I didn't know
there was that big a difference between
cows...
(silence)
I've never been on a cow farm before. I
must say, the bulls seem to have the
best time of it. Just laying around the
fields all day until they're asked to...
(uncomfortable)
do their... work.
FRANK
Well, get born a bull, got a ninety
percent chance of getting castrated and
served up as hamburger. On a balance I
reckon I'd choose being a cow.
(to Grace)
Would you mind passing that salad
young lady?
DIANE
How's Peterson's holding up for you?
ANNIE
(lying)
It's fine. Comfortable. I still can't
get used to how dark it gets around here,
though. When we leave the ranch, I
always hold my breath until I can see
the motel.
FRANK
(innocently)
You know, Tom, while you're working on
that horse of theirs, Annie and Grace
should move into the old Creek house.
Diane and Tom react accordingly; Diane hiding her annoyance,
Tom hiding his surprise and pleasure.
FRANK
Nobody's using it. Silly for her to be
driving back and forth when she don't
know her way around that well...
ANNIE
Oh, I don't know...
FRANK
Well, I know Peterson's. Old place is as
good as falling down around your ears.
DIANE
(overlapping)
They're already all settled in, Frank.
Anyway, I'm sure Annie wants her privacy.
FRANK
It's got doors, Diane. Private as can be.
Tom?
TOM
I don't have a problem with that. It's up
to Annie.
ANNIE
Well, it's worth it, really? I mean, how
much longer