Raising Arizona

His hands fly in to wrap around the grenade – too late – bright light:

LENNY

Blows sky-high. There is a roar as if the earth were cracking open and flame as if hell were slipping out.

We pan the fire to the sky.

FADE OUT

A white aluminum ladder rises up into the blackness, clanking softly. The top of the ladder arcs toward the camera.

JUMP BACK

To the interior of the Arizona second-story nursery as the ladder comes to rest against the window frame.

It is late at night; the nursery is dark and empty.

THE HEADBOARD

Of the unpainted crib with the burned-in names: Harry, Barry, Larry, Garry, and Nathan Jr.

As we pull back from the headboard Ed's arms are gently depositing the sleeping Nathan Jr. into the crib. Hi puts the singed copy of Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care next to the baby.

REVERSE

Hi and Ed looking sadly down at the baby.

The silence is broken by the bleat of a squeeze-me toy as the lights are snapped on. Hi and Ed turn, startled.

NURSERY DOORWAY

Nathan Jr. stands in his jammies, hair disheveled, holding a gun and squinting against the light.

Keeping the gun trained on Hi and Ed, he slowly raises a pair of eyeglasses to his nose.

NATHAN
The hell is goin' on?

He advances cautiously into the nursery, gesturing with his gun.

NATHAN

... Get away from there.

Hi and Ed back away from the crib.

Nathan peers in and studies the baby for a moment.

He lays the gun down, tenderly picks up the baby and holds him to his chest. A tear forms at the corner of his eye.

Hi and Ed are quietly moving back towards the ladder.

NATHAN
(sharply)

Waitaminute...

Hi and Ed Stop.

NATHAN
... I ain't through with you. What're you doin' creepin' around here in the dark? You in with Smalls?

HI

... Scuse me?

As he bounces the baby, studying Hi and Ed:

NATHAN

Leonard Smalls, big fella rides a Harley, dresses like a rock star?

HI
No sir, that's who we saved him from. It's a long story.

NATHAN

Suppose you tell it.

HI

Well, sir, in a re-ward situation, they usually say no questions asked.

NATHAN

Do they.

Hi shrugs.

Nathan turns to put the baby back in the crib.

NATHAN
... All right, boy, I guess you got a re-ward coming. Twenty thousand dollars...

He turns around with a thought:

NATHAN

... Or, if you need home furnishings, I can give you a fine of credit at any of my stores. Fact, that's the way I'd rather handle it, for tax reasons...

HI

Well –

Nathan throws his hands up in the air.

NATHAN
But it's up to you.

HI

Tell you the truth, I think we'd prefer the ca –

ED

We don't want no reward.

Hi does a small take, surprised at this much integrity.

ED
... We didn't bring him back for money.

NATHAN

Well, we could work it that way too.

ED

Could I just look at him a little bit more?

She stands looking into the crib. Hi steps up next to her and puts an arm around her shoulder.

NATHAN
Be my guest, young lady... but would you mind teflin' me exactly how you –

Ed starts crying softly as she gazes into the crib. Hi murmurs something to comfort her.

Nathan is studying the two of them.

NATHAN
... You took him, didn't you? Wasn't that biker a'tar.

Hi turns to face him. He speaks in a rush.

HI

I took him, sir, my wife had nothin' to do with it. I crept in yon window and –

ED

(still crying)

We both did it. We didn't wanna hurt him any; I just wanted to be a mama.

HI

It wasn't for money or nothin'. We just figured you had more'n you could handle, babywise. But I'm the one committed the actual crime sir, if you need to call the authorities –

NATHAN

Shutup boy, no one's callin' the authorities if there's no harm done.

HI

Thank you sir.

ED

Thank you sir.

NATHAN

Aw bullshit. Just tell me – just tell me why you did it.

ED

We can't have our own.

Nathan looks at her. Finally he nods and sighs.

NATHAN
... Well lookit. If you can't have kids you gotta just keep tryin' and hope medical science catches up with you. Like Florence'n me – it caught up with a vengeance. And hell, even if it never does, you still got each other.

HI

Sir, those're kind words. But I think the wife and me are splittin' up...

He indicates Ed with a nod of the head.

HI

... Her point of view is we're both kinda selfish and unrealistic, so we ain't too good for each other.

NATHAN

Well ma'am, I don't know much but I do know human bein's. You brought back my boy so you must have your good points too. I'd sure hate to think of Florence leavin' me – I do love her so ...

He clears his throat and turns to the door. His tone is harder again:

NATHAN

... You can go out the way you came in...

He snaps off the lights.

NATHAN

... And before you go off and do another foolish thing, like busting up, I suggest you sleep on it...

He has disappeared into the hall. We hear his voice receding:

NATHAN

... at least one night.

HIGH SHOT

Looking straight down at Hi, asleep in the trailer bedroom. We start to crane down.

VOICE OVER

That night I had a dream...

EXTREME WIDE SHOT

A beautiful dusk landscape. We are floating in over the field, abutting the prison, that Gale and Evelle popped out of.

In the middle background of the extreme long shot two men are walking across the field.

VOICE OVER
... I dreamt I was as light as the ether, a floating spirit visiting things to come...

BACK TO HIGH SHOT BEDROOM

Craning down toward Hi .

VOICE OVER

The shades and shadows of the people in my fife wrastled their way into my slumber.

BACK TO FIELD

Still floating forward but now much closer to the two walking men. We see that they are Gale and Evelle. Both are still dyed blue.