~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Copyright 1994 by Daniel Keys Moran.
All rights reserved.
I, Daniel Keys Moran, "The Author," hereby release this text
as freeware. It may be transmitted as a text file
anywhere in this or any other dimension, without reservation,
so long as the story text is not altered IN ANY WAY.
No fee may be charged for such transmission, save handling fees
comparable to those charged for shareware programs.
THIS WORK MAY NOT BE PRINTED OR PUBLISHED IN A BOOK, MAGAZINE,
ELECTRONIC OR CD-ROM STORY COLLECTION, OR VIA ANY OTHER MEDIUM NOW
EXISTING OR WHICH MAY IN THE FUTURE COME INTO EXISTENCE, WITHOUT
WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHOR. THIS WORK IS LICENSED FOR READING
PURPOSES ONLY. ALL OTHER RIGHTS ARE RESERVED BY THE AUTHOR.
DESCRIPTION: The following was a spec screenplay, written by myself and
my sister, for the television show "Dream On." Nothing ever
came of it. If you're a fan of that show, though, you might
enjoy "Another One Bites the Dust." I still think it's one
of the funnier things either Jodi or I ever wrote.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dream On: another one bites the dust
Daniel Keys Moran & Jodi Moran
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FADE IN:
1 INT. MARTIN TUPPER'S OFFICE 1
MARTIN is reading at his desk - the New York Times Book
Review.
* INSERT - NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LIST *
The Number One entry for nonfiction is The Last Dancer,
by Richard Stone. The Number One entry for fiction is of
course Devlin's Razor, also by Richard Stone.
1 INT. MARTIN'S OFFICE - CONTINUING 1
MARTIN
(muttering)
He's at the top of both charts.
TOBY calls from the outer office.
TOBY
Did you say something?
Martin comes out to her desk, waving the Times angrily.
MARTIN
The Pulitzers weren't enough. The
Emmys weren't enough. The awards and
the honors and the appearances on
Nightline! They weren't enough for
him! Now he's intruding in my field!
TOBY
(figuring it out)
Your ex's husband, Richard. His novel
is doing well?
MARTIN
Number One! His non-fiction's been at
the top of the list for three months.
For three months I haven't been able
to look at that list! Now he's at
Number One on the fiction list. How
many Mondays am I going to have to
come in here and look at this?
C-1 FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER (CLIP) C1
1 TOBY'S DESK - CONTINUING 1
MARTIN
(shakes paper wildly)
It's not fair! He didn't need this!
TOBY
You know, Martin, you're not dealing
with this well.
MARTIN
What do you know about this, Toby?
All your ex's are dead!
TOBY
It's neater that way.
MARTIN
(breathing heavily)
I'm going home for the day. If
anybody asks, I'm gone.
Martin goes back inside his office. We HEAR the sound of
things crashing and breaking. JUDITH enters.
JUDITH
Hi, Toby. Is Martin in?
TOBY
Ah -- no, no. He's not here.
(crashing sound)
He left. You should leave too.
(breaking sound; Toby speaks
urgently)
Maybe right now.
JUDITH
Is that Martin?
TOBY
No, that's -- that's the cleaning
people. They're cleaning. Martin's
not here.
Martin comes out. Judith looks at Toby in bewilderment.
JUDITH
Cleaning people?
MARTIN
Judith! How wonderful.
C-2 MAN SHOOTING SELF IN HEAD (CLIP) C-2
1 TOBY'S DESK - CONTINUING 1
JUDITH
I thought I'd come take you to lunch.
Sort of a celebration. Richard's
novel debuted at --
MARTIN
(breathing heavily)
You don't say.
JUDITH
-- number one. Isn't that wonderful?
C-3 MAN HANGING SELF (CLIP) C-3
1 TOBY'S DESK - CONTINUING 1
TOBY
He's thrilled.
(to Martin)
Neater. Remember that.
MARTIN
(hyperventilating)
Thrilled.
JUDITH
... Can we talk in your office?
MARTIN
No. The cleaning people haven't come.
It's a mess.
JUDITH
Martin, are you okay? You're
hyperventilating.
Martin opens his mouth to say something. His mouth works
but nothing comes out and he abruptly grabs his coat,
turns and leaves. Judith looks at Toby.
TOBY
He's so happy for both of you.
CUT TO:
2 INT. EDDIE CHARLES' STUDIO 2
They are taping the EDDIE CHARLES show. Eddie's guest is
a Very Famous Horror Writer -- you know, Steven Prince.
Him. Martin stands, watching, crumpled newspaper in his
hand.
EDDIE
-- guest today is the best selling
writer in the world, a writer who has
scared more readers than anyone else
alive today.
C-4 MAD SCIENTIST AT WORK (CLIP) C-4
2 INT. EDDIE'S STUDIO -- CONTINUING 2
PRINCE
I never really wanted to be a horror
writer. (Bug eyes.) I wanted to be a
lumberjack! (Eyes normal.) That's a
joke. Monty Python. But I always
wanted to write romances. So I did.
EDDIE
(professional veneer slips)
You did not.
PRINCE
I've finished the book already. It's
really good. Hot stuff, cross my
heart. Unfortunately, my current
publisher doesn't want to put it out.
They think it'll damage my image.
EDDIE
Is that possible?
C-5 DEFACING A STATUE/PAINTING (CLIP) C-5
2 INT. STUDIO - CONTINUING 2
PRINCE
It really is a romance novel. About a
character named Agony Chilblains.
Eddie is at a loss for words.
EDDIE
Romance. Well, romance is -- romance
is good.
Martin's insane gloom lightens; he has an idea.
C-6 VAST RICHES SHALL BE YOURS (CLIP) C-6
2 INT. STUDIO -- CONTINUING. 2
The studio audience is applauding; the show is over.
Martin comes back from his dream, tags Eddie on his way
offstage.
EDDIE
Martin! Hey, buddy. You know, I met
this girl --
MARTIN
No kidding.
EDDIE
Big horror fan. You'd be amazed at
what women will do to meet this man.
MARTIN
(waving crumpled, sweaty
Times)
Never mind that. Have you seen this?
EDDIE
(taking it gingerly)
It's damp.
MARTIN
He's at Number One, Eddie! Both
lists!
EDDIE
(hands it back)
Yeah, I heard.
MARTIN
What am I going to do?
EDDIE
You could hire someone to kill
Richard Stone.
C-7 THAT'S AN IDEA! (CLIP) C-7
2 INT. STUDIO - CONTINUING. 2
MARTIN
No -- no, then I'd have to console
Judith. And I'd feel guilty and she'd
know. She always knows about things
like that.
EDDIE
Jeez, Martin, I was kidding.
MARTIN
Look, Eddie, introduce me to Mr.
Prince.
EDDIE
Sure.
Prince stands a ways off, chatting with the show's staff,
signing autographs. Eddie and Martin go over to him.
PRINCE
-- and his head came right off!
Funniest thing I ever saw!
EDDIE
Mr. Prince, I wanted to introduce my
friend, Martin Tupper. Martin's an
editor with Whitestone Publishing.
PRINCE
You're the guys who publish all those
sleazy exploitation bios, aren't you?
MARTIN
That's us.
PRINCE
(suspiciously)
What do you think about romances?
MARTIN
(unconvincingly)
Romances are fine -- fine, really.
Listen, Mr. Prince --
PRINCE
Call me Steve. Big Steve.
MARTIN
Listen, Steve -- Big Steve -- sleazy
exploitational bios aren't all we do.
We do children's books too! And we
want to branch out, into romances!
PRINCE
Really.
MARTIN
We'd love to publish your romance.
PRINCE
Have you ever published a romance
before?
MARTIN
(thinking quickly)
"The Dame with the Two-Fisted Legs."
PRINCE
That was a romance?
MARTIN
Sort of.
PRINCE
Great! I like to work with people who
have experience. And conviction! Most
editors are spineless, gutless,
little wormlike creatures.
C-8 SPINELESS, GUTLESS, WORMLIKE CREATURES (CLIP) C-8
2 INT. STUDIO - CONTINUING. 2
MARTIN
Not me!
PRINCE
Well. I'll send the book over. If you
like it and can pay five million,
I'll be over on Monday to sign the
contract.
MARTIN
But -- you -- five million? You want
us to publish your book for five
million dollars?
PRINCE
It's what I get per book. (to Eddie:)
I thought everyone knew that.
Eddie looks embarrassed; he thought everyone knew that
too.
C-8 FISHERMAN/THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY (CLIP) C-8
2 STUDIO - CONTINUING 2
MARTIN
We'll publish it! We'll publish it!
Five million -- no problem.
(holds hand out to shake)
I'll see you Monday.
Prince shakes hands, exits. Martin and Eddie are left
together.
EDDIE
So, you figure this book will knock
Richard out of Number One.
MARTIN
On the fiction list, anyway! Isn't
this great?
C-9 YOU'RE BEING PROMOTED, SON! (CLIP) C-9
2 STUDIO - CONTINUING 2
EDDIE
You should call Judith up, really get
in her face with this.
MARTIN
I am too good a person to do
something like that to someone I
still care about.
Eddie nods, grinning. Sure you are.
CUT TO:
3 INT. GIBBY'S OFFICE 3
GIBBY
The man gets five million per book,
Martin. You know that?
MARTIN
He's worth it.
GIBBY
Oh, I know he's worth it. And we'll
make our money back on the deal. But
we're a small company; to raise this
kind of money we're going to have to
cut at least twenty of the books in
the pipeline. Most of them your
writers; it only seems fair.
MARTIN
(swallowing)
I can handle that.
GIBBY
We'll have to cut back on staff, too.
Starting with, uhm --
C-10 YOU'RE FIRED! (CLIP) C-10
3 INT. GIBBY'S OFFICE - CONTINUING 3
GIBBY
-- your secretary, what's-her-name.
C-11 RELIEF/BETTER HER THAN ME (CLIP) C-11
3 INT. GIBBY'S OFFICE - CONTINUING 3
MARTIN
Toby.
GIBBY
Can't afford her. And you won't have
that many writers to deal with, you
won't need her now.
Martin is wavering.
C-12 YOU'LL NEVER AMOUNT TO ANYTHING! (CLIP) C-12
3 INT. GIBBY'S OFFICE - CONTINUING. 3
MARTIN
(desperately)
We have to publish this!
GIBBY
That's my boy! You've got a Steven
Prince novel. Fuck the rest of the
world, eh?
(smiling; friendly)
Knew you had it in you. You should
call your ex-wife up and throw it in
her face.
MARTIN
I'm not the kind of person who would
do that.
GIBBY
Pity. It's great fun.
CUT TO:
4 TOBY'S DESK 4
MARTIN
Toby, I need to talk to you --
TOBY
Martin! We're really publishing
Steven Prince?
MARTIN
Well, yes. But --
TOBY
Have you called up Judith yet, to
gloat?
MARTIN
No! Toby, this is very difficult --
TOBY
What is it?
MARTIN
Well, this book is very expensive.
It's costing the firm a lot.
TOBY
Gibby's not taking our bonuses away
again!
C-13 KILL HER QUICKLY; IT'S KINDER (CLIP) C-13
4 TOBY'S DESK - CONTINUING 4
MARTIN
We're going to have to let you go.
We'll give you two weeks and then a
month's severance pay.
TOBY
(slowly)
Is this a joke? Gibby put you up to
this, right?
MARTIN
(swallows)
No. I'm sorry. It's not a joke. Uh,
where are you going?
TOBY
(clearly shaken; picking up
her purse)
Lunch. For the rest of the day. Maybe
longer.
CUT TO:
5 INT. MARTIN'S OFFICE - INTERCUT W/JUDITH 5
Martin sits at his desk a moment, then shakes himself.
This is getting tough. Suddenly he smiles.
MARTIN
I'm not too good a person to gloat.
Martin picks up the phone and calls Judith.
MARTIN
Hey, Jude!
JUDITH
Martin. Look, I'm glad you called.
I'm really sorry about this morning,
I wasn't thinking.
MARTIN
(doesn't want apology)
Yeah, well, guess what? Guess who
we're publishing?
JUDITH
Oh, Martin, you didn't buy another
one of those exploitation bios?
MARTIN
No, no, that's not it.
(dramatic pause)
Steven Prince.
JUDITH
Oh, Martin, that's wonderful! Uhm,
can your company afford him?
MARTIN
Oh, sure. No problem. And get this;
it's a complete change of subject for
him. We're publishing a romance novel
he wrote! Isn't that wild?
JUDITH
Romance?
MARTIN
Romance. Remember that book he wrote
about the romance novelist?
JUDITH
Certainly. Richard said it was a cry
for help.
C-14 "OF COURSE HE DID." (CLIP) C-14
5 INT. MARTIN'S OFFICE/INTERCUT W/JUDITH 5
MARTIN
(annoyed)
Anyway, he's messengering the book
over later today. We're having lunch
Monday; the book should be at the
printers within a week; in stores
within a month.
JUDITH
But -- that'll knock Richard's book
out of Number One.
MARTIN
(unconvincingly)
Really?
JUDITH
Martin -- you're not just doing this
to be petty -- are you?
C-15 I'M GUILTY! GUILTY, GUILTY, GUILTY! (CLIP) C-15
5 INT. MARTIN'S OFFICE - CONTINUING. 5
MARTIN
No. Of course not. It's just a
coincidence.
JUDITH
You are!
MARTIN
It's just business, Jude.
JUDITH
Speaking as a psychologist, this kind
of behavior is petty and childish and
I hope you die.
Judith hangs up. Martin doesn't look happy.
CUT TO:
6 INT. MARTIN'S OFFICE - LATER THAT DAY 6
Martin is on the phone.
MARTIN
Look, Mary, you understand that we've
valued your relationship with
Whitestone Publishing. But with the
current financial constraints on the
company, we're going to have to
return the manuscript to you and
suggest you seek a new publisher --
no, no, we're not displeased with the
work -- really, I've always loved
your writing -- yes, yes, I
understand that -- no, we're not
asking for a rewrite, we just can't
publish your book -- look, I'm trying
to make this easy for both of us --
C-16 COLD BLOODED KILLER AT WORK (CLIP) C-16
CUT TO:
7 INT. MARTIN'S OFFICE - LATER 7
Martin is on the phone, tie loosened, sweating.
MARTIN
Well, Jack, your last couple of books
didn't sell so well. This isn't a
personal thing, we're just cutting
costs here and you happened to be one
of the places we've had to cut. No,
no, please don't cry, it's not your
fault, really -- please stop crying.
C-17 ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST (CLIP) C-17
CUT TO:
8 INT. MARTIN'S OFFICE - LATER 8
His tie and coat are off; he looks like hell.
MARTIN
You think this is easy for me, Terry?
Do you? I've been editing your books
for six years! I don't want to stop
editing your work, but I don't have
any choice in the matter! And neither
do you!
C-18 AND ANOTHER ONE DOES (CLIP) C-18
CUT TO:
9 INT. MARTIN'S OFFICE - LATER 9
MARTIN
Hi, Dorothy. Yeah, this is Martin
over at Whitestone.
(shouts)
Get a new publisher!
Martin slams the phone down.
C-19 EVERYONE HATES YOU, BUDDY (CLIP) C-19
CUT TO:
10 INT. MARTIN'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM 10
Martin is reading a manuscript. The title is, of course,
<Agony>. Eddie is in the kitchen getting a beer.
EDDIE
How is it, man?
MARTIN
(dazed)
This is the worst thing I've ever
read.
EDDIE
I thought you liked Prince's stuff.
MARTIN
I do. Did. But this -- I don't even
understand what's happening in this
story. Agony keeps getting ravished
-- but she's still a virgin -- so I'm
not sure what happens when she gets
ravished. Maybe it's just, like,
really violent foreplay?
Martin looks at Eddie to see what he thinks of this idea;
Eddie nods, maybe that's it.
MARTIN
And she's got five different men in
love with her and they're all named
Burke Smythington-Wellesly-Smith.
EDDIE
All of them?
MARTIN
Except for Ralph. But I think Ralph
is secretly her mother who had the
sex change operation.
(stares at Eddie wide-eyed)
I can't publish this.
CUT TO:
11 INT. GIBBY'S OFFICE 11
GIBBY
What's wrong with it?
MARTIN
It's incoherent, Gibby!
GIBBY
Well, the books you buy usually are,
Martin. It's never seemed to bother
you before.
MARTIN
Gibby, we can't publish this! The
reviewers will savage it. We'll be a
laughingstock!
C-20 PEOPLE LAUGHING AND POINTING (CLIP) C-20
11 INT. GIBBY'S OFFICE - CONTINUING 11
GIBBY
Martin, listen to me. I would publish
this book if it were Prince's private
collection of letters he'd written to
Penthouse Forum. I'd publish anything
with his name on it. We are going to
publish this and that's the end of
the matter. Now, I understand you two
are having lunch. Go schmooze the man
-- and stop whining.
Martin, whipped, turns to go.
GIBBY
Oh, Martin.
(Martin turns back)
When you talk to him -- ask him if
he's ever written anything to
Penthouse Forum. Okay? Just ask. In
passing.
CUT TO:
12 AT TOBY'S DESK 12
MARTIN
Did you make the reservations I asked
for?
TOBY
What reservations?
MARTIN
For my lunch. With Prince.
Toby advances on Martin threateningly; Martin retreats
toward his office.
TOBY
Do you honestly think I've got time
to make reservations for you to go
out to lunch? I'm busy looking for a
new job! I'm pounding the pavement.
Reading the newspaper. Making
telephone calls. Sucking up to people
in interviews. My cheeks ache from
smiling.
(shouts)
I'm not a natural smiler, Martin!
Martin backs into his office and slams the door.
TOBY
(from the other side of the
door)
And stay in there!
CUT TO:
13 AT LUNCH - IN A SLEAZY DINER 13
PRINCE
Nice place.
C-21 BETTE DAVIS - "WHAT A DUMP" (CLIP) C-21
13 AT LUNCH - IN A SLEAZY DINER - CONTINUING 13
MARTIN
Yeah, it's got -- got -- atmosphere.
And burgers -- burgers, shakes,
fries, that all-American thing, that
thing you write about. Brand names.
(whips up ketchup bottle)
Look, Heinz!
PRINCE
(nods approvingly)
Americana. You know, Martin, I don't
think an editor's ever taken me to a
place like this before.
(stares at Martin)
I think you understand.
MARTIN
(abruptly stomping on floor)
That wasn't a cockroach.
C-22 MILLIONS OF BUGS SWARMING (CLIP) C-22
13 AT LUNCH - IN A SLEAZY DINER - CONTINUING 13
PRINCE
Looked like one. Kind of small,
though. In Texas they have
cockroaches as big as your hand. Want
to see one?
C-23 ONE GIANT BUG (CLIP) C-23
13 AT LUNCH - IN A SLEAZY DINER - CONTINUING 13
MARTIN
Have you got it with you?
PRINCE
In the car. His name's Dennis.
C-24 DENNIS THE MENACE (CLIP) C-24
13 AT LUNCH - IN A SLEAZY DINER - CONTINUING 13
MARTIN
Dennis.
PRINCE
He didn't want to come in.
MARTIN
Oh.
PRINCE
(explaining)
Wasn't hungry.
MARTIN
(change the subject, quick)
I just love your books! May I ask you
a question?
PRINCE
Shoot.
MARTIN
What prompted you to give up horror
for romance writing?
PRINCE
Fear.
MARTIN
You're afraid of your own writing?
PRINCE
No! Well, yes. But not the writing
part. What comes before.
MARTIN
I don't understand.
PRINCE
(instant paranoia)
You're not like the others, are you?
MARTIN
What others?
PRINCE
The ones who think there's some shame
in romance writing, who think that
horror writing is better in some
obscure way. You know --
(ranting, words tumbling
out; people turn to look)
-- I can't sleep at night. If you did
all day what I do all day, you
wouldn't be able to sleep at night
either. Other people hear a noise in
the night and they think the house is
settling. Me, I'm forty-four years
old and I still have to check under
the bed before I go to sleep. My own
children are afraid of me! I have
rats scritching in my walls -- giant
mutant android rats.
(pause)
Playing reggae music.
(leans forward, eyes bug
out)
Loud reggae music!
MARTIN
Really.
PRINCE
(abruptly subsiding; matter-
of-fact:)
Well, maybe not really. But sometimes
I think they are.
MARTIN
I love romances. I've always kind of
thought of myself as that romantic
type. Just ask my ex-wife.
PRINCE
I can trust you, can't I? You're not
like other editors, are you? You're a
real person. With emotions; a heart.
Blood, and intestines.
MARTIN
You bet.
PRINCE
Let's go sign that contract.
MARTIN
You're not hungry?
PRINCE
I ate already. In the car, with
Dennis.
CUT TO:
14 INT. MARTIN'S OFFICE 14
Martin has the contract sitting on the desk in front of
Prince. Prince sits in the guest chair.
PRINCE
This is what I always wanted to do.
Sometimes, Martin, I just get this
urge to show my softer side.
MARTIN
Well, you've certainly shown it.
C-25 SOFT IN THE HEAD! (CLIP) C-25
14 INT. MARTIN'S OFFICE - CONTINUING 14
PRINCE
So what do you like best about the
book?
MARTIN
(looking for a pen on his
desk)
Uh -- uh -- Burke Smythington-
Wellesly-Smith.
PRINCE
Which one?
Martin tries one pen -- it doesn't write.
MARTIN
The second one.
PRINCE
The one that used to be Agony's
mother before the sex change?
MARTIN
(finding a pen that writes)
I thought that was Ralph.
PRINCE
(shrugging)
Could have been.
Prince reaches for the pen Martin is offering him. He
pauses, reaches again; his fingers close around the pen
clumsily, and the pen drops to the ground. He leans over
to reach for it, is unable to, and slumps back into his
chair.
PRINCE
(gasping; clutching chest)
I need another pen. That one's -- no
good.
MARTIN
(slow on uptake)
Are you okay?
(comes around desk, picks up
pen)
It's a perfectly fine pen.
PRINCE
(gasping; turning red)
It is not.
MARTIN
Look, it writes.
PRINCE
(spasming)
I need a new pen!
His head falls forward on his chest and he sits there
limply.
MARTIN
(grabbing Prince by the
shirtfront and shaking him)
Are you all right? Are you dying?
Prince doesn't answer.
MARTIN
You have to sign this contract first!
You can't die!
(shakes Prince violently)
Thirty seconds! I only need thirty
seconds!
(begins slapping Prince)
Breathe! Breathe!
C-26 TAKE THAT! AND THAT! (CLIP) C-26
14 INT. MARTIN'S OFFICE - CONTINUING 14
Toby enters as Martin is slapping Prince around.
TOBY
What are you doing?
MARTIN
(dropping Prince abruptly)
Nothing.
TOBY
(peering at Prince closely)
Is he -- is he -- dead?
MARTIN
(guilty)
No.
TOBY
Did you kill him?
MARTIN
Of course not!
TOBY
(screaming loudly)
Oh my God! He's killed the best-
selling writer in the world!
Gibby enters.
GIBBY
Do I hear screaming?
TOBY
Martin killed Steven Prince!
MARTIN
I did not!
Toby runs outside to her desk. We HEAR HER on the phone
in the background.
GIBBY
You killed him?
(pause)
This is wonderful! We couldn't buy
this kind of publicity! I can see it
now: EDITOR OFFS BELOVED HORROR
WRITER; GETS ELECTRIC CHAIR! We'll
make money hand over foot. Every poor
book-reading schmuck in the country
will snap up a copy of Agony --
(looks at Martin
consideringly)
And while you're on death row, you
can write your memoirs: WHY I KILLED
STEVEN PRINCE. We'll make money
together, Martin. You and I.
MARTIN
(screaming)
I didn't kill him!
GIBBY
Can you prove that?
MARTIN
He had a heart attack! Or a stroke, I
don't know. Call an ambulance!
Toby enters.
TOBY
I've already called the police.
(gives Martin the evil eye)
Fire me, will you?
GIBBY
Look at the opportunity, Martin. Even
if you didn't do it, I think it would
be in our best interests if you were
to admit to it.
MARTIN
He didn't sign the contract, Gibby.
GIBBY
I'll send women on visiting days.
Whoever you ask for. I'll send --
what? He didn't what?
MARTIN
Sign the contract.
GIBBY
(screaming)
How could you kill him before he
signed the contract? You've ruined
us. You bastard -- you --
Judith enters.
JUDITH
Do I hear screaming?
MARTIN
No!
GIBBY
Wait. Wait. We can forge his
signature.
(He knocks Prince from the
chair, begins rifling his
pockets.
Look, his wallet! His driver's
license has his signature!
(thrusting license at
Martin)
Take care of it, Martin.
(turning to Judith & Toby)
Could you both step outside for a
moment?
TOBY
I'm sorry, Gibby, but I don't feel
comfortable leaving you alone with
Martin. Him being the murderer that
he is.
JUDITH
(a flash of normalcy)
He's -- dead? Oh, my God, he's dead.
MARTIN
I didn't kill him!
At this point, two police officers enter the room. Over
the general babble, one cop shouts.
COP
All right, all right! Let's have some
quiet here! Now, who's the victim,
and who's the murderer?
Gibby waves a disgusted hand at the body; Toby points at
Martin.
CUT TO:
15 INT. MARTIN'S OFFICE - LATER 15
Paramedics are rolling Prince's body out on a gurney. In
the BG, a cop is speaking to Toby.
COP
Look, we can't arrest him for giving
the guy a heart attack. It's
inconsiderate, but it's not a crime.
In the FG, Martin and Judith are sitting together,
ignoring everyone else.
JUDITH
I'm so sorry, Martin. I know how much
this book meant to you. And I'm sorry
for what I said the other day.
MARTIN
It's okay. You were right, I was
being petty. I only wanted Prince to
knock Richard out of the #1 spot.
It's just -- really hard, having to
deal with the constant reminders of
his perfection.
JUDITH
He knows. He said to tell you he
forgives you.
CUT TO:
16. TOBY'S DESK - LATER 16
Martin is pleading with Toby.
MARTIN
Toby, I'd really like you to stay on.
TOBY
Hah.
MARTIN
Please?
TOBY
You fired me!
MARTIN
You tried to get me arrested for
murder.
TOBY
I was upset. My feet hurt. All that
hitting the pavement.
MARTIN
So you'll stay?
TOBY
My eyes hurt, too. Those ads are
printed in really small type.
MARTIN
Does this mean you're staying?
TOBY
Aw, I guess so.
MARTIN
Great! Look, Toby, would you get me a
list of my writers?
TOBY
(snarling)
Get it yourself.
CUT TO:
17 INT. MARTIN'S OFFICE - LATER 17
Martin is on the phone.
* INSERT - A LIST OF NAMES, ABOUT TWENTY OF THEM. *
Half the names have checkmarks next to them. Midway down
the list, the name Dorothy Fontana lacks a checkmark.
17 INT. MARTIN'S OFFICE - CONTINUING 17
MARTIN
Dorothy -- I understand some maniac
has been calling -- ha ha -- claiming
to be me, screaming at you about your
needing to get a new publisher.
(listens)
No, we don't know who it was, but
we've notified the police. Yes, yes,
the police are looking into it.
FADE OUT.
ROLL END CREDITS
