PLEASANTVILLE



                                   A Fairytale by Gary Ross

October 7, 1996




     'He was part of my dream of course
     but then I was part of his dream too.'

                      - Lewis Carroll 'Through the looking glass'

     FADE IN:

     INT. HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM. DAY.

     A college counselor stands at the Podium lecturing the high
     school seniors about their future.

                         COLLEGE COUNSELOR
               ... For those of you going on to college
               next year, the chance of finding a good
               job will actually decrease by the time
               you graduate. Entry level jobs will drop
               from thirty-one to twenty-six percent,
               and the median income for those jobs
               will go down as well ...

     There is some rustling in the audience.

                         COLLEGE COUNSELOR (CONT)
               Obviously, my friends, it's a
               competitive world and good grades are
               your only ticket through. By the year
               Two Thousand  ...

     INT. HIGH SCHOOL. HEALTH CLASS.

     A different teacher lectures a different class of students.

                         HEALTH TEACHER
               ... The chance of contracting HIV from a
               promiscuous lifestyle will climb to one
               in one hundred and fifty. The odds of
               dying in an auto accident are only one
               in twenty-five hundred.
                    (beat)
               Now this marks a drastic increase ...

     INT. HIGH SCHOOL. SCIENCE CLASS.

     Same angle. Different teacher.

                         SCIENCE TEACHER
               ... From just four years ago when ozone
               depletion was at ten percent of its
               current level. By the time you are
               twenty years old, average global
               temperature will have risen two and a
               half degrees. Even a shift of one
               degree can cause such catastrophic
               consequences as typhoons, floods,
               widespread drought and famine.

     REVERSE ANGLE. STUDENTS.

     They stare back in stunned silence. One of them, DAVID
     WAGNER, sits in the front row with a pencil in his mouth.
     Nobody moves ...

                         SCIENCE TEACHER
                    (chipper classroom tone)
               Okay. Who can tell me what famine is?

                                             CUT TO:

     1958.

     Birds are chirping. The sun is shining. All the hedges are
     neatly pruned and the lawns are perfectly manicured. A sweet
     stillness hangs over the SUBURBAN STREET, which is bathed in
     beautiful BLACK AND WHITE.

                         MAN'S VOICE (OS)
               Honey, I'm home.

     SUBURBAN HOME.

     GEORGE PARKER enters the front door and hangs his hat on the
     coatrack. He sets his briefcase down and moves into the foyer
     with a huge smile on his face. It's a frozen smile that
     doesn't seem to be affected by too much in particular--like a
     tour guide at Disneyland.

                         WOMAN'S VOICE (OS)
               Hello darling.

     WIDER.

     MRS. GEORGE PARKER (BETTY) enters, untying the back of her
     apron. She is a vision of '50s beauty with a thin figure and
     concrete hair. Betty crosses to her husband and hands him a
     fresh martini. She kisses him on the cheek.

                         BETTY
               How was your day?

                         GEORGE
               Oh, swell. You know, Mr. Connel said
               that if things keep going the way they
               are, I might be seeing that promotion
               sooner than I thought.

                         BETTY
               Oh darling that's wonderful!
                    (an adoring gaze)
               I always knew you could do it.

     WAGNER LIVING ROOM. NIGHT.

     1996 -- (LIVING COLOR)

     DAVID WAGNER sits on his couch watching this entire action on
     a sleek new Sony T.V. He stares riveted at the set with a big
     smile on his face. David wears black shoes, black pants,
     black t-shirt and a black baseball cap, not a nerd exactly
     ... He reaches next to him into a huge bag of Doritos, never
     taking his eyes off the show.

                         GEORGE (OS)
                    (on T.V.)
               Hey, Pumpkin! What's that smell?
                    (sniffing)
               Is that your meat loaf?

                         DAVID
                    (by rote)
               'It might be ...'

                         BETTY (OS)
                    (shy smile)
               It might be.

     He leans over and kisses her--again on the cheek.

                         GEORGE (OS)
               Oh Pumpkin! You sure know the way to
               this man's heart.

     There is a loud and inappropriate LAUGH TRACK. David smiles
     wider and is just about to reach for more corn chips, when
     his real MOTHER'S VOICE rings out from the other room.

                         DAVID'S MOM (OS)
               ... Bullshit Barry, that wasn't the
               deal

     INT. KITCHEN.

     David's mom paces the room with the phone in her hand.
     Between the plastic surgery and the make-up it's hard to fix
     her age.

                         DAVID'S MOM
               No--you have custody the first weekend
               of every month and this is the first
               weekend ...
                    (pause)
               I don't care if yesterday was the
               thirtieth, this is still the first
               weekend.

     INT. LIVING ROOM.

     Her words drift in from the kitchen while David stares at the
     show.

                         DAVID'S MOM (OS)
               No I can't bail you out, I'm supposed to
               go to La Costa ...
                    (beat)
               Well if I want to get a mud bath, that's
               really my business, isn't it?

     He reaches out and TURNS UP THE SOUND. PLEASANTVILLE plays at
     an unnaturally high volume.

                         GEORGE
                    (on T.V.)
               Hey. Where are those kids?

                         DAVID
                    (reciting--a little louder)
               'Right behind you father.'

                         BUD AND MARY SUE TOGETHER
                    (on T.V.)
               Right behind you father.

     RESUME T.V. (BLACK AND WHITE)

     The Parkers' son and daughter (BUD AND MARY SUE) enter the
     foyer together. Mary Sue wears her hair in a pony tail. Bud
     has on a Letterman's sweater.

                         MARYSUE
               Mother ... Father ... Bud has a little
               surprise for you.

                         BETTY
               What's that Bud?

     Bud hesitates for a moment, then folds up a shiny blue
     ribbon.

                         BUD
               First prize at the science fair. There
               were lots of swell projects--guess mine
               was just the 'swellest'.

                         BETTY
               Darling that's wonderful. Except there's
               no such word as 'swellest'.

                         BUD
               Well gee whizz, Mom. lt wasn't the
               'English' fair.

     There is another jarring LAUGH TRACK.

     CLOSE UP. DAVID.

     He smiles right along with it. David stares transfixed at the
     set despite the continuing conversation in the other room.

                         DAVID'S MOM (OS)
               Well sure they can stay by themselves,
               Barry, but that's not the point. You
               said you'd take them.
                    (beat)
               Well fine--they'll stay by themselves
               then.

                         DAVID
                    (quietly)
               What's a mother to do?

                         BETTY(OS)
                    (on T.V.)
               Oh--what's a mother to do?

     CLOSE UP. DAVID.

     He grabs another handful of Doritos staring at the T.V ...

                                             CUT TO:

     EXT. HIGH SCHOOL. (SERIES OF SHOTS) DAY.

     A cacophony of modem life. Beepers and nose rings--blue hair
     and tattoos. Dissonant boom boxes compete with one another.
     The hormones are running crazy.

     SCHOOL COURTYARD.

     lt is a large open area, alive at lunchtime. Groups of kids
     hang out together, divided by their various cliques. The
     music pounds in the background.

     CLOSE UP. DAVID.

     He stands at one end of the courtyard beside a chain link
     fence. Beads of sweat form on David's forehead as he speaks
     to someone in front of him.

                         DAVID
               Hi. I mean ...
                    (pause)
               ... Hi.

     REVERSE ANGLE.

     A very pretty blonde girl smiles back at him. It's a warm,
     welcoming smile.

     CLOSE UP. DAVID.

                         DAVID
               Look. You probably don't think I should
               be asking you this. I mean--not knowing
               you well and all ...

     REVERSE ANGLE. GIRL.

     She smiles wider at him, inviting him to continue.

     CLOSE UP. DAVID.

                         DAVID
                    (pause ...)
               I mean I know you--everybody knows you
               ... I just don't know you ...
               technically.

     REVERSE ANGLE. GIRL.

     She nods at him ...

     CLOSE UP. DAVID.

                         DAVID
               Well--I was just wondering--'cause I see
               you all the time in Algebra and I heard
               you humming that Van Halen song and I
               really like that song too ...
                    (pause)
               Anyhow, I don't know what you're doing
               this weekend but my Mom's leaving town
               and she said I could use her car so ...

     REVERSE ANGLE. GIRL.

     She positively beams. The girl flicks her blonde hair and
     stares back at him adoringly.

     CLOSE UP. DAVID.

     Instead of smiling back, David just stares, then looks at the
     ground.

     WIDE ANGLE. SCHOOLYARD.

     For the first time WE SEE THAT SHE WASN'T TALKING TO HIM.
     David stands a good hundred yards across the schoolyard,
     rehearsing this speech while the young woman stands face to
     face with a much cooler boy. He has a cell phone and a very
     hip haircut.

     ANGLE. DAVID.

     David watches as the girl throws her arm around the boy's
     waist and heads out of the playground ...

                                             CUT TO:

     EXT. 'LUNCHEON COURT'. DAY.

     David and his friends are all gathered around the plastic
     picnic tables and vending machines that form the luncheon
     court. The chess club meets at one end and there are some
     teachers at the other. All the cool kids are on the other
     side of the fence but David and his friends eat lunch at the
     same table every day.

                         HOWARD
               Okay, whose window did Bud break when he
               was playing with his father's golf
               clubs?

                         DAVID
               Easy. Mr. Jenkins. What JOB did Mr.
               Jenkins have?

     Howard looks at him, puzzled.

                         DAVID (CONT)
               Salesman. What did Bud and Mary Sue name
               the cat they found in the gutter?

                         HOWARD
               Scout?

                         DAVID
               Marmalade.

     They all nod--and murmur with admiration.

                         DAVID (CONT)
               Okay--here's one: Why did their parents
               come home early from their weekend at
               the lake?

     Everybody thinks.

     Nobody knows.

                         DAVID (CONT)
               'Cause Bud didn't answer the phone and
               they were worried about him.

     It's quiet for a beat.

                         HOWARD
               You're unbelievable. You'll win this
               thing for sure. When is it on?

                         DAVID
               Marathon starts at 6:30. Contest's
               tomorrow at noon.

                         HOWARD
                    (weighing it)
               A thousand dollars ... And it's on all
               night?

                         DAVID
               Of course it is Howard. That's why they
               call it a Marathon.

                                             CUT TO:

     THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE.

     David's sister, Jennifer, hangs out with her friends in the
     parking lot. All the girls are dressed in the exact same
     uniform: Blue jeans, beeper on the belt, white V-neck T
     shirt, car keys in their hand. (Even the girls WITHOUT a car
     hold car keys in their hand). Jennifer is by far the
     prettiest and, thus, is the leader of the group. They all
     look toward the Luncheon Court where David and his friends
     are hanging out.

                         KIMMY
               Omigod, it's so mortifying, being
               related to him. I can't believe you're
               like--

                         JENNIFER
               Only on my parent's side.

                         KIMMY
               I know, but you're like ... twins and
               stuff.
                    (beat)
               You must be from like, the cool side of
               the uterus.

     A group of VERY HIP boys strut through the parking lot. They
     bop up and down with the self-confidence of all cool sixteen
     year olds. The girls freeze when they see them.

                         KIMMY (CONT)
               Omigod, omigod--here they come.

                         CHRISTIN
               Don't do anything. Just don't like--do
               anything ...

                         JENNIFER
                    (cooly)
               Hi Mark.

     DIFFERENT ANGLE.

     He pauses then looks over at her. Jennifer slides sinuously
     off the fender of the car, flicking her hair like a young
     racehorse. She has a perfect 16 year old body and the whole
     parking lot knows it. Mark heads over to her, followed by his
     lackies. The two groups meet at the tail-gate of the Nissan
     Pathfinder like a small summit conference.

                         MARK
                    (to Jennifer)
               Hey.

                         JENNIFER
                    (right back)
               Hey.

     Beat ...

                         MARK'S LACKEYS
                    (to Jennifer's lackies)
               Hey.

                         JENNIFER'S LACKEYS
                    (back to them)
               Hey.         

                         MARK
               Saw you at the mall yesterday.

                         JENNIFER
               Yeah ... Saw you too.

     Everyone nods for a moment or two. No one says anything.

                         JENNIFER (CONT)
               So you watching Pearl Jam on MTV
               tonight?

                         MARK
               Yeah.
                    (beat)

     Jennifer pauses, weighing the next statement.

                         JENNIFER
               My mom'll be out of town.

     Kimmy and Christin positively GASP while Mark's Lackeys
     mumble and glance around. The import of the thing isn't lost
     on anybody. Mark bobs up and down a little faster.

                         MARK
               So uh ... Maybe we could uh ...

                         JENNIFER
                    (smiling)
               Cool.

                         MARK
                    (nodding faster)
               Cool.

                         VARIOUS LACKEYS
               Cool.

     Everybody bobs and shuffles for ?beat, when Mark nods,
     summoning his flock.

                                             CUT TO:

     EXT. WAGNER HOUSE. DUSK.

     lt is a south-westem version of 'Leave it to Beaver.' The
     uniformity of Suburbia has been washed in earth tones. There
     is a red tile roof gracing every home. All the houses have
     the same anemic palm tree. It's a urban planner's version of
     hell.

                         JENNIFER (VO)
               ... I know, I know--He's just like so
               FINE ... I'm still like: 'Omigod.'

     INT. WAGNER HOME.

     lt is just as sleek and impersonal as before. Maybe more so
     at night. Jennifer crosses through the living room with the
     cordless phone attached to her ear.

                         JENNIFER
               It was amazing, Daph ... I'm like:
               'Well my Mom'll be out of town.' And
               he's like 'Well then, maybe we could--
               you know ...' And I'm like 'Yeah, sure.'
               And he's like 'Well, cool.'
                    (beat)
               I know, he's just so smart.
                    (pause ...)
               I don't know. Maybe that black thing I
               just got.
                    (pause ...)
               It is not slutty, Daph, it's cute.
                    (pause ... )
               Well, 'hello?' He's not coming  over
               here to study ...
                    (beat)
               I know. Well I'm jealous of you too
               sometimes.

     INT. DAVID'S BEDROOM.

     lt is studious and academic--not joyless, but not colorful
     either. David stands at his bedroom window, staring outside
     with a cordless phone in his hand.

                         DAVID
               ... He's not homeless Howard, they just
               don't say where he lives.
                    (pause ...)
               Well it's a silly question.
                    (pause ...)
               Because nobody's homeless in
               Pleasantville.

     REVERSE ANGLE. HIS POV.

     His mother loads the final Louis Vuitton bag into her
     Mercedes.

                         DAVID
               ... because that's just not what it's
               like.

     She fires up the car and pulls out of the driveway...

                         DAVID (CONT)
               Listen Howard--it's almost six-thirty.
               I gotta go.

     INT. WAGNER LIVING ROOM.

     The huge black TV sits like a monolith in the middle of the
     room. All at once David comes bounding down the stairs making
     a B-Iine for the couch. Jennifer enters just as quickly from
     the other direction, fiddling with her clothes.

     DIFFERENT ANGLE.

     They hit the coffee table and reach for the remote control at
     exactly the same moment. Both of them freeze then look up at
     each other in shock.

                         JENNIFER
                    (stunned)
               What are you doing?

                         DAVID
               What are you doing?

     Neither one moves. They clutch the remote together.

                         JENNIFER
               David, cut it out. Mark Davis is gonna
               like be here in five minutes.

                         DAVID
               Well great. The Pleasantville Marathon
               starts at six thirty.

                         JENNIFER
               Pleasantville Marathon?

                         DAVID
                    (almost reverently)
               Yeah. Every episode ever.

                         JENNIFER
                    (getting hysterical)
               Omigod, I don't be-lieeeeve this! He's
               gonna like beeeee here!

                         DAVID
               Weil great. You can watch TV upstairs.

                         JENNIFER
               Upstairs! Up-staiiirs! There isn't any
               STEREO!

     Jennifer gets panicked and yanks at the remote. David yanks
     back and before they know it, the remote goes flying out of
     their hands, CRASHING onto the hardwood floor. lt smashes
     into a million tiny pieces.

                         DAVID
                    (breathless)
               Oh my God ...
                    (sinking to his knees/
                    scooping up the remains)
               Oh my God ...

                         JENNIFER
               David, stop stressing, you can like--
               turn it on normally ...

                         DAVID
               No you can't, Jen! It's a new TV. It
               doesn't work without a remote.

     David cradles the pieces like a fallen comrade, when the
     DOORBELL RINGS behind him.

                         JENNIFER
               Oh my God! He's here!

     Jennifer sweeps some of the pieces frantically under the sofa
     and tries to adjust her outfit on the way to the door. David
     just stares in shock at the shattered plastic. Jennifer
     reaches the front door and wets her lips. She fluffs her hair
     quickly, sticks out her chest then swings it open.

     DIFFERENT ANGLE. FRONT DOOR.

     Jennifer steps forward with her sexiest smile, but it isn't
     Mark Davis on the other side. DICK VAN DYKE STANDS ACROSS THE
     THRESHOLD IN A TV REPAIRMAN'S OUTFIT. Jennifer looks at him
     puzzled. He steps forward, flashing her a chipper grin,
     toolbox in hand.

                         DICK VAN DYKE
               TV repair.

                         JENNIFER
                    (beat)
               TV repair?

                         DICK VAN DYKE
               Yeah. TV busted?

                         JENNIFER
                    (pause ...)
               Yeah ...

                         DICK VAN DYKE
                    (smiling wider)
               Well here I am.

     REVERSE ANGLE. DAVID'S POV.

     He glances out the front door toward a weird VAN parked at
     the curb. It says TV REPAIR on the side but looks like
     something from a medicine show. The antenna on top resembles
     a weather vane and the mural beneath it depicts a happy
     family from the 1950s, gathered around their TV set. Everyone
     wears a smile, including the dog. The hand-painted motto
     reads 'Rob's TV Repair--WE'LL FIX YOU FOR GOOD.'

     INT. LIVING ROOM.

     David looks back at Dick Van Dyke who smiles at him, then
     crosses to the living room STEPPING NIMBLY AROUND THE
     OTTOMAN. He heads toward the TV.

                         DICK VAN DYKE
                    (seeing the smashed remote)
               Holy cow. Look at that. Had a little
               disaster didn't ya fella.

                         DAVID
               Yeah ... Sort of ...

                         DICK VAN DYKE
                    (setting down the toolbox)
               We'll get you fixed up in no time.

     He pops the top of the tool box while Jennifer and David just
     stare. It's a strange looking box with the same happy family
     painted on the side. Dick Van Dyke pulls out another remote.

                         DICK VAN DYKE (CONT)
               I know how I'd feel if mine went out.
               Almost like losing a friend.

                         DAVID
                    (tentatively)
               You know, we didn't call any TV repair.

                         DICK VAN DYKE
               Well that makes it a lucky day for both
               of us, hunh?

     Jennifer shuts the door and crosses down toward the living
     room.

                         JENNIFER
               You think you could do this like soon?
               It's almost six thirty.

                         DICK VAN DYKE
               What's the rush?

                         DAVID
                    (cutting her off)
               The Pleasantville Marathon starts at six
               thirty.

     At that moment there is a huge FORK OF LIGHTNING and a
     booming CLAP OF THUNDER. It literally rattles the walls of
     the house as Dick Van Dyke turns toward David.

                         DICK VAN DYKE
               Pleasantville?

     David recoils slightly. Dick Van Dyke flashes him a smile.

                         DICK VAN DYKE (CONT)
               Gosh, I loved that show. Watched it for
               years.

                         JENNIFER
               That's not the reason. I've got a date
               at six thirty.

                         DICK VAN DYKE
                    (ignoring her/
                    leaning closer to David)
               Hey--who did Muff in take to the
               masquerade ball when her date came down
               with the measles?

                         DAVID
                    (stunned)
               ... Her father.

                         DICK VAN DYKE
               Right. And how did she dress him?

                         DAVID
                    (still staring)
               ... Like Prince Charming.

                         DICK VAN DYKE
                &nb