Posted by Idiotic Trivia on February 28, 2001 at 19:08:25:
In Reply to: Top ten lists posted by Luca Brasi on February 28, 2001 at 18:56:09:
Kharn, special on here for you. Only scroll down if you're not of the faint of heart!
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DAVITT (V.O.)
People were always asking me, did I know Kharn.
KHARN has the barrel of a HANDGUN lodged in DAVITT'S MOUTH. They
struggle intensely.
KHARN
We won't really die. We'll be immortal.
DAVITT
oor -- ee-ee --uh -- aa-i --
DAVITT (V.O.)
With a gun barrel between your teeth, you speak only in vowels.
Davitt tongues the barrel to the side of his mouth.
DAVITT (still distorted)
You're thinking of vampires.
Davitt tries to get the gun. Kharn keeps control.
DAVITT (V.O.)
With my tongue, I can feel the silencer holes drilled into the barrel
of the gun. Most of the noise a gunshot makes is expanding gases. I
totally forgot about Kharn's whole murder-suicide thing for a second
and I wondered how clean the gun barrel was.
Kharn checks his watch.
KHARN
Three minutes.
Davitt turns so that he can see down -- 71 STORIES.
PG 2
DAVITT (V.O.)
The building we're standing won't be here in three minutes. You take a
98-percent concentration of fuming nitric acid and add three times as
much sulfuric in a bathtub full of ice. Then, glycerin drop-by-drop.
Nitroglycerin. I know this because Kharn knows this.
Davitt manages to SHOVE Kharn away. Then, he leaps onto him and they
fall onto a table, then roll off onto the floor. The gun falls and
slides. They wrestle with each other, then dash for the gun. Kharn
gets there first and grabs the gun. DURING THE ABOVE:
DAVITT (V.O.)
The Demolitions Committee of Project Mayhem wrapped the foundation
columns of this building with blasting gelatin. The primary charge
will blow the base charge, and this spot Kharn and I are standing on
will be a point in the sky.
Kharn drags Davitt back to the glass wall and forces him to look out at
the city skyline.
KHARN
This is our world now. Two minutes.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Two minutes to go and I'm wondering how I got here.
MOVE IN ON DAVITT'S FACE.
SLOWLY PULL BACK from Davitt's face. It's pressed against TWO LARGE
BREASTS that belong to ... BOB, a big moose of a man, around 35 years
old. Davitt is engulfed by Bob's arms in an embrace. Bob weeps openly.
His shoulders inhale themselves up in a long draw, then drop, drop,
drop in jerking sobs. Davitt gives Bob some squeezes in return, but his
face is stone.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Bob had bitch tits.
PG 3
PULL BACK TO WIDE ON
INT. HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM - NIGHT
All the men are paired off, hugging each other, talking in emotional
tones. Some pairs lean forward, heads pressed ear-to-ear, the way
wrestlers stand, locked. Near the door a temporary sign on a stand:
"REMAINING MEN TOGETHER".
DAVITT (V.O.)
This was a support group for men with testicular cancer. The big
moosie slobbering all over me was Bob.
BOB
I owned my own gym. I did product endorsements.
DAVITT
You were a six-time champion.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Bob, the big cheesebread. Always told me his life story.
BOB
We're still men.
DAVITT
Yes. We're men. Men is what we are.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Bob cried. Six months ago, his testicles were removed. Then hormone
therapy. He developed bitch tits because his testosterone was too high
and his body upped the estrogen. That was where my head fit -- into
his sweating tits that hang enormous, the way we think of God's as big.
Bob hugs tighter, then looks with empathy into Davitt's eyes.
BOB
Maybe it's just seminoma. With seminoma, you have a hundred percent
survival rate.
The Leader steps forward and signals everyone.
LEADER
Okay. Group hug.
PG 4
Everyone converges into a cluster with arms thrown around shoulders,
making a big mass of sobbing, smiling goodwill.
DAVITT (V.O.)
No. Wait. Back up. Let me start earlier.
INT. DAVITT'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Davitt lies in bed, staring at the ceiling. He hears VOICES from beyond
the wall. A FLY buzzes over his face. He swats at it, missing.
DAVITT (V.O.)
For six months. I couldn't sleep.
INT. DOCTOR'S OFFICE - DAY
Davitt, eyes puffy, face pale, sits before the Doctor, who studies him
with bemusement.
DOCTOR
No, you can't die of insomnia.
DAVITT
Maybe I already died. Look at my face.
DOCTOR
You need to lighten up.
DAVITT
Can you give me something?
DAVITT (V.O.)
Little red-and-blue Tuinal, lipstick-red Seconals.
DOCTOR (overlapping w/ above)
You need healthy, natural sleep. Chew valerian root and get more
exercise.
The Doctor ushers Davitt to the door. They step into the
INT. HALLWAY
Where the Doctor starts moving away from Davitt, picking up a chart on a
door.
DAVITT
I'm in pain.
PG 5
DOCTOR (facetious)
You want to see pain? Swing by Meyer High on a Tuesday night and see
the guys with testicular cancer.
The Doctor moves into the other room. Davitt stares after him somberly.
MOVE IN ON DAVITT'S FACE.
PULL BACK TO WIDE ON:
INT. HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM - NIGHT
Davitt stares at a group of men, including Bob, who are all listening to
a group member speak at a lectern. The speaker has death-white skin
and sunken eyes -- he's clearly dying.
SPEAKER
I ... wanted to have three kids. Two boys and a girl. Mindy wanted
two girls and one boy. We never agreed on anything.
The Speaker cracks a sad smile. Some men chuckle, happy to lighten the
mood.
SPEAKER
Well ... she had her first girl a month ago ... with her new husband.
Thank God, because she deserves ...
The speaker breaks down and WEEPS UNCONTROLLABLY. Davitt is riveted. He
barely breathes. CUT TO:
INT. GYM - LATER
A Leader herds people into pairing-off.
LEADER
Find a partner.
Bob starts toward Davitt, shuffling his feet. Davitt watches him, still
moved by his experience, face full of intense empathy.
DAVITT (V.O.)
The big moosie, his eyes already shrink-wrapped in tears. Knees
together, invisible steps.
Bob takes Davitt into an embrace.
DAVITT (V.O.)
He pancaked down on top of me.
PG 6
BOB
Two grown kids ... and they won't return my calls.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Strangers with this kind of honesty make me go a big rubbery one.
Davitt's face is rapt and sincere. Bob stops talking and breaks into
sobbing, putting his head down on Davitt's shoulder and completely
covering Davitt's face.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Then, I was lost in oblivion -- dark and silent and complete.
Davitt's body begins to jerk in sobs. He tightens his arms around Bob.
DAVITT (V.O.)
This was freedom. Losing all hope was freedom.
Davitt pulls back from Bob. On Bob's chest, there's a WET MASK of Davitt's
face from how he looked weeping.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Babies don't sleep this well.
INT. DAVITTS' BEDROOM - NIGHT
Davitt lies sound asleep.
DAVITT (V.O.)
I became addicted.
INT. SMALL PROTESTANT CHURCH - NIGHT
Davitt moves into a "group hug" of sickly people, men and women. In view
is a sign by the door "Free and Clear".
DAVITT (V.O.)
I felt more alive than I've ever felt.
INT. OFFICE BUILDING BASEMENT - NIGHT
Davitt pulls back from a group hug of more sickly people. They pair-off.
Davitt stands with a weeping middle-aged WOMAN. He gingerly takes her in
his arms, pats her back. He begins to cry along with her. In view is
a sign by the door: "Onward and Upward".
PG 7
DAVITT (V.O.)
If I didn't say anything, people assumed the worst. They cried harder.
I cried harder.
INT. CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL - NIGHT
Davitt is in an embrace with a YOUNG MAN. They are both weeping.
DAVITT (V.O.)
I wasn't really dying. I wasn't host to cancer or parasites; no, I was
the warm little center that the life of this world crowded around.
INT. PUBLIC BUILDING CONFERENCE ROOM - NIGHT
Everyone settles in their seats and a Leader takes the microphone.
LEADER
Okay, everyone, close your eyes. Imagine your pain as a white ball of
healing light. Go down your secret path to your cave and join up with
your power animal.
EXT. ENTRANCE OF CAVE (DAVITT'S IMAGINATION)
Davitt walks up to the entrance and out comes a PENGUIN. The penguin
looks at him, smiles.
PENGUIN
Slide.
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
Davitt walks out of a doorway, saying goodbye to people. He walks down
the sidewalk, his face shining with peace.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Every evening I died and every evening I was born. Resurrected.
CUT BACK TO:
PG 8
INT. HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM - *RESUMING*
Davitt still hanging in an embrace with Bob.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Bob loved me because he thought my testicles were removed, too. Being
there, my face against his tits, getting ready to cry -- this was my
vacation.
MARLA SINGER enters. She has short matte black hair and big, dark eyes
like a character from Japanese animation.
MARLA
This is cancer, right?
She raises a cigarette to her lips. The men gape at her, dumbfounded.
DAVITT (V.O.)
And *she* ruined everything.
CUT TO:
INT. HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM - LATER
Everyone paired-off. MOVE THROUGH ROOM and catch snippets of
intimate, painful CONVERSATION.
FIND DAVITT'S FACE as it stares, over Bob's shoulder, eyes full of deep
hostility.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Liar. Faker. Liar.
MOVE THROUGH ROOM, hearing more CONVERSATION.
FIND MARLA'S FACE, over the shoulder of a MAN she's being embraced by,
SMOKING, blowing smoke rings.
DAVITT (V.O.)
This ... chick ... Marla Singer... did not have testicular cancer. She
had no diseases. She was a liar. I saw her at "We Shall Overcome," my
melanoma group Monday night ...
INT. SMALL PROTESTANT CHURCH - NIGHT
Marla sits with the group, smoking, while a member speaks. Davitt glares
at her.
PG 9
INT. CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL - NIGHT
Everyone sits with eyes closed while a speaker takes them through a
meditation. Various COUGHING around the room. Davitt's eyes open and he
glares at Marla. Her eyes are closed and she's smoking a cigarette.
DAVITT (V.O.)
... at "Seize The Day," my tuberculosis group Friday night.
CUT BACK TO:
INT. HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM - RESUMING
Davitt continues to glare at Marla. Her eyes briefly catch his, then
roll. Another puff of the cigarette.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Marla -- the big tourist. The faker. With her there, I was a faker,
too. Her lie reflected my lie. And all of a sudden, I felt nothing.
With her there, I couldn't cry.
INT. DAVITT'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Davitt, fully clothed, lies on top of his bed, holding a cordless phone
to his ear. He stares at the ceiling and swats at a fly.
DAVITT (V.O.)
So, once again, I couldn't sleep.
Davitt hears something on the phone. He sits up.
DAVITT
I've been holding for thirty minutes.
Spread all over the floor by Davitt's feet are INVOICES for CREDIT CARDS.
DAVITT
Yes, that's right. Yes, but I transferred part of my balance to my
Visa to get the lower rate. Oh, wait. No, it wasn't your Visa. Okay,
I transferred all of the MasterCard ... to ... (MORE)
PG 10
DAVITT (CONT'D)
Look, can I just come down in person? I live here -- in Wilmington.
Yes, all my credit cards have main headquarters here. No? Why not?
Why can't I speak to an account rep? No, wait, don't put me on --
Davitt reacts to being put on hold.
INT. BATHROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Davitt sits on the toilet. He digs through a magazine rack. IKEA
catalogues, Pottery Barn catalogues and more of the kind. Davitt opens
an IKEA catalog and flips through it.
DAVITT (V.O.)
I had become a slave to the IKEA nesting instinct. If I saw something
like the clever Njurunda coffee tables in the shape of a lime green Yin
and an orange Yang --
Move in on PHOTO of the tables. CUT TO:
INT. DAVITT'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Completely EMPTY.
DAVITT (V.O.)
I had to have it.
The Njurunda tables APPEAR.
INSERT - PHOTO OF SOFAS
DAVITT (V.O.)
The Haparanda sofa group ...
INT. DAVITT'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
The sofa group APPEARS.
DAVITT (V.O.)
... with the orange slip covers by Erika Pekkari. The Johanneshov
armchair in the Strinne green stripe pattern.
The armchair APPEARS.
PG 11
DAVITT (V.O.)
The Rislampa/Har lamps from wire and environmentally-friendly
unbleached paper.
The lamp APPEARS.
DAVITT (V.O.)
The Vild hall clock of galvanized steel.
The clock APPEARS.
DAVITT (V.O.)
The Klipsk shelving unit.
The shelving unit APPEARS.
INT. BATHROOM - RESUMING
Davitt flips the page of the catalogue to reveal a full-page photo of an
entire kitchen and dining room set.
DAVITT (V.O.)
I would flip and wonder, "What kind of dining room set *defines* me as
a person?"
Davitt drops the catalog down, open to this spread. PAN OVER to the
magazine stack -- there's an old, tattered PLAYBOY.
DAVITT (V.O.)
It used to be Playboys; now -- IKEA.
INT. DAVITT'S KITCHEN AND DINING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
-- Looking exactly like the photo in the catalogue. Davitt walks in with
the cordless phone still glued to his ear.
DAVITT
I want to transfer my balance to get a lower interest rate.
Davitt looks over the whole kitchen, dining room, and the living room
beyond.
DAVITT (V.O.)
The things you own, they end up owning you.
Davitt opens a cabinet, takes out a plate.
PG 12
DAVITT (V.O.)
My hand-blown green glass dishes with the tiny bubbles and
imperfections, proof they were crafted by the honest, simple,
hard-working indigenous peoples of wherever.
He rummages through the refrigerator. It's practically empty. Davitt
takes out a jar of mustard, opens it and uses a butter knife to eat it.
INT. BEDROOM - LATER
Davitt lies on the bed, phone still at his ear.
DAVITT
I want to talk to a live person.
Davitt reacts, listens, impatiently punches a single number; waits,
listens, punches another single number; listens. He rolls over, looks
at one of the bills on the floor and punches an entire credit card
number.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Next support group, after guided meditation, the white healing ball of
light, after we open our chakras, when it comes time to hug, I'm going
to grab that little bitch, Marla Singer, squeeze her arms down against
her sides and say ...
DAVITT
Marla, you liar, you big tourist. Get out.
Davitt yawns, rubs his eyes. They stay wide open. He punches another
number into the phone. He sees a LEVITATING, STEAMING Starbucks paper
coffee cup move from side to side in front of his face.
INT. COPY ROOM - DAY
Davitt stands over a copy machine. The Starbucks cup sits on the lid,
moving back and forth as the machine makes copies.
DAVITT (V.O.)
With insomnia, nothing is real. Everything is far away. Everything is
a copy of a copy of a copy.
Other people make copies, all with Starbucks cups, sipping.
PG 13
INT. OFFICE AREA - DAY
Floor-to-ceiling glass instead of walls. Industrial low-pile gray
carpet. Walls of upholstered plywood. There are four small offices
connected by a hallway to one large office.
INT. DAVITT'S OFFICE - SAME
Davitt, sipping from a Starbucks cup, stares blankly at his Starbucks bag
on the floor, full of newspapers.
DAVITT (V.O.)
When deep space exploitation ramps up, it will be corporations that
name everything. The IBM Stellar Sphere. The Philip Morris Galaxy.
Planet Starbucks.
Davitt looks up as a pudgy MAN in his late thirties, enters. Starbucks
cup in hand, pulls up a chair, and slides a stack of reports on Davitt's
desk. He pats Davitt's back in a superficially-friendly way.
PUDGY MAN
I'm going to need you out-of-town a little more this week. We've got
some "red-flags" to cover.
DAVITT (V.O.)
It must've been Tuesday. My Boss was wearing his cornflower-blue tie.
DAVITT (listless "management-speak")
You want me to de-prioritize my current reports until you advise of a
status upgrade?
PUDGY MAN - "BOSS"
You need to make these your primary "action items".
DAVITT (V.O.)
He was full of pep. Must've had his latte enema.
BOSS
Here's your flight coupons. Call me from the road if there's any
snags. Your itinerary ...
Davitt hides a yawn and pretends to listen.
PG 14
DAVITT (V.O.)
When you have insomnia, you're never really awake and you're never
really asleep, either.
INT. SMALL PROTESTANT CHURCH - NIGHT
Davitt walks in and joins the crowd.
LEADER
Okay, everyone. Chloe.
Davitt catches sight of Marla, scowls at her. Taking the lectern is
CHLOE, a pale, sickly girl whose skin stretches yellowish and tight
around her bones. She wears a head bandage. OVER the beginning of her
SPEECH:
DAVITT (V.O.)
Chloe looked the way Joni Mitchell's skeleton would look if you made it
smile and walk around a party being extra nice to everyone.
CHLOE
My status update is ... I'm still here -- but I don't know for how
long. That's as much certainty as they can give me. I'm in a pretty
lonely place. No one will have sex with me. I'm so close to death and
all I want is to get laid for the last time. I have pornographic
movies in my apartment, and lubricants and amyl nitrate ...
The LEADER hardly knows what to do. He inches his way to the lectern,
and gingerly takes control of the microphone.
LEADER
Thank you, Chloe. Everyone, close your eyes for meditation. Go to
your cave and find your power animal.
EXT. ENTRANCE OF CAVE (DAVITT'S IMAGINATION)
Davitt walks up to the entrance and finds MARLA -- smoking a cigarette
blowing smoke into his face, rolling her eyes in condescension.
MARLA
Slide.
PG 15
INT. CHRUCH - RESUMING
Davitt's eyes snap open and turn to Marla. He glowers, watching her
smoke with her eyes closed.
INT. CHURCH - LATER
The Leader, smiling opens his eyes and looks around the group.
LEADER
Good. Now. Pair off for the one-on-one. Pick someone special to you
tonight.
Everyone stands and mills about, slowly pairing-off. Davitt sees the
ghastly spectre of Chloe coming towards him. He smiles at her. She
smiles back; it takes her some time to amble to him.
CHLOE
Hello, Cornelius.
DAVITT (V.O.)
I never gave my real name at support groups.
CHLOE
I'm showing signs of improvement.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Everyone was always getting better. They never said "parasite"; they
said "agent".
She smiles at him with a twisted, dying mouth. Her eyes eerily bright
with desperation. Davitt's lip trembles as he, in a sincere attempt at
levity, chokes out:
DAVITT
You ... look ... like a pirate.
Chloe laughs, a little too much. Davitt squeezes out a laugh. Then, he
sees Marla, off by herself. Someone is heading for her. Most people
have paired-off. Davitt gives a quick nod to Chloe and darts for Marla,
grabbing her. Chloe watches in sad surprise.
STAY ON DAVITT AND MARLA as he drags her off to the periphery. He
whispers into her ear.
DAVITT
We need to talk.
PG 16
MARLA
O - *kay*. Sure.
DAVITT
You're a faker. You aren't dying. Okay, in the brainy brain-food
philosophy way, we're all dying. But you're not dying the way Chloe is
dying.
LEADER
Tell the other person how you feel.
MARLA
You're not dying, either ...
(reading his nametag)
... *Cornelius*.
LEADER
Share yourself completely.
DAVITT
These are my groups. I found them!
MARLA
I saw you practicing this.
DAVITT
What?
MARLA
-- Telling me off. Is it going as well as you thought it would?
DAVITT
I'll expose you!
MARLA
Go ahead.
MEDIATOR
Let yourself cry.
Marla puts her head down on Davitt's shoulder as if she were crying.
Davitt pulls her head back up. She deadpans at him.
DAVITT
I've put in some serious time on these groups -- I've been coming for a
year.
MARLA
Must've been tough to pull off.
PG 17
DAVITT
Anyone who might've noticed me in that time has either died or
recovered and never come back.
MARLA
Why do you do it?
DAVITT
Why do you?
No answer. The Leader passes right by Davitt and Marla.
LEADER
Open up. share with each other.
DAVITT
... If people think you're dying, they really listen, instead of just
waiting for their turn to speak. Everything else about credit card
debts and sad radio songs and thinning hair goes out the window.
MARLA
It started with a lump. I went to a breast cancer support group. The
lump turned out benign. But I still needed my Monday fix. So, I went
to lymphoma, just to check it out. Dying people are so *alive*.
DAVITT
It becomes an addiction.
MARLA
Yeah ...
Davitt almost smiles, then turns sullen. He pulls back from her.
LEADER
Now, the closing prayer.
DAVITT
Look, I can't go to a group with a faker present.
Marla's mood hardens.
MARLA
Well, I can't either.
LEADER
Oh, bless us and hold us ...
PG 18
DAVITT
We'll split up the week.
Marla starts out of the room. Davitt follows her.
LEADER
... help us and help us.
EXT. CHURCH - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
Marla gets to the sidewalk, moving quickly along.
DAVITT
You can have lymphoma, tuberculosis and --
MARLA
No, you take tuberculosis. My smoking doesn't go over well.
DAVITT
I think testicular cancer should be no contest.
MARLA
You have your balls, don't you? Technically, *I* have more of a right
to be there than you.
DAVITT
You're kidding.
MARLA
I don't know -- am I?
Davitt follows Marla into
INT. LAUNDROMAT - CONTINUOUS
As she walks with authority up to an unwatched DRYER. She takes out
all the clothes, sets them on a table and sorts through them, picking
out jeans, pants and shirts.
MARLA
I'll take the parasites.
DAVITT
You can't have *both* parasites. You take blood parasites and --
MARLA
I want brain parasites.
She opens another dryer and does the same thing again.
PG 19
DAVITT
Okay. I'll take blood parasites and I'll take organic brain dementia
and --
MARLA
I want that.
DAVITT
You can't have the whole brain!
MARLA
So far, you have four and I have two!
DAVITT
Well, then, take blood parasites. Now, we each have three.
Marla gathers up all the chosen garments and heads back for the door.
She whooshes past Davitt.
EXT. SIDEWALK - CONTINUOUS
Davitt follows, bewildered.
DAVITT
You left half your clothes.
HONK! Davitt starts. Marla's led him into the street with traffic
barreling down. She defiantly stomps in front of the cars, which
screech to a halt and blare their horns. Davitt dashes across. Marla
heads into a THRIFT STORE. Davitt follows.
INT. THRIFT STORE - CONTINUOUS
Marla drops all the clothes on a back counter. An old CLERK sifts
through the clothes, marks on a pad.
DAVITT
What are you doing? You're selling those clothes?
Marla steps down hard on Davitt's foot. He jerks, wincing in pain.
MARLA (for the Clerk to hear)
Yes, I'm selling some clothes.
The Clerk starts to ring up the various amounts he's assessed.
PG 20
MARLA
So, we each have three -- that's six. What about the seventh day? I
want ascending bowel cancer.
DAVITT (V.O.)
The girl had done her homework.
DAVITT
*I* want ascending bowel cancer.
The Clerk gives Marla and Davitt a strange look as he hands over money to
Marla.
MARLA
That's your favorite, too? Tried to slip it by me, huh?
DAVITT
We'll split it. You get it the first and third Sunday of the month.
MARLA
Deal.
They shake hands. Davitt starts to withdraw his; Marla holds it.
MARLA
I guess this is goodbye.
DAVITT
Let's not make a big deal out of this.
She walks toward the door. Davitt watches her go.
MARLA (not looking back)
How's this for not making a big deal?
EXT. SIDEWALK - CONTINUOUS
Davitt dashes out and catches up to her.
DAVITT
Uh, Marla. Should we exchange phone numbers?
MARLA
Should we?
DAVITT
In case we want to switch nights.
PG 21
MARLA
Uh-hunh. Sure.
He takes out a business card and a pen. He writes his home number on
the back and hands it to her. She takes his pen, grabs his hand and
writes her number on his palm. She gives him a quick grin, slaps the
pen back into his palm, then saunters out into the middle of the
street, causing more screeching of tires and honking. She turns back,
holding up the card.
MARLA
It doesn't have your name on it. Who are you? Cornelius? Any of the
stupid names you give at group?
Davitt starts to yell, but the traffic noise is too loud. Marla just
shakes her head at him, turns, and keeps moving away. A bus moves into
view and stops, obscuring her.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Marla's philosophy of life, I later found out, was that she could die
at any moment. The tragedy of her life was that she didn't.
INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - DAY
As the plane touches down for landing and the cabin BUMPS, Davitt's eyes
pop open.
DAVITT (V.O.)
You wake up at O'Hare.
INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - DAY
Davitt snaps awake again, looking around, disoriented.
DAVITT (V.O.)
You wake up at SeaTac.
EXT. HIGHWAY - DUSK
The rear end of a car is visible sticking up by the side of the road.
Davitt stands near the car, marking on a document. The SUN SETS behind
him.
INT. AIRPORT - NIGHT
Davitt walks up to a gate counter. An ATTENDANT smiles at him.
ATTENDANT
Check-in for that flight doesn't begin for another two hours, Sir.
PG 22
Davitt looks at his watch, steps away and looks at an overhanging clock.
His eyes are bleary as he reads it, adjusts his watch.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Pacific, Mountain, Central. You lose an hour, you gain an hour. This
is your life, and it's ending one minute at a time.
INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - DAY
Davitt's eyes snap open as the plane LANDS.
DAVITT (V.O.)
You wake up at Air Harbor International.
INT. AIRPORT WALKWAY
Davitt stands on a conveyor belt, briefcase at his feet, moving slowly
with the flow of the belt. His tired eyes watch people on the opposite
conveyor belt, moving past him.
DAVITT (V.O.)
If you wake up at a different time and a different place, can you be a
different person?
Davitt's eyes catch sight of KHARN -- who we recognize from the opening
sequence -- on the opposite conveyor belt. They pass each other.
INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - IN FLIGHT - NIGHT
Davitt sits next to a BUSINESSMAN. As they have idle CONVERSATION, we
MOVE IN ON Davitt's fold-out tray.
An ATTENDANT'S HANDS set coffee down with a small packet of sugar and a
small container of cream.
DAVITT (V.O.)
The charm of traveling is: everywhere I go -- tiny life.
Single-serving sugar, single-serving cream.
CUT TO: The hands place a plastic dinner tray down. Davitt opens the
various containers.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Single-serving butter, single-serving salt. Single-serving cordon
blue.
PG 23
INT. HOTEL ROOM - BATHROOM - NIGHT
Davitt brushes his teeth.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Single-use toothbrush. Single-serving mouthwash, single serving soap.
Davitt picks up an individual, wrapped Q-TIP, looks at it. He moves out
of the bathroom into
MAIN AREA
And sits on the bed. He turns on the television. It's tuned to the
"Sheraton Channel" and shows WAITERS serving people in a large BANQUET
ROOM. Davitt stops brushing his teeth, feels something near him on the
bed, finds it, lifts it. It's a small MINT.
INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - IN FLIGHT - NIGHT
Davitt sits next to a frumpy WOMAN and they chat. Davitt turns to look at
his food and takes a bite. He turns back and it's
-- a BALD MAN sitting next to him, talking. He takes another bite,
turns back and it's
-- a BUSINESSMAN sitting next to him. He takes another bite, turns
back, and it's
-- a BUSINESS WOMAN sitting next to him.
DAVITT (V.O.)
The people I meet on each flight -- they're single-serving *friends*.
Between take-off and landing, we have our time together, then we never
see each other again.
INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - LANDING
Davitt's eyes snap open.
DAVITT (V.O.)
You wake up at Logan.
EXT. CONCRETE LOT - DAY
Surrounded by cinderblock walls. Two TECHNICIANS in uniform lead Davitt
to a WAREHOUSE door. They open it, revealing a BURNT-OUT SHELL of a
WRECKED AUTOMOBILE. They move into the
PG 24
INT. WAREHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
And Davitt sets down his briefcase, opens it, and starts to make notes on
a FORM.
DAVITT (V.O.)
I'm a recall coordinator. My job was to apply the formula. It's
simple arithmetic.
TECHNICIAN #1
Here's where the baby went through the window. Three points.
DAVITT (V.O.)
It's a story problem. A new car built by my company leaves Boston
traveling at 60 miles per hour. The rear differential locks up.
TECHNICIAN #2
The teenager's braces locked around the backseat ashtray. Kind makes a
good "anti-smoking" ad.
DAVITT (V.O.)
The car crashes and burns with everyone trapped inside. Now: do we
initiate a recall?
TECHNICIAN #1
The father must've been obese. See how the fat burned into the
driver's seat, mixed with the dye of his shirt? Kind like modern art.
DAVITT (V.O.)
You take the number of vehicles in the field (A) and multiply it by the
probable rate of failure (B), multiply the result by the average
out-of-court settlement (C). A times B times C equals X. If X is less
than the cost of a recall, we don't do one.
INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - TAKING OFF - NIGHT
Next to Davitt, a chubby, middle-aged LADY gawks at him, appalled.
LADY
... Which ... car company do you work for?
PG 25
DAVITT
A major one.
LADY
Oh.
Davitt turns his attention to the window as the PLANE ASCENDS. The
lady's VOICE FADES. Davitt sees a PELICAN get SUCKED into the TURBINE.
His face remains bland during the following:
The plane BUCKLES -- the cabin wobbles loosely. People begin to panic.
Oxygen masks fall.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Life insurance pays off triple if you die on a business trip.
A forceful IMPACT with the ground and people -- except for Davitt --
LURCH FORWARD, some jerking against their seatbelts, magazines and
other objects fly forward.
DAVITT (V.O.)
No more expense accounts, receipt required for over twenty-five
dollars.
A BALL OF FIRE swoops forward from the rear of the cabin and
INCINERATES EVERYTHING AND EVERYBODY -- except Davitt, who remains in his
same position in his seat, with the bland expression.
DAVITT (V.O.)
No more haircuts. Nothing matters, not even bad breath.
DING! -- the seatbelt light goes OUT.
*EVERYTHING IS NORMAL*.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Always the same fantasy. But -- no such luck.
Davitt's eyes are closed. He seems asleep. From next to him, a VOICE
we've heard before.
VOICE
There are three ways to make napalm. One, mix equal parts of gasoline
and frozen orange juice.
PG 26
Davitt's eyes snap open and he turns to see *Kharn*, who is staring out
the window. Without turning to Davitt, he continues:
KHARN
Two, mix equal parts of gasoline and diet cola. Three, dissolve
crumbled cat litter in gasoline until the mixture is thick.
Davitt's smile fades. Kharn turns to him and grins. He reaches down
under the seat in front of him and pulls up a briefcase. Davitt looks at
it with trepidation.
DAVITT (V.O.)
This is how I met --
Kharn offers his hand, Davitt takes it and Kharn squeezes firmly and
shakes hands.
KHARN
Kharn. You know why they have oxygen masks on planes?
DAVITT
Supply oxygen?
KHARN
That's a sharp answer. The oxygen gets you high. You're taking in
giant, panicked breaths and, suddenly, you become euphoric and docile,
and you accept your fate.
Kharn grabs a safety instruction card from the seat pocket and shows
Davitt the passive faces on the drawn figures. Kharn imitates the face.
Davitt laughs; he is completely beguiled.
DAVITT
What do you do, Kharn?
KHARN
What do you want me to do?
DAVITT
I mean -- for a living.
KHARN
Why? So you can say, "Oh, *that's* what you do." -- And be a smug
little shit about it?
Davitt laughs. He points to his own briefcase, under the seat in front
of him.
PG 27
DAVITT
We have the same briefcase.
Kharn pops the latches on his briefcase. A beat, while Davitt's
expression turns nervous again about what's inside. Kharn swings the
lid up, revealing a full bounty of quaintly-wrapped bars of soap.
KHARN
I make and sell soap.
He gives Davitt one. Davitt takes it, looks it over.
KHARN
If you add nitric acid to the soap-making process, you get
nitroglycerin. With enough soap, you could blow up the world.
Davitt now looks at the bar of soap nervously. He looks at Kharn, slowly
smiles and shakes his head.
Kharn takes out a blank BOARDING PASS. He takes out a small stencil,
scrapes a pencil over it, creating a seat number which looks printed.
Then, he takes out a stamp and ink pad. He stamps the pass.
DAVITT
Uh ... why are you going to Wilmington?
KHARN
I live there.
DAVITT
Me, too.
Kharn shuts his briefcase and stands.
KHARN
Excuse me.
Davitt stands, allowing Kharn to pass into the aisle.
DAVITT
So, uh ... we should hook up sometime.
Davitt hands Kharn a business card. Kharn snatches it, writes down a
number, hands it back to Davitt.
DAVITT
Kharn, you're by far the most interesting "single-serving" friend I've
ever met.
PG 28
A beat as Kharn stares at him, deadpan. Davitt, enjoying his own chance
to be witty, leans a bit closer to Kharn.
DAVITT
You see, when you travel, everything is --
KHARN
I grasp the concept. You're very clever.
DAVITT
Thank you.
KHARN
How's that working out for you? -- Being clever.
DAVITT (thrown off)
Well, uh ... uh ... great.
KHARN
Keep it up, then. Keep it right up.
Davitt sits and watches Kharn walk up to the curtain dividing First
Class. Kharn show the bogus boarding pass to an ATTENDANT, who leads
him through the curtain.
INT. BAGGAGE CLAIM AREA - WILMINGTON - NIGHT
Utterly empty of baggage, and, except for Davitt and a SECURITY TASK
FORCE MAN, utterly empty of people; quiet. The Security TFM, smirking,
holds a receiver to his ear from an official phone on the wall.
SECURITY TFM (to Davitt)
Throwers don't worry about ticking. Modern bombs don't tick.
DAVITT
Throwers?
SECURITY TFM
Baggage handlers. But when a suitcase vibrates, the throwers have to
call the police.
DAVITT
My suitcase was *vibrating*?
PG 29
SECURITY TFM
Nine times out of ten, it's an electric razor. One out of ten, it's a
dildo. Sometimes it's even a *man*. It's airline policy not to imply
ownership in the event of a dildo. We gotta use the indefinite
article: "*A* dildo". Never "*Your* dildo".
DAVITT (V.O.)
I had everything in that bag. Six white shirts, two black trousers,
six pair underwear, alarm clock, contact lens stuff, and ... cordless
electric razor.
SECURITY TFM (into phone)
Yeah? Oh, fuck, now a recording.
The Security TFM punches a few code numbers into the phone, waits. CUT
TO:
EXT. EMPTY RUNWAY - NIGHT
A solitary SUITCASE sits on the concrete.
KABOM! The suitcase explodes. CUT TO:
INT. BAGGAGE CLAIM AREA - RESUMING
The Security TFM still on hold, entertains Davitt.
SECURITY TFM (to Davitt)
You know the industry slang for "flight attendant"? "Air Mattress".
(into phone)
Yeah? Really?
The Security TFM, turns to Davitt, shakes his head, hangs up the phone;
shrugs.
EXT. AIRPORT DRIVE - MOMENTS LATER
Davitt waits by the curb as a TAXI approaches.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Things could be worse. A spider could lay eggs under the skin in your
face and the larva could tunnel around and baby spiders could burst
from your nostrils.
PG 30
INT. TAXI - MOVING - NIGHT
Along a residential street. Davitt looks ahead, sees a tall grey, bland
building on the corner.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Home was a condo on the fifteenth floor of a filing cabinet for widows
and young professionals.
The taxi approaches the intersection.
DAVITT (V.O.)
The walls were solid concrete. A foot of concrete is important when
your next-door neighbor lets her hearing aid go and has to watch game
shows at full blast ...
The taxi turns a corner and Davitt sees the front of the building. A
diffuse CLOUD of SMOKE wafts away from a BLOWN-OUT SECTION on the
fifteenth floor. FIRETRUCKS, POLICECARS and a MOB are all crowded
around the lobby area.
DAVITT (V.O.)
-- Or when a volcanic blast of burning gas and debris that used to be
your furniture and personal effects blows out your floor-to-ceiling
window and sails down flaming to leave just your condo -- only yours --
a gutted, charred concrete hole in the cliffside of the building.
EXT. STREET IN FRONT OF BUILDING
Davitt, gaping at the sight above him, absently gives the Cabbie money.
The taxi pulls away. Davitt stands frozen.
DAVITT (V.O.)
These things happen.
Davitt starts toward the building. He enters the fray of people, pushes
through to the lobby. The DOORMAN sees him, gives a sad smile, shakes
his head. Davitt starts for the elevator.
DOORMAN
There's nothing up there.
Davitt presses the button; waits. The Doorman moves next to him.
PG 31
DOORMAN
You can't go into the unit. Police orders. They're investigating for
arson.
The elevator doors open. Davitt hesitates. The doors close.
DOORMAN
Do you have someone you can call?
Davitt heads back for the lobby doors. The Doorman follows.
EXT. CONDO BUILDING - CONTINUOUS
Davitt walks past SMOKING, CHARRED DEBRIS -- a flash of ORANGE from the
Yang table, a CLOCK FACE from the hall clock, part of an arm from the
GREEN ARMCHAIR. His feet CRUNCH glass. He gets to a payphone. The
Doorman stays right with him, watching him. CUT TO:
CLOSE SHOT - DAVITT'S STOVE
Hissing.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Later, the police told me someone could've turned the pilot light off,
turned a burner on.
EXT. PAYPHONE - RESUMING
Davitt picks up the receiver, stares at the numbers on the phone.
DOORMAN
A lot of young people try to impress the world and buy too many things.
CLOSE SHOT - DAVITT'S ENTIRE CONDO - KITCHEN AND LIVING ROOM
Sound of the HISS.
DAVITT (V.O.)
The gas then could have slowly filled the condo from floor to ceiling
in every room. Seventeen-hundred square feet with high ceilings for
days and days.
PG 32
EXT. PAYPHONE - RESUMING
Davitt's fingers move over the numbers lightly, as he thinks.
DOORMAN
A lot of young people don't know what they really want.
INSERT - CLOSE ON BASE OF DAVITT'S REFRIGERATOR
DAVITT (V.O.)
Then, the refrigerator's compressor clicked on.
Click. KABLAM! SCREEN GOES WHITE.
EXT. PAYPHONE - RESUMING
Davitt digs into his pocket, pulls out his business card, turns it over
-- sees the number Kharn wrote. He dials it. Its rings ... and rings.
He waits.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Kharn. Rescue me.
DOORMAN
Young people think they want the whole world.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Deliver me from Swedish furniture. Deliver me from clever art.
DOORMAN
If you don't know what you want, you end up with a lot you don't.
DAVITT (V.O.)
May I never be content. May I never be complete. May I never be
perfect. Deliver me.
Davitt sighs and hands up the phone. He starts to push past the Doorman
when the phone RINGS. Davitt grabs it.
DAVITT
Hello?
KHARN'S VOICE
Who's this?
DAVITT
Kharn?
PG 33
EXT. LOU'S TAVERN - NIGHT
A small building, sitting squarely in the middle of a large concrete
parking lot. A few street lamps illuminate the lot. a freeway runs
nearby.
INT. LOU'S TAVERN - SAME
Davitt and Kharn sit at a table in the very back of the room. A
half-empty pitcher of beer shows dried foam scum from the previous
refill.
Five DRUNKEN GUYS at a table at the opposite side of the bar keep
glancing over and chuckling in a potentially hostile manner.
KHARN
You buy furniture. You tell yourself, this is the last sofa you'll
ever need in your life; no matter what else goes wrong, you've got the
sofa issue handled. Then the right set of dishes. Then the right bed.
The drapes. The rug. This is how you're good to yourself. This is
how you fill up your life.
DAVITT
I ... guess so.
KHARN
And now your condo blows up and you have nothing.
DAVITT
I ... guess so.
KHARN
And now you find yourself, sitting here, feeling like it's the best
thing that ever happened to you.
DAVITT
... yeah.
KHARN
I don't know you, so maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it's a terrible fucking
tragedy.
DAVITT
... no.
PG 34
KHARN
I mean, you lost a lot of nice, perfect, neat little shit.
DAVITT
Fuck it all.
KHARN
Wow. That's pretty strong.
DAVITT
... yeah.
KHARN
Do you have family you can call?
DAVITT
My mother would just go into hysterics. My Dad ... Don't know where
he is. Only knew him for six years. Then, he ran off to a new city
and married another woman and had more kids. Every six years -- new
city, new family. He was setting up franchises.
Kharn smiles, snorts, shakes his head.
KHARN
A generation of men raised by women. Look what it's done to you.
DAVITT
To me?
KHARN
We're on our third pitcher of beer and you still can't ask me.
DAVITT
Huh?
KHARN
Why don't you cut the shit and ask me if you can stay at my place?
DAVITT
Well ... uh ...
KHARN
Why don't you cut the shit and ask me if you can stay at my place?
DAVITT
Would that be a problem?
PG 35
KHARN
Is it a problem for you to ask me?
DAVITT
Can I stay at your place?
KHARN
Yeah.
DAVITT
Thanks.
KHARN
-- If you do me one favor.
DAVITT
What's that?
KHARN
I want you to hit me as hard as you can.
*FREEZE PICTURE*
DAVITT (V.O.)
Let me tell you a little bit about Kharn.
EXTREME CLOSE-UP - FILM FRAME
--And we can see it's a PENIS.
INT. PROJECTIONIST ROOM - THEATRE - NIGHT
Davitt, in the foreground, FACES CAMERA. In the BACKGROUND, Kharn sits
at a bench, looking at individual FRAMES that have been cut out of
movies. Near him, the PROJECTOR rolls a film.
DAVITT
Kharn works some nights as a projectionist. A film doesn't come in one
big reel ...
Kharn speaks to Davitt normally, not to the camera.
KHARN
In an old theatre, two projectors are used. I have to change
projectors at the exact second so the audience never sees the break
when one reel starts and one reel runs out. You can see two dots on
screen at the end of a reel -- this is the warning.
PG 36
DAVITT
He splices single frames of genitalia from porno movies into family
films.
KHARN
One-twenty-forth of a second. That's how long the penis flashes up
there. Towering, slippery, red and terrible, and no one knows they've
seen it.
Davitt and Kharn watch the audience of PARENTS and CHILDREN as an ANIMAL
adventure MOVIE plays. Suddenly, children start becoming uncomfortable
and squirming. Some start CRYING. Some THROW UP.
DAVITT
Kharn also worked as a ...
INT. LARGE BANQUET HALL - NIGHT
Kharn moves the cart around one of many tables, ladling out soup.
Davitt stands in the same position. FACING CAMERA.
DAVITT
... banquet waiter at the luxurious Pressman Hotel.
The GUESTS are dressed in resplendent clothes, reeking of wealth and
privilege. They command the WAITERS with snaps of the finger.
Complaints pop like gunshots. The stiff-necked CATERING MANAGER
contemptuously hawk-eyes the waiters. It's hellish.
INT. SERVICE ELEVATOR - NIGHT
Davitt turns and WE PAN to Kharn, standing by a CART with a giant SOUP
TUREEN and bowls. His hands are at his open fly and he's in position
to piss into the soup.
KHARN
Don't watch. I can't if you watch me.
CAMERA PANS to original position as Davitt continues TO CAMERA.
DAVITT
He was a guerrilla terrorist of the food service industry.
KHARN (O.S.)
Shit. I can't go.
PG 37
After a beat, the sound of WATER SPLASHING the floor. Davitt peeks and
sees Kharn pouring out a water glass with one hand, the other hand at
his crotch.
KHARN
... Oh, yeah. *Oh*, yeah.
Davitt turns back TO CAMERA.
DAVITT
He farted on creme brulee; he sneezed on braised endive; and, with
creme of mushroom soup, he ... he ...
KHARN (O.S.)
Go ahead. Say it.
DAVITT
Well, you get the idea.
EXT. PARKING LOT OF TAVERN - RESUMING
Kharn and Davitt come out of the bar; Davitt shakes his head.
DAVITT
What?
KHARN
Hit me as hard as you can.
Kharn leads Davitt into an open area, lit by a streetlamp.
DAVITT
I don't know about this, Kharn.
KHARN
I don't know either. I want to find out. We're virgins. Neither one
of us has ever been hit.
DAVITT
You've never been in a fight?
KHARN
I didn't say that. I said I've never been hit.
DAVITT
That's good, isnt' it?
KHARN
Listen to me -- hit me. You're the only one I ever asked.
PG 38
DAVITT
Me?
Davitt stares at him. The five drunken GUYS -- the same ones who stared
at them earlier -- have formed a distant perimeter, sensing a fight.
Davitt glances at them, then back at Kharn.
DAVITT
I've ... never hit anyone in my life.
KHARN
Go crazy. Let it rip.
DAVITT
Where do you want it? In the face or the stomach?
KHARN
Surprise me.
Davitt swings a wide, clumsy roundhouse that connects with Kharn's neck.
It makes a dull, soft flat sound. Kharn's neck turns red.
DAVITT
Shit. Sorry. That didn't count. Let me try again.
KHARN
Like hell. That counted.
Kharn shoots out a straight punch to Davitt's chest. The impact makes a
dull, barely-audible sound and Davitt falls back against a car. The Guys
whoop and clap, moving closer. Davitt's eyes involuntarily well up with
tears. He and Kharn breathe HEAVILY and sprout BEADS of SWEAT on their
faces.
KHARN
How do you feel?
DAVITT
Strange.
KHARN
But a *good* strange.
DAVITT
Is it?
KHARN
We've crossed the threshold.
PG 39
DAVITT
... I guess so.
KHARN
You want to call it off?
DAVITT
Call what off?
KHARN
The fight.
DAVITT
*What* fight?
KHARN
I'm tired of watching only professionals. I don't want to die without
any scars. How much can you really know about yourself if you never go
at it, one-on-one?
DAVITT
Kharn ...
KHARN
Are you a pussy?
Davitt swings another roundhouse that slams right under Kharn's ear. The
sound, soft and flat. Kharn punches Davitt in the stomach. The Guys
move closer, cheering the fight. Kharn and Davitt move clumsily,
throwing punches. They breathe heavier, their eyes red and bright.
They drool saliva and blood. They each hurt badly and become dizzier
from every impact.
DAVITT (V.O.)
If you've never been in a fight, you wonder about getting hurt, about
what you're capable of doing against another man.
Kharn and Davitt keep fighting. The guys mix laughter with their cheers,
looking at each other in wondrous amusement.
EXT. CURBSIDE - LATER
Davitt and Kharn sit on the curb, staring at the sparse headlights on the
nearby freeway. Their eyes are glazed with endorphin-induced serenity.
They look at each other. Laugh. Look away.
KHARN
What were you fighting?
PG 40
DAVITT
My job. My boss, who fiddles with my DOS execute commands. Marla, at
my support groups. Everything that's broken and doesn't work in my
life. What were you fighting?
KHARN
My father.
A pause as Davitt studies Kharn's face.
DAVITT
We should do this again sometime.
Kharn cracks a smile, gives a sidelong glance to Davitt, then returns his
stare to the night sky.
EXT. PAPER STREET - NIGHT
A street sign: "PAPER STREET". An abandoned PAPER MILL sits on one
side and only ONE HOUSE on the other, the rest of the land being
undeveloped grass and weeds. It's an old, grand, three-story gone to
seed. It looks abandoned, too.
INT. PAPER ST. HOUSE - LIVING ROOM -SAME
Kharn leads Davitt up a staircase to a 2ND FLOOR LANDING, then opens the
door to a room.
INT. ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Davitt steps into the room, sits down on the old bed. It CREAKS. Dust
drifts upward.
DAVITT (V.O.)
I don't know how Kharn found the house. He'd been there for half a
year. It was waiting for re-zoning or something.
CUT TO:
EXT. LOU'S TAVERN PARKING LOT - NIGHT
LONG SHOT - ZOOMING OUT - A group of SIX GUYS watching TWO GUYS in a
fist fight. CUT TO:
INT. PAPER ST. HOUSE - KITCHEN - MORNING
Davitt, his face showing new bruises and cuts, his knuckles puffy, shoos
away cockroaches as he makes coffee with a wire-mesh strainer. He has
a happy little smile.
PG 41
DAVITT (V.O.)
Nothing worked. The rusty plumbing leaked. Turning on a light meant
that another light in the house went out. The stairs were ready to
collapse.
CUT TO:
EXT. CONVENIENCE STORE PARKING LOT - NIGHT
LONG SHOT - ZOOMING OUT - Resuming from previous shot, getting further
away, but now with TEN GUYS around two guys fighting. CUT TO:
INT. SHOWER - MORNING
Davitt, showing some new bruises, with even fatter knuckles, turns on the
water. LOUD VIBRATION from the walls. Water spits in starts, then
dribbles out. CUT TO:
INT. KITCHEN - MORNING
Kharn, in a nice suit, checks over the bars of soap in his briefcase,
then shuts it. Davitt walks in, dressed in his work clothes. He picks
up a battered old saucepan with boiling coal-black coffee and sips. He
offers it to Kharn, who sips. Davitt pulls a TOOTH out of his mouth and
throws it into the sink. They both walk out the door.
EXT. CINEMA PARKING LOT - NIGHT
LONG SHOT - ZOOMING OUT - Resuming from previous shot, getting further
away, but now with FOURTEEN GUYS around a fight. CUT TO:
EXT. PORCH - NIGHT
Kharn, in his waiter uniform, sits next to Davitt on the lip of the
porch. They both have newer, different bruises and cuts, sit and
guzzle beer. THUNDERCLAPS. RAIN begins to fall. Kharn gets to his
feet.
INT. BASEMENT - SAME
Kharn and Davitt are knee-deep in water, standing by a FUSEBOX. Kharn
opens it. He grabs two breaker switches, waits for Davitt. Davitt grabs
two other switches, apparently, they have to do this in a certain
order. Kharn flips his switches, then Davitt flips his. CUT TO:
EXT. CONSTRUCTION AREA - NIGHT
LONG SHOT - ZOOMING OUT - Resuming from previous shot, getting further
away, but now with EIGHTEEN GUYS around a fight. CUT TO:
PG 42
INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Rain DRIPS from the ceiling -- some of it from LIGHT FIXTURES. Kharn
and Davitt enter with LIT CANDLES. They sit down on the decrepit,
buckled wood floor. There's not one item of furniture in the room.
There are, however, THOUSANDS of MAGAZINES.
DAVITT (V.O.)
The previous occupant collected magazines.
They each pick up an opened magazine and resume reading, adjusting
close to the candles.
Kharn lies down next to him, setting his candle next to Davitt's. Kharn
picks up a magazine.
KHARN
What are your reading?
DAVITT
"I Am Joe's Lungs". It's written in first person. "Without me, Joe
could not take in oxygen to feed his red blood cells".
KHARN
Sounds fascinating.
DAVITT
It's a whole series -- "I Am Joe's Prostate".
KHARN
"I get cancer, and I kill Joe".
DAVITT
What are you reading?
KHARN
Soldier of Fortune, National Geographic. New Republic. Forbes.
DAVITT
Show-off.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Every Wednesday night, after fighting like wild animals, we were too
wired to go to sleep.
PG 43
INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
In near DARKNESS as a SLIDE SHOW progresses, run by a chipper salesman,
WALTER. Davitt sits, deadpan, with a PUFFY LIP and a BRUISE on his
cheek.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Thursday morning, my Boss didn't know what to think.
Boss blocks him from the rest of the room, gives him a dubious look,
turns back to Walter.
DAVITT (V.O.)
And all I could do was think about next week.
Walter advances to the next slide, showing a view of a COMPUTER SCREEN.
WALTER
The basic premise of microsofting your office is -- make things more
efficient.
As Walter continues, his sales pitched gets drowned out by Davitt's
narration:
DAVITT (V.O.)
Walter, the Microsoft account exec, smiled at me with his steam shovel
jaw. Walter, with his smooth, soft hands. Here he was, doing his cute
little show. Maybe thinking about a free-range potluck he'd been to
last weekend, but probably not.
Walter moves to Davitt and slaps his shoulder.
WALTER
I showed this already to my man here. You liked it, didn't you?
Slowly, Davitt smiles. His teeth are RED with BLOOD. They GLOW eerily
in the dim light.
DAVITT (V.O.)
You can swallow a pint of blood before you get sick.
WALTER
Jeez, I'd hate to see what happened to the other guy.
Davitt keeps the smile frozen on his face.
PG 44
DAVITT (V.O.)
Fuck Walter. His candy ass wouldn't last a second in fight club.
EXT. LOU'S TAVERN - NIGHT
Out of silent darkness, HEADLIGHTS appear from all directions. A
synchronous WAVE of cars PULLS UP and parks in the already-filled lot.
Young men get out of the arriving cars and wander into the tavern. We
recognize, among them, the GUYS who watched Kharn and Davitt's *first
fight*.
INT. LOU'S TAVERN - SAME
The men enter; the bartender, IRVINE, calls out:
IRVINE
Drink up people. We're closing. Let's go.
The crowd consists of men and women YUPPIES: blue collar REGULARS
dressed in work clothes or like cowboys; floozy barfly WOMEN. MUSIC
plays from the jukebox.
The arriving men simply wait. And wait. Kharn and Davitt enter. They,
too, stand back against he wall.
The waiting army begins to share secret looks and grins. A certain
level of eagerness can be seen among them.
Irvine looks at Davitt and grins. He flips on LIGHTS. The drunken
customers squint and get the message. They gulp down their drinks,
plop down money and filter out the door. Irvine hits a button and the
jukebox loses power -- the record simply turns slower until it stops
revolving.
Finally, the last of the irritated customers leaves. One guy locks the
door. Two other guys pull down blinds. Someone else moves over to the
BASEMENT DOOR and opens it.
INT. BASEMENT STEPS - MOMENTS LATER
The grinning men march down steps; CHATTER begins.
TALL GUY
I brought my roommate tonight. Phil.
FAT GUY
Oh, yeah? Hi, Phil.
TALL GUY
He kept seeing what I looked like. Had to check it out.
PG 45
INT. TAVERN BASEMENT - SAME
A BOMB-SHELTER -- concrete floor, concrete walls. One BARE LIGHT BULB
hangs by a wire from the ceiling. Kharn nods to Davitt and Davitt turns on
the light. The guys mill around, finding partners. The whole mood is
very friendly. Everyone brims with eagerness, but tries to act cool
about it. CHATTER gets LOUDER.
FAT GUY
A mean uppercut.
WIRY GUY
I gotta work on my left.
SHORT GUY
*He's* got a left.
FAT GUY
Hey, you're wiping the floor with dudes who are way out of your weight
class.
TALL GUY (slapping Wiry Guy's shoulder)
Skinny guys. They fight till they're burger.
PEAKING CHATTER, then -- Kharn moves into position directly under the
light bulb. His face is partially in shadow.
Everyone spreads out, forming a circle, the light bulb for a center.
Kharn's will WIPES through the room and the CHATTER DIES. A couple of
COUGHS, FEET SHUFFLING. Then, SILENCE.
KHARN
The first rule of fight club is -- you don't talk about fight club.
The second rule of fight club is -- you don't talk about fight club.
Davitt glances over at a short guy, RICKY, with a BLACK EYE.
DAVITT (V.O.)
This kid, Ricky -- supply clerk -- he can't remember whether you
ordered pens with blue ink or black ink ...
KHARN
The third rule in fight club is -- when someone says "stop" or goes
limp, the fight is over. The fourth rule is -- only two guys to a
fight.
PG 46
DAVITT (V.O.)
But Ricky was a god for ten minutes when he trounced an actuary twice
his size.
KHARN
Fifth rule -- one fight at a time. Sixth rule -- no shirts or shoes.
Seventh rule -- fights go on as long as they have to. And the eighth
rule of fight club is -- if this is your first night, you *have* to
fight.
Kharn steps back, and a FAT MAN and a GOATEED MAN take off their shirts
and shoes and step into the center. They circle each other, then begin
throwing punches. SWEAT flies into the moist air. SHOUTS become
DEAFENING.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Sometimes you could hear flat, hard packing sounds over all the yelling
as someone caught his breath and sprayed:
GOATEED MAN
Ssstop.
INT. OFFICE PARK RESTAURANT - DAY
Davitt, eating lunch, is served a refill soda by the BROKEN-NOSED WAITER
with a GOATEE, the man from the above fight.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Even if I could tell someone they had a good fight, I wouldn't be
talking to the same man. Who you were in fight club is not who you
were in the rest of your world. You weren't alive anywhere like you
were alive at fight club. But fight club only exists in the hours
between when fight club starts and when fight club ends.
INT. DAVITT'S OFFICE - DAY
Boss, passing by the doorway, looks in at Davitt with irritated wonder.
Davitt, playing solitaire on his computer, daubs blood from his mouth
with a handkerchief.
BOSS
What are you getting yourself into every week?
PG 47
Davitt flashes a smile at Boss. Boss shakes his head, walks away.
DAVITT (V.O.)
After a night in fight club, everything else in your life gets the
volume turned down. You can deal with anything. All the people who
used to have power over you have less and less.
Reflexively, Davitt's tongue plays with his teeth.
DAVITT (V.O.)
By this point, I could wiggle most of the teeth in my jaw.
INT. BUS - DAY
Davitt stands, holding a hand grip. An arrogant MAN in a three-piece
suit brushes past him, knockng his shoulder.
DAVITT (V.O.)
We all started to size people up.
Davitt violently knocks the Man's shoulder in return. The Man turns and
he and Davitt face each other for a brief moment. Davitt's face is stone.
DAVITT (V.O.)
I'd look at some asshole and *know* I could beat him.
The arrogant Man continues down the aisle. Davitt notices a GUY with
SMASHED LIP. The Guy grins, giving a slight nod.
INT. PARKING GARAGE - DAY (FLASHBACK)
Davitt walks past the parking garage. He sees a VALET who has facial
bruises.
DAVITT (V.O.)
We were all doing it.
The Valet and Davitt share a quick smile. A BMW pulls up and HONKS at
the Bruised Valet. The bruised Valet has no reaction as a FAT EXEC gets
out of his car and tosses the keys. Davitt watches the Bruised Valet
size up the Exec, then hop into the car and loudly PEEL OUT.
PG 48
DAVITT (V.O.)
I would see them all the time -- fight club members looking at other
guys, knowing they could kick their asses.
INT. TAVERN BASEMENT - NIGHT
Davitt lands a couple of jabs to HIS OPPONENT'S stomach, then brings up a
left uppercut that smashes the Opponent's jaw. Tiny spatters of BLOOD
adorn the walls, along with sweat.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Fight club was not about winning or losing. It wasn't about words.
The Opponent recovers, throws a headlock on Davitt. Davitt snakes his arm
into a counter headlock. They, wrestling like wild animals. The crowd
CHEERS maniacally.
DAVITT (V.O.)
The hysterical shouting was in tongues, like at a Pentecostal church.
The onlookers kneel to stay with the fight, cheering ever louder. The
Opponent smashes Davitt's head into the floor, over and over.
DAVITT
Stop.
Everyone moves in as the Opponent steps away. They lift Davitt to his
feet. On the floor is a BLOOD MASK of Davitt's face -- similar to his
TEAR MASK on BOB'S SHIRT, seen earlier. Kharn pushes through the
crowd.
KHARN
Cool.
EXT. BAR - NIGHT
Everyone files out of the bar, sweating, bleeding, smiling.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Afterwards, we all felt saved.
PG 49
EXT. SIDEWALK - NIGHT
Davitt and Kharn walk through the pools of light cast by streetlamps.
They both drip blood and sport bruises. They each carry a 4x4 piece of
WOOD. As they pass parked cars, they SLAM the sticks against the front
bumpers, setting off the ALARMS and causing the AIR BAGS to INFLATE.
They come to a bus stop that has a large display ad for jeans. It has
a photo of a shirtless man.
KHARN
Is that what a man looks like?
DAVITT
Isn't it?
Kharn smears blood on the ad. They continue on their way. Kharn comes
to a "ROAD WORK" sign. Kharn kicks it into a deep HOLE. He and Davitt
tightrope-walk on wooden beams over darkness.
KHARN
Guys packing into the gyms, all trying to look like what Calvin Klein
says. Fight club isn't about looking good.
As they step back onto solid pavement, Kharn kicks one of the beams,
causing it to come loose and fall. The whole temporary work structure
falls into the hole. Kharn and Davitt continue walking. IN the
background, a car SKIDS and FISHTAILS, avoiding the hole.
Sound of a SIREN getting closer. Kharn hands Davitt the 4x4 and runs,
laughing. Davitt stands there a moment, then throws the stick and runs
after Kharn.
DAVITT (V.O.)
A guy comes to fight club for the first time, and his ass is a wad of
cookie dough. After a few weeks, he looks carved out of wood. He
trusts himself to handle anything.
EXT. ANOTHER STREET - CONTINUOUS
Davitt and Kharn, panting, sweat mixing with blood, slow down and resume
walking. Kharn pulls his fingers, popping them -- his knuckles are
swollen. He grins at the pain.
KHARN
Self-improvement is masturbaation. Self-destruction is the answer.
PG 50
INT. PAPER ST. HOUSE - KITCHEN - LATE AFTERNOON
The PHONE RINGS. Davitt enters from the living room, buttoning his
shirt. He answers.
DAVITT
Hello?
INTERCUT WITH
INT. MARLA'S ROOM - SAME
She lies on the bed, twisting the phone cord around her neck like a
noose.
MARLA
Where have you been the last few weeks?
DAVITT
Marla?
MARLA
I haven't seen you at any support groups.
DAVITT
That's the idea -- we split them.
MARLA
You haven't been going to yours.
DAVITT
I found a new one.
MARLA
Really? Can I go to it?
DAVITT
It's for men.
MARLA
Like testicular cancer?
DAVITT
Like that. Look, this is a bad time.
MARLA
I started going to debtor's anonymous. You want to see *really* fucked
up people?
DAVITT
Look, I'm going out ...
PG 51
MARLA
I'm going out of my mind. I got a stomach full of Xanax. I took what
was left of the bottle. Might've been too much ... probably was.
Davitt turns TO CAMERA.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Picture yourself watching Marla throw herself around her crummy
apartment, saying, "I'm dying. Dying. Dying. It could go on for
hours.
DAVITT
You probably want to die in peace. I'll let you go.
MARLA
Stay on the line. I want you to hear me describe death.
Davitt puts the handset on top of the phone, still off the hook, and
walks out of the kitchen.
MARLA'S VOICE
I want to see if my spirit can use the telephone.
INT. BEDROOM - LATE NIGHT
GRUNTS of PLEASURE and EXERTION. In dim light, we get glimpses of
TORSOS, ASSES, LEGS, ARMS, BREASTS, and BLACK FEMALE HAIR -- all
DRENECHED in SWEAT. Sheets RIP. CA-CHUNK! CA-CHUNK! Bodies hit the
FLOOR and roll. More insane GRUNTING. And LAUGHING -- CACKLING. A
flash of MARLA'S FACE. Then, groans of ecstasy approaching climax.
CUT TO:
INT. DAVITT'S BEDROOM - SUNRISE
Davitt sits up in bed, looks around the room.
INT. 2ND FLOOR LANDING
Davitt steps out of his room, looks down to the next door -- the door is
closed.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Kharn's door was closed. I'd been living here a month, and Kharn's
door never closed.
PG 52
INT. BATHROOM - SAME
Davitt stares into the toilet. CLOSE UP - SIX USED CONDOMS IN TOILET.
INT. KITCHEN - MORNING
Davitt sits at the table, sipping coffee, reading Reader's Digest. He
takes in a long yawn, rubs his eyes. He hears FOOTSTEPS approaching.
DAVITT
You're not going to believe the dream I had.
Marla walks in, straightening her dress. She looks like she's been
raped by a hurricane. Some of her hair is matted against her head,
some of it is sticking out wildly. Davitt gapes at her in shock. She
cracks a coy smile and runs a finger across the back of his neck.
MARLA
I can hardly believe *anything* about last night.
She pours herself a cup of coffee. She takes a big gulp, GARGLES and
SPITS it out into the sink. She gives Davitt a lascivious smile. Then,
she sips from the cup. She strokes his hair. He pulls back from her.
DAVITT
What the fuck are you doing here?!
Marla looks at him a beat, then throws the cup into the sink and it
SHATTERS.
MARLA
Fuck you.
She kicks open the door to the backyard and walks out. Davitt watches
her stomp across the lawn to the sidewalk and down the street.
Davitt turns and -- Kharn is at his shoulder, staring after Marla. He's
in his usual sweatpants. He grins at Davitt, then moves away, pours
himself coffee. Davitt, smoldering, slumps at the table and picks up
Reader's Digest. Kharn puts his foot on a countertop and begins to do
stretching exercises.
KHARN
That crazy bitch almost fucked me in half. Get this -- I come home
and the phone is off the hook ...
PG 53
MOVE IN ON DAVITT'S FACE as he pretends to read, but glances up at Kharn.
KHARN'S VOICE FADES as:
DAVITT (V.O.)
I already knew the story before he told it to me.
INT. KITCHEN - LATE AFTERNOON (FLASHBACK)
Kharn enters through the back door and moves to the phone.
MARLA'S VOICE (from handset)
I'll tell you when I'm floating out of my body.
Gently, Kharn lifts the handset and listens, smiling.
DAVITT (V.O.)
I don't know why, but Kharn actually thought it was a *bad* thing that
Marla was about to die.
INT. 8TH FLOOR LANDING - LATE AFTERNOON (FLASHBACK)
Kharn reaches the top of the stairs and heads for Marla's room. Before
he can knock, Marla's hand shoots out and grabs Kharn's arm.
INT. MARLA'S ROOM - CONTINUOUS (FLASHBACK)
Marla pulls Kharn inside and shuts the door. Her drugged eyes look him
over.
MARLA
You got here fast.
She staggers and sits on the bed. She slides off, along with the
blanket and sheets, to the floor.
MARLA
The mattresses here are all sealed in slippery plastic.
She tries to focus her eye on Kharn.
MARLA
Did I call you?
SIRENS and vehicles SCREECHING to a halt outside. Doors opening and
SLAMMING; running FOOTFALL. Marla scowls and RAMS Kharn with her knee,
knocking him off her.
PG54
MARLA
You called the cops?! Shit!
She gets to her feet, grabs Kharn, hauls him to his feet and pulls him
out the door.
INT. HALLWAY (FLASHBACK)
Marla LOCKS her door, then shoves Kharn toward the staircase. She and
Kharn suddenly flatten agains the wall as COPS and PARAMEDICS charge by
with oxygen.
COP
Where's 8-G?
MARLA
End of the hall.
The rescuers keep running. Marla and Kharn start down the steps.
Marla lingers a beat, hearing the cops bang on the door. She calls out
to them:
MARLA
The girl who lives there used to be a charming, lovely girl. But she
has no faith in herself.
Kharn yanks on Marla's arm. They continue down the steps, with Marla's
speech getting louder.
MARLA
And she's worried that, as she grows older, she'll have less options.
She's turned into a monster! She's infectious human waste! Good luck
trying to save her!
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)
Kharn makes coffee. Marla slouches against the refrigerator.
MARLA
If I fall asleep, I die. You have to keep me up all night.
Kharn smiles.
DAVITT (V.O.)
He was able to handle it.
PG 55
INT. KHARN'S ROOM - DAWN (FLASHBACK)
Marla and Kharn, in a wrecked bed. Kharn's eyes are closed. Marla
kisses his ear.
MARLA
According to ancient Chinese custom, you're responsible for me forever,
because you saved my life.
INT. KITCHEN - MORNING - RESUMING
Kharn gulps some coffee, shaking his head.
KHARN
... And she's spouting this crap she got from watching too much
television.
DAVITT (V.O.)
If only I hadn't gone to a movie. If only I went to her stupid room to
watch her die.
Kharn sits opposite him, studies his face.
KHARN
You aren't doing her, are you?
DAVITT (V.O.)
I Am Joe's Raging Bile Duct.
DAVITT
No.
KHARN
I didn't think so.
DAVITT
You didn't think so?
KHARN
She's not your type.
DAVITT
How would you know what my type is?
KHARN
She's just a wild, twisted bitch.
DAVITT
Oh, and my pace is more librarians and den mothers.
KHARN
Kinky.
PG56
DAVITT (V.O.)
How could someone like Kharn get involved with someone like Marla
Singer? It was impossible.
DAVITT
Marla doesn't need a lover. She needs a case worker.
KHARN
This is sport-fucking. She's a hosebag.
DAVITT (V.O.)
She invaded my support groups, now she's invaded my home. My
friendship. Like a cancer.
KHARN
You're okay, aren't you?
DAVITT (V.O.)
I Am Joe's Clenching Bowels.
DAVITT
Sure.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Put a gun to my head and paint the wall with my brains.
DAVITT
It's fine, great.
KHARN
Now, listen. You gotta understand something about me. I got a little
rule. Don't ever talk to her about me. I can't stand that kind of
shit.
Kharn fixes Davitt with a friendly, but firm stare.
KHARN
If you ever mention me to her -- or anyone else -- I'll find out about
it. And you'll never see me again.
DAVITT
Okay.
PG 57
KHARN
You promise?
DAVITT
I promise.
Kharn abruptly gets up and leaves the kitchen. Davitt watches him go,
smoldering.
INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Davitt sits watching television at HIGH VOLUME. Sounds of ROUGH SEX from
upstairs.
CUT TO:
INT. DAVITT'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Davitt lies calmly, in a Zen state, on his bed, staring at the ceilng.
Sounds of THUMPS and CRASHES from beyond the wall, along with Kharn's
and Marla's VOICES, SNARLING:
MARLA'S VOICE
You slimy discharge!
DAVITT (V.O.)
I could've moved to another room, one on the third floor -- so I
wouldn't have heard them. But I didn't.
INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT
Davitt brushes his teeth.
DAVITT (V.O.)
I wrote little haiku things:
"Worker bees can leave
Even drones can fly away
The queen is their slave"
I became the calm little center of the world. I was the Zen master.
MOVE IN ON -- KEYHOLE - Davitt's EYE
MARLA (gasping in passion)
I love you. I want to have your abortion.
PG 58
INT. BASEMENT - NIGHT
Sound of RAIN pelting the house. Davitt flips the fuses off, walks up
the stairs.
DAVITT (V.O.)
"A tiger can smile
A snake will say it loves you
Lies make us evil"
INT. 2ND FLOOR LANDING - SAME
Davitt walks up the steps. He hears Marla SCREAM in orgasm. He reaches
the landing. Kharn's door is slightly ajar. Davitt can't help stopping.
DAVITT'S POV - KHARN'S ROOM
Marla's legs are sprawled on the bed. Her head is down over the far
side, out of view. The door PUSHES OPEN WIDER -- Kharn, naked, stands
CLOSE TO CAMERA.
KHARN
What are you doing?
WIDE ON LANDING
Davitt steps back.
DAVITT
I ... uh ... just going to bed.
Kharn grins and nods toward bed.
KHARN
You want to finish her off?
DAVITT
Uh ... nah ...
Davitt continues toward his room.
INT. DAVITT'S OFFICE - DAY
Davitt's clothes are PERMANENTLY STAINED with BLOOD. He sits in his Zen
pose, typing. We see his HAIKUS on the screen.
DAVITT (V.O.)
I faxed them around to everyone.
He hits "SEND". Boss enters, reacts with exasperated irritaiton at the
sight.
PG 59
BOSS
Is that your blood?
DAVITT
*Some* of it, yeah.
Boss stares at Davitt like he's from Mars.
BOSS
Take the rest of the day off. Come back tomorrow with clean clothes.
And get yourself together.
INT. HALLWAY - SAME
Davitt, looking like a war casualty, walks past COWORKERS who coldly
stare at him. His face is totally passive.
DAVITT (V.O.)
I got right in everyone's hostile little face. Yes, these are bruises
from fighting. See? It's nothing to me? See how cool I am about it?
That's right, I'm enlightened!
EXT. PAPER STREET - SUNSET
Davitt walks toward the house.
DAVITT (V.O.)
You give up the condo life, give up all your worldly possessions and go
live in a dilapidated house in the toxic waste part of town.
INT. KHARN'S KITCHEN - SUNSET
Davitt walks inside. Sound of VIOLENT SEX from upstairs -- THUDS and
WHAMS. Pieces of PLASTER fall from the ceiling in tufts of dust.
DAVITT (V.O.)
... And you come home to *this*.
KHARN'S VOICE
Take that, butt wipe!!
Davitt rolls his eyes, takes off his pants. He runs water in the sink.
He takes a tiny bit of soap and begins to scrub the blood stains.
PHONE RINGS. He answers.
DAVITT
Hello? Speaking.
PG 60
INTERCUT WITH
INT. POLICE STATION - OFFICE
DETECTIVE STERN leans forward in his chair, consulting a file.
DETECTIVE STERN
This is Detective Stern with the arson unit. We have some new
information about your condo. The deadbolt on your front door was
shattered. Someone sprayed freon into the lock to freeze it. Then,
they tapped it with a cold chisel to shatter the cylinder.
DAVITT (V.O.)
I Am Joe's Cold Sweat.
And, in fact, cold sweat beads up on Davitt's forehead. He scrubs his
pants obsessively.
DETECTIVE STERN
The dynamite had a residue of ammonium oxalate and potassium
perchloride -- this means we can assume it was homemade.
DAVITT
This is ... really a shock to me, Sir.
DETECTIVE STERN
Whoever set the dynamite could've turned on the gas and blown out the
pilot lights on the stove days before the explosion took place. The
gas was just the trigger.
DAVITT
Who do you think did it?
DETECTIVE STERN
I'm asking the questions, son.
DAVITT
I loved my life. I loved that condo. I loved every stick of
furniture. That was my whole life. Everything -- the lamps, the
chairs, the rugs -- *were* me. The dishes were me. The plants were
me. The television was me.
PG 61
DAVITT (V.O.)
I'd like to thank the academy ...
DETECTIVE STERN
Do you know anyone who'd have the expertise and the motive to do
something like this?
Davitt's eyes move upward, then back down.
DAVITT
Uh ... no.
DETECTIVE STERN
Well, think about it. If any ideas come to you, give me a call. And,
in the meantime, don't leave town.
END INTERCUT
Davitt hangs up the phone, turns to see Kharn standing right next to him.
Kharn puts a hand on Davitt's shoulder, squeezes it affectionately.
Davitt turns away and continues to scrub -- rebuffing Kharn. Kharn
smiles compassionately at him.
Marla's FOOTSTEPS can be heard coming down the stairs. DAVITT'S POV --
as he really grinds the soap against the pants, splashes water all over
the place.
DAVITT'S POV PIVOTS, WIDEN ON ROOM. Marla enters. Kharn is GONE. Davitt
looks around to the open back door, then back at Marla. She lights a
cigarette.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Except for their humping, Kharn and Marla were never in the same room.
The same disappearing act my parents pulled for years -- one came in,
and the other was gone.
Marla moves very close to Davitt and props a leg up on a stack of
magazines near him. She's not wearing underwear. Davitt becomes very
aware of his having no pants on, so he pushes up against the counter.
Marla lasciviously pulls the hemline further up her leg.
MARLA
I got this dress at a thrift store for one dollar.
DAVITT
It was worth every penny.
PG 62
MARLA
It's a bridesmaid's dress. Someone loved it intensely for one day,
then tossed it. Like a Christmas tree -- so special, then, bam, it's
on the side of the road with tinsel still clinging to it.
She leans in very close to his ear and whispers hoarsely:
MARLA
You can borrow it sometime.
DAVITT
That's hysterical.
Marla blows smoke into Davitt's face. He grabs her cigarette, throws it
into the water in the sink. She smiles saucily and LEAVES the room.
Sound of her FOOTSTEPS going upstairs.
KHARN (O.S.)
Get rid of her.
Davitt turns and sees Kharn in the back doorway.
DAVITT
*You* get rid of her.
KHARN
And don't mention my name. You promised.
DAVITT
Yes, yes, I promise.
KHARN
Promise?
DAVITT
I said I promise!
KHARN
That was three times you promised.
Marla's FOOTSTEPS can be heard coming down the staircase.
KHARN
Tell her to go.
Davitt looks toward the archway, then back at -- ? Kharn is GONE. Marla
glides into the kitchen with a PACK of cigarettes. She daintily takes
one out and lights it.
PG 63
DAVITT (V.O.)
I'm six years old again, passing messages between my parents.
DAVITT
Uh ... I think you should go now.
Marla begins to do a slow, exotic dance around the kitchen, sometimes
moving very close to Davitt, sometimes moving away. She lifts her dress
dangerously high -- does she expose herself? -- hard to tell. She
dances very close to Davitt's body, almost touching it.
DAVITT
What are you trying to do?!
Marla stops dancing, and BURSTS into loud LAUGHTER.
MARLA
You're such a nutcase, I can't even begin to keep up.
She touches Davitt's hair. He slaps her hand away.
DAVITT
Just get out of here.
Marla's face turns sour. As she stomps out the back door --
MARLA
I'm already so fucking gone that all you see is an after-image.
Davitt watches her through the kitchen window.
KHARN (O.S.)
Good job.
As Davitt turns, we WIDEN to include Kharn, standing right behind Davitt,
beaming. Through the window, in the background, Marla can be seen
quickly moving away on the sidewalk. Kharn puts his hand on Davitt's
shoulder.
KHARN
Let's get out of this place for awhile, take a walk.
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
Kharn moves forward at a brisk pace. Davitt keeps up with him. Kharn
cuts across a paved road and into a WOODED AREA. Davitt follows.
PG 64
EXT. ALL-NIGHT CONVENIENCE STORE - MOMENTS LATER
Kharn, with Davitt following, emerges from the trees and heads into the
parking lot. A Clerk ambles toward his car, taking off his uniform bow
tie. Kharn suddenly pulls a HANDGUN out of his belt and rams it
against the Clerk's head.
EXT. WOODED AREA - CONTINUOUS
Kharn marches the Clerk, the gun aimed at his head. Davitt follows.
DAVITT
What are you doing?!
KHARN
Shut up.
DAVITT
Are you out of your fucking mind?!
KHARN
Shut up.
Kharn stops the Clerk and pushes him down to a kneeling position.
KHARN
Give me your wallet.
The Clerk fumbles his wallet out of his pocket and Kharn snatches it.
Kharn pulls out the driver's license.
KHARN
Raymond K. Hessel. 1320 SE Benning, apartment A. A small, cramped
basement apartment.
RAYMOND
How'd you know?
KHARN
They give basement apartments letters instead of numbers. Raymond,
you're going to die.
RAYMOND
Please, God, no.
DAVITT
What are you doing?!
PG 65
KHARN (to Davitt)
SHUT UP! You have no idea of what it is to hit bottom. I've been
trying to get you there -- I blew up your condo.
DAVITT
... The ... cops are onto you.
KHARN
No, they think *you* did it.
Kharn continues, to Raymond:
KHARN
Your mom and dad will have to call old doctor so-and-so to get your
dental records, because there won't be much of your face left.
Raymond begins to weep, his shoulders heaving. Davitt starts to gasp for
air. Growing even paler, he slumps back against a tree. His mouth
becomes dry.
KHARN
Is this a picture of Mom and Dad?
RAYMOND
Yesss ...
DAVITT
Look, if this is all about me ...
KHARN
You? Nothing is about you.
DAVITT
I'm doing okay, aren't I?
KHARN
You don't have your cute, little condo or your fey furniture, you're
living in squalor ...
Kharn continues, to Raymond:
KHARN
An expired community college student ID card. What did you used to
study, Raymond K. Hessel?
RAYMOND
S-S-Stuff.
PG 66
KHARN
"Stuff". Were the mid-terms hard?
Kharn shoves the gun against Raymond's temple.
KHARN
I asked you what you studied.
RAYMOND
Biology, mostly.
KHARN
Why?
RAYMOND
I don't know.
KHARN
What did you want to be Raymond K. Hessel?
A long beat while Raymond weeps and says nothing. Kharn COCKS the gun.
Davitt JERKS back, wincing, sweating.
DAVITT
... Kharn?
KHARN
I'm busy.
Kharn continues, to Raymond:
KHARN
The question, Raymond, was "what did you want to be"?
Kharn begins to squeeze the trigger.
DAVITT (croaking with dry mouth)
Answer him!
RAYMOND
A VETERINARIAN!
KHARN
Animals.
RAYMOND
Yeah ... animals and s-s-s --
KHARN
-- *Stuff*. That means you have to get more schooling.
PG 67
RAYMOND
Too much school.
KHARN
Would you rather be dead?
Kharn shoves Raymond's wallet back into his pocket.
KHARN
I'm keeping your license. I know where you live. I'm going to check
on you. If you aren't back in school on your way to being a
veterinarian, you will be dead. Now, get the hell out of here.
Raymond staggers into the darkness. Kharn watches. Davitt, still
clinging to a branch with a deathgrip, looks at Kharn. Kharn slowly
turns to face Davitt.
KHARN
Raymond K. Hessel, tomorrow will be the most beautiful day of your
life. Your breakfast is going to taste better than any meal you've
ever eaten.
Davitt's eyes light up. He looks at the fleeing Raymond, then back at
Kharn. He sighs, then shakes his head, then cracks his weird, little
crooked smile. His eyes glow. He looks with almost religious
reverence at Kharn.
Kharn turns and smiles at Davitt.
KHARN
To make soap, first you have to render fat.
CLOSE UP - SIGN: "DANGER - BIOHAZARD"
PULL BACK TO WIDE ON
EXT. FENCED-IN BIOHAZARD WASTE DUMP SITE - NIGHT
Kharn is on the ground, inside the fence. Davitt's at the top of the
fence, trying to get through the BARBED WIRE. He does so, but wobbles
and gets his shirt snagged. Kharn tries to help him. Davitt falls,
ripping his shirt. Kharn breaks the fall, gets Davitt to his feet.
FOOTSTEPS. FLASHLIGHT BEAM. Kharn pulls Davitt down behind a DUMPSTER
-- one of DOZENS in the site. A silhouette of a SECURITY GUARD moves
along the perimeter, waving the flashlight around. He finally walks
back toward the adjacent building, goes inside.
PG 68
MOVE BACK to Kharn and Davitt, who emerge from hiding. Kharn eagerly
grabs the lid of the closest dumpster. Davitt gapes at the "biohazard"
sign.
KHARN
The best fat for making soap -- because the salt balance is just right
-- comes from human bodies.
Kharn lifts the lid -- it CREAKS. Davitt breathes heavily, afraid to
look. Kharn pulls out an industrial-sized, think plastic bag full of
PINK GOO. Davitt reacts to the smell, turning away. His eyes focus on
the side of the adjacent building and its SIGN: "BODY SCULPTING
CLINIC".
KHARN
>From the asses and thighs of rich women, paydirt.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
Davitt watches at Kharn stirs a boiling pot.
KHARN
As the fat renders, the tallow floats to the surface of the water.
EXT. WASTE DUMP SITE - NIGHT (RESUMING)
Kharn and Davitt climb back over the fence, each carrying several bags of
fat. One of Davitt's bags gets caught on the barbed wire and rips,
spilling the goo all down the fence. Davitt's pants and shoes get
covered; he slips and slides. Kharn starts laughing. Davitt starts
laughing.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT (RESUMING)
Kharn shows Davitt two pots which have a skinned-over layer.
KHARN
When the tallow separates, there will be a clear layer on top. It's
glycerin. We can mix it back in when we make the soap.
EXT. WASTE DUMP SITE - NIGHT (RESUMING)
Kharn helps Davitt over the fence. They both fall to the ground on the
other side, laughing. They try to get up and they both slip in fat,
falling on their asses. They laugh louder. FOOTSTEPS; FLASHLIGHT.
PG 69
Still hysterically laughing, they both get up, slide and fall down
again, get up yet again and stagger away, disappearing around a corner.
INT. TAXICAB - MOMENTS LATER
Davitt and Kharn, slimed with fat, hold their bags, giggling. The CAB
DRIVER gives them a deadpan look.
END OVERLAPPING INTERCUT. CUT TO:
INT. KITCHEN - LATE NIGHT
Kharn and Davitt have fat stains and rips on their clothes from the waste
dump. The pots boil. Kharn stirs. He sticks a spoon into a pot and
lifts up a scoop of the glycerin layer. Then, he grabs a can, opens,
it.
KHARN
Lye -- the crucial ingredient for making soap. A paste of lye and
water can burn through an aluminum pan. A solution of lye and water
will dissolve a wooden spoon. Combined with water, lye heats to over
two hundred degrees.
Kharn licks his lips until they're gleaming wet. He takes Davitt's hand
and KISSES the back of it. The saliva shines in the shape of the kiss.
Kharn poises the can of lye over Davitt's hand.
KHARN
This is a chemical burn, and it will hurt more than you've ever been
burned.
Kharn pours a bit of the flaked lye onto Davitt's hand. Davitt's whole
body JERKS. Kharn holds tight to Davitt's hand. Tears well in Davitt's
eyes; his face tightens.
KHARN
Look at your hand.
Davitt looks -- the burn is swollen glossy in the shape of Kharn's kiss.
Davitt's face spasms, but he forces himself to endure it.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Kharn's kiss was a bonfire or a branding iron on my hand at the end of
a long, long road I pictured miles away from me.
PG 70
Davitt takes his gaze off his hand and his eyes become glazed and
detached.
KHARN
Come back to the pain.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Guided meditation worked for cancer it could work for this.
KHARN
Don't shut this out.
DAVITT (V.O.)
I didn't think of the words "pain" or "searing flesh". I was going to
my cave to find my power animal.
Quick CUT TO:
INT. CAVE
Marla, looking beautiful in a stunning black dress.
As soon as Kharn speaks, we CUT BACK TO:
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
Kharn squeezing Davitt's hand. Davitt's eyes re-focus on Kharn.
KHARN
This is the greatest moment of your life and you're off somewhere,
missing it. Listen. Your father was your model for God. And if your
father bails out, what does that tell you about God?
Davitt's face spasms in pain. He keeps his attention on Kharn.
KHARN
You have to consider the possibility that God doesn't like you. He
hates you. This is not the worst thing that can happen. His hate is
better that His indifference.
Davitt becomes dazed again. CUT TO:
INT. CAVE
Marla drops to the ground and pulls Davitt on top of her. Davitt moves to
kiss her. CUT TO:
PG 71
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
Kharn tugs at Davitt's arm.
KHARN
We are God's middle children, with no special place in history and no
special attention. Unless we get God's attention, we have no hope of
damnation or redemption.
Davitt looks at Kharn and they lock eyes in a stare.
KHARN
The lower you fall, the higher you fly. The farther you run, the more
God wants you back.
Davitt does his best to stifle his spasms and quivers of pain. Tears
drip from his eyes.
KHARN
Someday, you will die. And until you know that, you're useless to me.
Kharn's eyes fill with tears and he smiles. Suddenly, Davitt starts
breathing heavily and he shakes his hand.
DAVITT
Fuck, man. This HURTS.
Kharn laughs; Davitt, bearing the pain, cracks a weird little crooked
smiles, his eyes wide.
INT. KITCHEN - SUNRISE
Kharn watches as Davitt cuts several perfectly shaped bars of soap.
Kharn finishes wrapping one. The wrapper says: "The Paper Street Soap
Company" in quaint writing.
INT. BARNEY'S - DAY
Davitt and Kharn, wearing trenchcoats and looking like death-warmed-over,
wait by a counter and trendily-dressed and finely-coiffed SALESPEOPLE
zip around. Kharn is the picture of cool. Davitt looks around as if
expecting to get arrested. He looks at his BANDAGED HAND, shakes it.
A BUYER, a woman, comes to the counter, smiles at Kharn; he smiles
back. MOS while Davitt's VOICE is OVER the following: the Buyer looks
over a sample bar of soap. She nods, smiles and begins to fill out
forms.
PG 72
DAVITT (V.O.)
Kharn sold it to the stores at twenty bucks a bar. God knows what they
charged. We were selling rich women their own fat back to them.
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
Davitt and Kharn march down the sidewalk, full of purpose, like
gunfighters heading for a show-down.
KHARN
Look at the guys in fight club. The strongest and smartest men who
have ever lived -- and they're pumping gas and waiting tables; or
they're slaves with white collars. Advertising has them chasing cars
and clothes. A whole generation working in jobs they hate, just so
they can buy shit they don't really need.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - NIGHT
MEN are entering the gymnasium for the testicular cancer support group
"Remaining Men Together". Bob starts to file in with the rest, and
suddenly, Davitt darts forth from the shadows and blocks his way.
BOB
Hi.
DAVITT
Hi, Bob.
Bob tries to go through the door, but Davitt blocks him.
DAVITT
Are you really a man?
BOB
Yes ... we all are.
DAVITT
I'm not so sure.
Davitt forcefully pushes Bob. Caught off-guard, he backs into a locker
with a bang. Davitt slaps Bob's face.
DAVITT
Come on, you big moose. Let's see if you are.
PG 73
Davitt punches Bob in the stomach. Bob puts up his hands to block. Davitt
throws more punches. Finally, Bob punches Davitt in the face, knocking
him staggering. Davitt comes back and they pummel each other. Bob's
face gets redder with anger.
Then, Davitt steps back, holding out his hands to signal "stop".
DAVITT
Let's take this somewhere else.
INT. BASEMENT - ELECTRONICS WAREHOUSE - NIGHT
The crowd screams insanely as Bob and Davitt go at it in the circle of
light. Bob's eyes are wild with glee.
EXT. BASEMENT DOOR - ELECTRONICS WAREHOUSE - LATER
Everyone quietly sneaks out of the new location -- we've seen none of
these guys before -- this is a new chapter. Davitt and Bob stagger out
last. They are both dripping blood and covered with bruises -- Davitt
being in worse shape -- and they both grin with religious serenity.
Bob hugs Davitt.
BOB
Thank you. Thank you.
Bob relaxes the hug and Davitt drops to the ground like a sack, enervated
from the beating he took.
DAVITT
You're welcome.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Fight club -- this was mine and Kharn's gift -- our gift to the world.
EXT. STREET - DAY
Ricky grapples with a YUPPIE. They fall to the sidewalk, pounding each
other.
YUPPIE
WHO ARE YOU?! WHY DID YOU ATTACK ME?!
The Yuppie maneuvers Ricky toward a metal fence and insanely tries to
impale him on a spike. Kharn and Davitt shoot INTO VIEW and grab the
YUPPIE, laughing.
YUPPIE
WHO ARE *YOU*!!
PG 74
INT. TRUCK GARAGE - NIGHT
Ricky and the Yuppie fight each other while the crowd -- still even
more new guys -- cheers.
DAVITT (V.O.)
We started a fight club for every night of the week.
CLOSE UP - BUMPERSTICKER
Which reads: "DRUNK DRIVERS AGAINST MOTHERS".
A HAND presses it down in all corners. PULL BACK TO REVEAL - the
bumper, THEN the whole car -- a luxury sedan. THEN - the entire
PARKING STRUCTURE wherein ALL the bumpers have the sticker.
DAVITT (V.O.)
We started pulling pranks.
EXT. STREET - LATE NIGHT
Davitt, Kharn and Ricky quickly paste up a basic,
black-on-white-lettering BILLBOARD. It says: "DID YOU KNOW ... ? YOU
CAN USE YOUR OLD MOTOR OIL TO FERTILIZE YOUR LAWN! -- ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY".
KHARN
We're the middle children of history, with no special purpose or place.
We don't have a great war in our generation, or a great depression.
The great depression is our lives. The great war is a spiritual war.
EXT. LARGE PARKING LOT - DAY
Davitt and Bob, armed with a toolbox, change the "Enter" and "Exit" signs
around. They walk away. In the background, a car drives into the
"entrance" and the front tires EXPLODE from the BLADES in the ground.
PG 75
EXT. SIDEWALK - NIGHT
Davitt walks toward an intersection, beyond which is a large CITY PARK.
A group of people are LEAVING A PUBLIC BUILDING in front of him. Marla
is among them -- it's a support group adjourning for the night. Davitt
catches Marla's eye. He simply smiles and waves. Marla stares at him,
deadpan. She turns and walks away, JUST AS ...
Kharn STEPS INTO FRAME, looking straight ahead at the park. He signals
Davitt and they move forward. From out of nowhere, Bob joins them.
EXT. PARK - OUTDOOR BEER FESTIVAL - NIGHT
A bad BAND plays German music. BANNERS advertising American beer are
everywhere. People wear shirts and hats with beer ads. Davitt, Bob and
Kharn sneak up to the side of a portable TOILET. They shove it until
it falls against the next toilet. An ENTIRE ROW of portable toilets
falls like dominoes. They dart behind a row of trees, then casually
walk away.
DAVITT (V.O.)
We were raised by television to believe that someday we'll all be
millionaires and movie stars and rock stars -- but we won't. And we're
learning that fact.
KHARN
And we're very, *very* pissed-off.
INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - ON GROUND - DAY
Two AIRPLANE MAINTENANCE MEN -- with bruised faces -- rip open a box
from a PRINT SHOP. They dig up handfuls of AIRLINE SAFETY INSTRUCTION
CARDS and begin to inset them into each seat back pouch. We MOVE IN
and SEE a card -- it shows passengers SCREAMING and FLAILING ABOUT IN
TERROR.
INT. PAPER ST. HOUSE - KITCHEN - MORNING
Davitt, dressed for work, receives a sheet of paper from Kharn.
KHARN
Make two dozen copies. We're going to have --
PG 76
INT. PHOTOCOPY ROOM - DAY
Davitt stands over a copy machine, getting hit by the flashes of light.
DAVITT (V.O.)
-- more than one fight club on every night of the week.
Davitt looks around. Other faces illuminated in FLASHES. HALF of them
are bruised. He smiles, his eyelids getting heavy and his head
nodding.
INT. DAVITT'S OFFICE - LATER
Davitt sits in his cubicle, playing a game on his computer. Boss enters.
DAVITT (V.O.)
He was wearing a yellow tie. It must be Thursday. I didn't even wear
a tie to work anymore.
Boss slaps a piece of paper down on Davitt's desk.
BOSS
"The first rule of fight club is you don't talk about fight club".
Davitt stares at him stoically.
DAVITT (V.O.)
I was still half-asleep all the time. I left the original in the copy
machine.
BOSS
Is this yours? "The second rule of fight club is you don't talk about
fight club". Is it yours or not? You don't get paid to abuse the copy
machine.
DAVITT
"Abuse" the copy machine. What an image.
BOSS
Let's play pretend. You're me. You find *this*. What would you do?
Hmm? Make a managerial decision. What would you do?
PG 77
Davitt slowly rises, walks softly to his office door, shuts it and faces
the boss.
DAVITT
I'd be very careful who I talked to about this. It sounds like someone
dangerous wrote this, and this buttoned-down psychotic could probably
snap at any moment and stalk from office to office with an Armalite
AR-180 Carbine gas-operated semiautomatic. He's probably at home every
night with a little rattail file, filing a cross into the tip of every
one of his bullets. This way, when he pumps a round into ... *someone*
... it will split along the filed grooves and spread open the way a dum
dum flowers inside you to blow a load of guts out through *someone's*
spine. This is probably somebody you've know for years.
Boss stares at him with a tinge of outrage, a tinge of fear.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Kharn's words. Me clowning around. And I used to be such a nice
person.
Davitt's phone RINGS. Davitt answers.
DAVITT
Compliance and Liability.
MARLA'S VOICE
My tit's going to rot off.
DAVITT (to Boss; big smile)
Could you excuse me? I need to take this call.
Boss goes to the office door opens it, stares at Davitt a beat, then
leaves.
DAVITT (into phone)
What are you talking about?
PG 78
INTERCUT WITH
CLOSE-UP OF MARLA
In dim light, her face very pretty with make-up.
MARLA
I need you to check and see if there's a lump on my breast. I can't
afford to blow the cash on a doctor just to find out.
DAVITT
I don't know ...
MARLA
You're the only one I can turn to.
DAVITT (V.O.)
She didn't call Kharn. I'm neutral in her book.
MARLA
Meet me at work.
EXT. MORTUARY - LATE AFTERNOON
Davitt goes through the front door.
INT. MORTUARY - SAME
Davitt walks into the dim, dramatically-lit foyer. He sees Marla at a
desk. She does not see him. She's wearing a black formal dress --
like a gorgeous angel of death. A VERY FAT MALE CUSTOMER holds an URN
the size of an egg cup. Marla studies the urn and the Customer's body
with a dreary expression.
MARLA
Sir, you couldn't get the ashes of your *neck* in here.
The Customer turns and stomps out the door. Davitt steps forward to the
desk.
DAVITT
Employee of the month?
Marla looks up at him and smiles.
PG 79
EXT. MARLA'S HOTEL - SUNSET
Davitt watches as Marla takes two boxes from a van with sign "MEALS ON
WHEELS".
INT. MARLA'S ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Marla leads Davitt inside.
DAVITT
You know, this is a sweet side of you.
MARLA
Think so?
DAVITT
Picking these up for ...
(reads off boxes:)
"Mrs. Haniver" and ... "Mrs. Raines". Where are they? Top floor?
MARLA
They're dead. I'm alive and I'm in poverty. You want any of this?
DAVITT
No, thanks.
MARLA
Good.
He stares at her while she wolfs down food. Marla takes a napkin and
wipes her mouth.
MARLA
This napkin is "one-hundred percent recycled". So is my toilet paper.
Can you imagine. The worst job in the world -- recycling toilet paper.
INT. MARLA'S ROOM - NIGHT
Marla stands in front of a mirror with her shirt open. Davitt stands
behind her with his hand on the bottom side of her breast. Her hand
guides his.
DAVITT
Where? Here?
MARLA
Here.
PG 80
DAVITT
There?
MARLA
Here.
DAVITT
Here.
MARLA
Feel anything?
DAVITT
No.
Davitt's head is behind Marla's. His eyes close. Both of them speak
more slowly, softer.
MARLA
Make sure.
DAVITT
Okay. Okay, I'm sure.
MARLA
You feel nothing?
DAVITT
Nothing.
He almost kisses her neck. Marla turns around, faces him and begins to
slowly button up her shirt.
MARLA
Whew. That's a relief. Thanks.
DAVITT
No problem.
MARLA
I wish I could return the favor.
Davitt touches his breasts, shakes his head.
DAVITT
I think everything's okay here.
MARLA
I could check your prostate.
DAVITT
Uh ... nah.
MARLA
Well, thanks.
PG 81
Marla kisses him -- and lingers for a bit longer than just friendly.
Davitt pulls away.
DAVITT
Are we done?
DAVITT
I gotta go.
Marla's voice turns acid:
MARLA
Yeah, we're done. Get the fuck outta here.
Davitt goes to her door, opens it, looks back at her.
DAVITT
I'm sorry.
MARLA
GO, ASSHOLE!
EXT. STREET - MOMENTS LATER
Davitt walks down the sidewalk. He glances back up at Marla's window as
he crosses the street. He sees her. She moves away from the window
and -- Davitt's BUMPED -- very lightly -- by a PASSERBY -- it's *Kharn*.
KHARN
What are you doing?
DAVITT
Uh ... I ... was ... coming back from ... a ... thing ...
Kharn throws an arm around Davitt and leads him down the sidewalk.
KHARN
We need to talk.
INT. BOSS'S OFFICE - DAY
Davitt steps into the open doorway and lightly knocks against the frame.
Boss looks up from his large, expensive desk.
DAVITT
We need to talk.
PG 82
BOSS
Okay. Where to begin? With your constant absenteeism? With your
unpresentable appearance? I might as well tell you now -- you're going
to be put up for review.
This next line *NOT* in V.O.:
DAVITT
I Am Joe's Complete Lack Of Surprise.
Boss sits up in his seat, becoming enraged.
DAVITT
Let's pretend. You're the Department of Transportation. And you knew
that our company intentionally left a front seat mounting bracket that
never passed collision tests? Did nothing about leather seats -- that
were cured in third world countries with a chemical we know causes
birth defects? Brake linings that fail after a thousand miles.
Turbochargers that blow up and cut off legs at the knees. Fuel
injectors that burn people alive. All of these accidents where "cause
of failure" is stamped "unknown". I know where the bodies are buried.
Call it job security.
BOSS
Just who the fuck do you think you are?! Get out of here! You're
fired!
DAVITT
I've got a better idea. You're going to keep me on payroll as an
outside consultant. In exchange for my salary, I'll perform the task
of not telling anyone what I know. I won't need to come into the
office. I can do this job from home. Call it early retirement, with
pension.
Boss stands, moves around his desk, glaring with rage.
PG 83
DAVITT
Yes, I am shit and crazy, to you and this whole fucking world, but I'm
your responsibility.
Davitt PUNCHES HIMSELF in the nose. Blood starts to trickle down. He
punches himself in the jaw, harder. He throws himself back, acting as
if the force of the punch knocked him. His back SLAMS against a framed
painting and SHATTERS the glass. He and the frame and the glass and
the painting fall to the floor.
DAVITT (V.O.)
I Am Joe's Smirking Revenge.
DAVITT
Please don't hit me again. Please.
Davitt gets back to his feet and punches himself in the stomach, then
punches himself in the jaw again. He reels backwards and falls into a
hanging shelf, ripping it off the wall, sending it's contents flying.
He falls to the floor again.
DAVITT (V.O.)
For some reason, I thought of my first fight -- with Kharn.
Davitt crawls along the carpet toward Boss, dripping blood. He tries to
keep up the act, but he sporadically GIGGLES. He grabs Boss's leg.
DAVITT
Please ... give me the paychecks like I asked for. You won't see me
again. You won't have any trouble.
Davitt climbs up Boss's leg. Boss, aghast, tries to shake him off, and,
in doing so, stumbles back in to his desk, knocking off photos, stacks
of paper, paperweights.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Under and behind and inside everything this man took for granted,
something horrible had been growing.
Davitt crawls up high enough to grab Boss's belt and hoist himself up
further. He's getting blood all over the Boss's clothes. Davitt SMUDGES
blood from his face onto the knuckles of both Boss's hands. The
horrified man SCREAMS.
PG 84
DAVITT (V.O.)
And right then, at our most excellent moment, security guards decided
to walk in.
Two SECURITY GUARDS come inside and gape at the sight. Behind them
stands a crowd of curious workers, also taking in the sight.
DAVITT (gurgling blood)
Please don't hit me again.
INT. PAPER ST. HOUSE - DAVITT'S ROOM - DUSK
Davitt, all bloody, lies in his bed, asleep. He awakens, hearing the
BACK DOOR SLAM. He painfully hauls himself out of bed.
INT. KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER
Davitt enters to see Kharn taking beers out of the fridge. Davitt waves a
PAYCHECK.
DAVITT
I did it.
KHARN
That's fucking great!
Davitt sees that Kharn is dressed in combat fatigues. He's splattered
with various colors of PAINT. There's a rope and rappelling mechanisms
lying on the table.
Kharn nods toward the living room and hands Davitt all the beers.
KHARN
Go on in. We're celebrating.
INT. LIVING ROOM
Davitt, a little bewildered, saunters in, carrying the beers. Kharn does
NOT follow him. Bob, Ricky and several fight club guys are in front of
the TV. They are all dressed like Kharn, all splattered with paint.
Davitt hands them their beer. One of the guys is sixteen year old with
an angelic face. He notices the TV.
ANGEL FACE
SHHH! They're back to it!
PG 85
Davitt looks at the TV as it shows a LIVE shot of a BUILDING, which is
identified at the bottom of the screen as the TRW building. It has a
GIANT GRINNING FACE PAINTED on it. The two EYES are broken, charred
windows with SMOKE pouring out. Firetrucks spray water into the
windows.
REPORTER
Police Commissioner Jacobs has come down ... just a second ... excuse
me, could you tell us what you think this is?
The COMMISSIONER JACOBS, a wrinkled man with baleful eyes, turns to
camera.
COMMISSIONER JACOBS
We believe this is related to the other recent acts of vandalism around
the city. It's some kind of organized group. And we're investigating
thoroughly.
Davitt turns back and sees Kharn in the archway, watching the TV. Kharn
pulls back, out of sight. Davitt turns to the others.
DAVITT
What did you guys do?
They all BURST INTO LAUGHTER, look at Davitt and shake their heads. Davitt
just stares at them. Suddenly, the guys' faces turn to stone.
BOB
The first rule of Project Mayhem is -- you don't ask questions.
Davitt stares at them. CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL BALLROOM - NIGHT
A loud, luxurious banquet ensues. Commissioner Jacobs guzzles
champagne and puffs on a cigar. Davitt, in a waiter's uniform, serving
another table, stares at Jacobs. Then, Davitt looks apprehensively
toward certain other waiters: Kharn, Bob, Ricky and Angel Face --
mixed in with the mass of waiters.
INT. BATHROOM - SAME
Commissioner Jacobs enters, puffing the cigar, and walks toward a
urinal. Davitt, Kharn, Bob and Ricky leap out of the corner and attack
him. Davitt's heart isn't in it -- he barely helps the others. Kharn
knocks the cigar out of Jacob's mouth and slaps a piece of tape over
it.
PG 86
INT. SERVICE ELEVATOR - SAME
Davitt holds the door while the others drag the struggling Commissioner
inside. They hold him down and pull down his pants. Bob snaps a
rubber band, then reaches down to Commissioner Jacob's crotch.
KHARN
Wrap it around the top of his ball sac.
Ricky holds a knife to Commissioner Jacob's testicles. Davitt,
red-faced, keeps his distance. Kharn leans in and whispers in the
frightened man's ear.
KHARN
You're not going to continue your "rigorous investigation". You're
going to publicly state that there is no underground group. Or --
imagine, the rest of your life with your ball sac flapping empty.
COMMISSIONER JACOBS
No. Please. Stop. Please.
KHARN
One to the *New York Times* and one to the *Los Angeles Times*. Press
release style. Remember this. The people you're after are everyone
you depend on. We're the people who do your laundry and cook your food
and serve your dinner. We guard you while you sleep. We drive the
ambulances. We process your insurance claims. We control every part
of your life. So don't fuck with us.
Ricky makes a dramatic cut with the knife -- he holds up the severed
RUBBER BAND.
EXT. HOTEL - LATER
Davitt, Kharn and the others file quickly out the back service entrance.
Kharn slaps Angel Face's back. Angel Face smiles at him. Everyone
splits up in different directions.
PG 87
INT. BASEMENT - NIGHT
Fight club in full swing. Davitt squares off with Angel Face. He BEATS
the SHIT out of Angel Face with a viciousness heretofore unseen. The
crowd shouts maniacally, save for Kharn, who watches with an
inscrutable stone face.
Angel Face tries to speak, but Davitt pounds him too hard. Blood flies
everywhere. The crowd becomes QUIETER. Finally, Angel Face, on the
floor, is clearly unconscious. Davitt stops, stares at him, numb. The
crowd seems a little spooked. Kharn scans the faces, looks at Davitt.
EXT. STREET - LATER
Kharn and Davitt walk through pools of streetlight.
DAVITT
I felt like destroying something beautiful.
KHARN
Excellent.
An idling car HONKS. Kharn leads Davitt toward it. A bruise-faced VALET
PARKER throws keys to Kharn.
VALET
There you go, Mr. Kharn.
DAVITT
After you, *Mr. Kharn*.
INT. STOLEN CAR - MOVING - LATER
RAIN GUSHES down. Kharn drives. Davitt sits slumped in the passenger
seat. They are BARRELING down a two-lane HIGHWAY, intermittently
illuminated by oncoming headlights. Davitt stews in silence. Kharn
glances at him.
KHARN
What's the problem?
DAVITT
Nothing. Why wasn't I told about "Project Mayhem"?
KHARN
You *were* told about it.
PG 88
DAVITT
Uh-huh. Yeah. Fine. If you can't talk to me about it ...
KHARN
That's the whole point -- you *don't* talk about it.
DAVITT
So, I can't even ask?
KHARN
What do you want me to say? That Project Mayhem will knock over the
pillars of civilization like dominoes? That it's going to bring about
a prematurely-induced dark age? Should I E-mail you? Should I put
this on your "action item list"?
DAVITT
Fine.
KHARN
Recognize the make and model of this car?
DAVITT
Yeah -- so what?
KHARN
The front seat mounting bracket never passed collision tests.
Kharn pulls the car into the opposite lane. HEADLIGHTS in the distance
get closer very, very quickly.
DAVITT
What are you doing?!
The oncoming car gets closer and closer, honking and flashing it's
lights. Davitt tries to grab the wheel. Kharn uses one arm to pin down
Davitt's arms. He uses one hand to steer.
DAVITT
KHARN! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!!
KHARN
If you died right now, how would you feel about your life?
DAVITT
I WOULD FEEL NOTHING ABOUT MY LIFE! IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR?!
PG 89
KHARN
I want to hear the truth.
The car swerves at the last second.
DAVITT
Fuck my life. Fuck fight club! Fuck you and fuck Marla. I'm sick of
this shit! How's that? Huh?
KHARN
You don't have any concept of what it is to hit bottom.
An oncoming TRUCK honks and flashes it's lights. It moves to the other
side of the road. Kharn steers there, too. The truck moves back;
Kharn moves back. More honking and flashing. The truck moves; Kharn
moves.
KHARN
HITTING BOTTOM ISN'T A WEEKEND RETREAT! IT'S NOT A SEMINAR! ONLY
AFTER YOU'VE LOST EVERYTHING ARE YOU FREE TO DO ANYTHING! YOU SEE, YOU
LISTEN, BUT YOU DON'T GET IT! YOU HAVE TO FORGET EVERYTHING YOU KNOW,
EVERYTHING YOU THINK YOU KNOW!
Just seconds to impact with the oncoming truck and -- Kharn swerves.
Now the car heads straight for a STALLED CAR on the side of the road,
surrounded by flares. Davitt stops struggling to get his arms free.
DAVITT
I am nothing in the world compared to you. I am helpless. I am stupid
and weak and all I do is want and need things. I *am* my little shit
job. I *am* my condo and my Swedish furniture. I am SHIT!
Kharn lets go of Davitt's arms and lets go of the steering wheel. He and
Davitt look at each other as their car barrels toward the stalled car.
Their faces are illuminated by the light of the flares.
They SMASH into the stalled car. Both airbags inflate, but the front
seat LURCHES forward, loose, causing the men's legs to bang against the
dash. Tremendous momentum makes the back of the car whip around and
carry it into a ass-over-teakettle ROLL down the hill.
PG 90
DAVITT (V.O.)
I'd never been in a car accident. This was what all those statistics
felt like before I wrote them into my reports.
INT. FAMILY CAR (DAVITT'S IMAGINATION)
The car that Davitt saw, post-wreck, in the warehouse, FLAMING, tumbling
END over END; the FATHER, MOTHER TEENAGE GIRL and BABY all SCREAMING.
INT. KHARN'S STOLEN CAR - RESUMING
The hill goes on further and further -- it's a deep RAVINE. The car
finally hits the bottom, lying on its roof.
EXT. OVERTURNED CAR
Kharn crawls out and goes around, opening Davitt's door. He drags Davitt
out into the mud. He grabs Davitt's face and squeezes it, shaking it.
KHARN
You just had a near-life experience.
INT. DAVITT'S BEDROOM - LATE NIGHT
Davitt lies in bed, staring at the ceiling. Kharn sits in a chair, next
to the bed, speaking softly.
KHARN
The world I see -- you're stalking elk through the damp canyon forests
around the ruins of Rockefeller Center. You wear leather clothes that
will last you the rest of your life. You climb the wrist-thick vines
that wrap the Sears Tower. You see tiny figures pounding corn and
laying strips of venison on the empty car pool lane of the ruins of a
superhighway.
INT. DAVITT'S BEDROOM - DAWN
Davitt lies in bed, staring at the ceiling. Kharn is gone. Faint sounds
of SAWING and HAMMERING.
PG 91
INT. KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER
Davitt sits at the table, sipping coffee. He's pale, dazed. He seems
broken. He hears the faint sounds of sawing and hammering again; he's
unsure of where they're coming from. He glances out the window, sees
nothing.
Marla walks into the kitchen. Davitt looks up at her. She looks at him,
unsmiling. There's a bruise on her face and arm. She pours herself a
coffee and lights a cigarette. A beat of silence, then:
MARLA
I'll be out of your way in a sec.
She seems to be as weak as Davitt.
DAVITT
You ... don't have to ... rush off.
MARLA
Sarcastic prick.
DAVITT
No, really ...
Marla's eyes drift away from his. Davitt gets up, tries to move closer
to her. She pulls away. He retreats and they wind up on opposite
sides of the room. Davitt leans against the wall near the BASEMENT DOOR,
which is AJAR.
DAVITT
Why are we both ... caught up like this ... with ...?
DAVITT (V.O.)
I came so close to saying Kharn's name, I could feel it vibrate inside
my mouth.
Marla looks at him curiously, waiting.
DAVITT
Why does a weak person go out and find a strong person to ... hang
onto?
MARLA
It's a real sick relationship. You don't think I know it?
DAVITT
Does it *have* to be?
PG 92
MARLA
Does it?
Faint sound of sawing and hammering. Davitt can't quite figure where
it's coming from.
DAVITT
You hear that?
MARLA
Hear what?
DAVITT
That ... sawing and hammering.
MARLA
We have to change the subject? Have we been talking too long?
DAVITT
I just don't understand what you get out of such a sick relationship.
MARLA
What the hell do *you* get out of it?
Davitt turns and sees, through the slim space of the open door, Kharn, at
the bottom of the basement stairs, staring a silent warning. Davitt
turns back to Marla.
DAVITT
Nevermind.
MARLA
No. That day you came over to check my breast ...
DAVITT
Let's just stop right here.
MARLA
Come on! You *want* to pull yourself out of whatever you're stuck in.
Marla moves slowly toward Davitt.
DAVITT
Conversation over.
Marla strokes Davitt's hair. She sees the kiss-scar on his hand. She
grabs his hand and studies it. Davitt tries to pull it back, but Marla
keeps a tight grip.
PG 93
MARLA
What is that?! Who did that?!
DAVITT
... A person.
MARLA
Guy or girl?
DAVITT
Why would you ask if it's a guy or a girl?!
MARLA
Why would you get bent if I asked?!
DAVITT
Go.
MARLA
What does it mean? You're afraid to say?
DAVITT
Go! Go!
Marla kisses Davitt's hand, putting her lips right onto the scar, leaving
an imprint of lipstick. Davitt jerks his hand away from her. He tries
to wipe off the lipstick and it smears. He unconsciously licks it off.
MARLA
MMMMMMMMMM ... Swallow it.
DAVITT
Get the hell out of here!
Stung, Marla stomps toward the back door.
MARLA
Go fuck yourself -- that's probably how you like it best.
And out she goes. Davitt watches her stomp through the backyard and out
to the sidewalk. Kharn comes up from the basement, passes Davitt and
goes through the archway. Sound of his footsteps going up to the
second floor. Davitt goes down the basement steps.
PG 94
INT. BASEMENT - CONTINUOUS
TRIPLE-DECKER BUNKS clutter the basement, as many as can fit into the
space.
DAVITT
What's this for?
>From upstairs, the sound of the DOORBELL.
INT. LIVING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Davitt opens the door. Ricky stands on the porch, staring blankly ahead
in subordinate military style. He's dressed in black pants, black
shirt, black shoes. He holds a brown paper bag. An army surplus
mattress sits in a tied-up roll at his feet.
Davitt is about to say something, when Kharn steps past Davitt and speaks
very softly to Ricky:
KHARN
I'm sorry. You're too young to train here.
Kharn steps back inside and shuts the door.
DAVITT
"Train" here?
KHARN
He's not. If the applicant is young, we tell him he's too young. Old,
too old. Fat, too fat.
DAVITT
Why?
KHARN
This is how Buddhist temples tested applicants going back for
bah-zillion years. If the applicant waits at the door for three days
without food, shelter or encouragement, then he can enter and begin
training.
DAVITT
Begin training?
Kharn grins at him.
PG 95
EXT. PORCH - MOMENTS LATER
Davitt bursts out the door, faces Ricky.
DAVITT
GET OUT OF HERE! GO! HE TOLD YOU YOU'RE TOO YOUNG! GET OUT!
It's clear there will be no response from Ricky, who's like a statue.
Davitt goes back inside, closes the door.
EXT. PORCH - NIGHT
Ricky stands in the same spot. Davitt bursts out with a broom, knocks
the brown paper bag out of Ricky's hand, kicks it off the porch. Ricky
remains in place, motionless.
DAVITT
ARE YOU STUPID?! I TOLD YOU TO GET OUT OF HERE! YOU'RE NEVER GETTING
INSIDE THIS HOUSE!
EXT. PORCH - MORNING
Ricky in the same spot. Kharn slinks out the front door, smiling.
KHARN
I'm sorry about the misunderstanding. Look, friend, it's not the end
of the world. Just go away. Nothing personal, but I'm going to have
to call the police. You're trespassing.
EXT. PORCH - NIGHT
Ricky, same spot. Davitt bursts outside with the broom again. He WHACKS
Ricky in the shoulder.
DAVITT
YOU'RE NEVER GETTING THROUGH THIS FUCKING DOOR, YOU STUPID LITTLE
WEASEL!!
INT. DAVITT'S ROOM - LATER
Davitt drinks a beer, smokes a cigarette and stares down at the PORCH,
which he can see from a sideward//downward angle. Ricky stands in the
same spot.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Sooner or later, we all just became what Kharn wanted us to be.
PG 96
EXT. PORCH - MORNING
Ricky's in the same spot. Next to him now is Bob, dressed in black
with brown paper bag and Army surplus mattress. Kharn steps out the
front door. Davitt lights in the doorway, locking eyes on Bob.
KHARN (to Ricky)
Get your stuff.
(to Bob)
You're too old to train here. Sorry.
Kharn and Ricky go inside and Kharn slams the door.
INT. 2ND FLOOR LANDING - LATER
Davitt stands in the open bathroom doorway, watching Kharn SHAVE off all
of Ricky's HAIR. When he's done, Kharn gives the top of Ricky's head a
sharp slap.
KHARN
A monkey, ready to be shot up into space, ready to sacrifice himself
for Project Mayhem.
And, so, all those with shaved heads will henceforth be termed "SPACE
MONKEYS".
EXT. PORCH - LATER
Davitt looks out the window. Bob continues to stand, motionless. Ricky
comes out the front door with the broom.
RICKY
YOU'RE TOO FUCKING OLD! GET OUT OF HERE!
Ricky WHACKS Bob with the broom several times, then goes back inside,
SLAMMING THE DOOR. CUT TO:
EXT. PORCH - NIGHT
CLOSE ON DAVITT'S FACE, staring out the window.
VOICE
YOU'RE TOO SKINNY! GET OUT OF HERE!
FULL BACK TO REVEAL a SPACE MONKEY we've never seen before, with the
shaved head, whacking a SKINNY APPLICANT with the broom.
PG 97
INT. LIVING ROOM - SAME
Davitt pulls back from the window. SPACE MONKEYS, all dressed in black,
all with shaved heads, are ALL OVER THE PLACE. There are tables set up
for them to wrap bars of soap. Davitt lopes into the
INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Where Space Monkeys render fat and make soap. Several, off to the
side, stir a large vat of RICE. One of them recites a memorized
statement:
FRECKLED SPACE MONKEY
"You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake. You are the same
decaying organic matter as everything else. We are all part of the
same compost pile."
DAVITT (V.O.)
Planet Kharn
Davitt dips a spoon into the rice vat and chomps on some rice in an
irritable way.
DAVITT (V.O.)
It could be worse. I could get hit by lightning and my head could burn
down to a smoldering baseball and my zipper could weld shut.
He moves back out to the
INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
And tromps up the steps to the 2nd floor landing.
INT. KHARN'S ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Davitt enters. Bob reads a book and makes marks on a chart. All along
the floor are baskets; each one is labeled with a number in sequence:
"1, 2," etc. The first ten are under a sign that says "WILMINGTON".
Then, there's a sign over some that says "NEW YORK", then "CHICAGO",
and other cities. There are dozens of BOOKS on FINANCE. Davitt looks in
basket number "1" and sees the word "CITIBANK" at the top of a page.
He starts flipping through it; then the next basket.
Bob grabs Davitt's hand and leads him away from the baskets.
BOB
The first rule of Project Mayhem is you don't ask questions.
PG 98
DAVITT
This is me, Bob. Kharn's been gone for over a week. What the hell is
going on?
BOB
The first rule of Project Mayhem is you --
DAVITT
Right.
Davitt leaves the room.
INT. KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER
Davitt barges in among the laboring Space Monkeys. They pinch herbs into
the soap mix. They also use vodka. Davitt grabs a bottle of vodka and
takes a long pull off it.
DAVITT (V.O.)
I had to hug the walls, being a mouse trapped inside this clockwork of
space monkeys, cooking and working and sleeping in teams. The house
became a living thing, wet on the inside from so many people sweating
and breathing. So many people moving, the house moved.
The PHONE RINGS. Davitt snatches it. All the Monkeys stare at him.
DAVITT
Project Mayhem.
KHARN'S VOICE
Don't answer the phone like that.
Davitt turns away from the others, moves to a corner, talks sotto voce.
DAVITT
Kharn! Where have you been?
KHARN'S VOICE
Don't ask questions.
There's a tense pause.
DAVITT (V.O.)
I Am Joe's Broken Heart because Kharn dumped me. Because I'm just
another cog ...
PG 99
KHARN'S VOICE
Be quiet and listen.
Davitt reacts with surprise -- did Kharn hear his thoughts?
KHARN'S VOICE
I'll tell you everything when I get back. Right now, you gotta do
something for me.
DAVITT
Me? When?
KHARN'S VOICE
Tonight.
EXT. FRONT PORCH - LATER
Davitt, Bob, and two other Space Monkeys step out the front door, laden
with boxes and equipment.
SKINNY SPACE MONKEY
"We are the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world".
The group of four steps off the porch and heads for a VAN.
EXT. PARK - NIGHT
A piece of ART adorns the top of a hill: a metal TOWER, wide at the
base and a hundred feet high, in design somewhat similar to the Eifel
Tower. At the top is a giant GLOBE made of circular poles and wires.
Davitt, Bob and the other two monkeys attach the explosive packets to the
globe; wire the packets together; use sandbags to cover the packets.
EXT. PARK - LATER
The group of four huddle behind some bushes, staring at the globe. Bob
holds a small metal electronic box with a button -- a detonator. He
presses the button.
A RAPID SERIES of EXPLOSIONS runs from the base of the tower to the
top, along the four main structural supports. They are contained,
shaped blasts. The tower crumbles straight down. Bob turns to smile
at Davitt.
BOB
Exactly the way it was supposed to work.
PG 100
The globe falls free, bangs into the top of the hill and begins to
roll. When it gets to the street, it bounces onto the top of a parked
LIMO -- and becomes a FLAMING, raised "GUTTERBALL" -- it never hits the
street -- it rolls over one parked limo or expensive luxury car after
another, crunching the roofs, causing the windows to explode outward.
Fifty cars get this treatment.
Then, it arrives at the lobby of a HOTEL, BROADSIDES a couple of limos,
CAROMS off them, TURNS and rolls directly into the front of a large
(closed) STARBUCKS, SMASHING DOWN the windows and the front door and
setting the place ON FIRE.
EXT. PARK - AERIAL VIEW
As Davitt, Bob and the two other Monkeys FLEE, LAUGHING hysterically at
their handiwork. They split up and move in different directions.
MOVE IN ON DAVITT, sprinting, keeping hidden by bushes. SIRENS can be
heard. He's stripping off his ski mask, his gloves, his combat gear --
as he runs. Underneath are street clothes.
DAVITT (V.O.)
In that moment I "clicked". I became what Kharn wanted. I was his
limb, his appendage -- an extension of his will, nothing more. And he
knew it. I could feel him knowing it.
Davitt dumps the wad of clothes into a trashcan and pulls up the
surrounding trash to cover them. He breaks into a sprint again,
heading for the edge of the park.
GUNSHOT. Davitt's smile fades. He stops, looks toward the direction
from which the sound came. He turns, heads down along a row of hedges.
He comes to a
INT. CONCRETE STAIRCASE - CONTINUOUS
And moves to the top step, looking down. A COP is near the bottom,
running down to the sidewalk. Next to a STREETLAMP LIES a ONE of the
MONKEYS in full combat attire and ski mask. The body is MOTIONLESS,
SPRAWLED. In the hand is the DETONATOR -- looking somewhat like a gun.
The Cop pulls off the ski mask, revealing the DEAD FACE of Bob, a
BULLETHOLE through the head.
Davitt flinches backwards as if punched in the stomach. He gasps for
breath. The Cop looks up and catches sight of Davitt. He lifts his gun
and his PB radio. Davitt jerks back out of sight.
PG 101
EXT. PARK - CONTINUOUS
Davitt hobbles along. Nearby, from beyond a hedge, he hears the
crackling of a PB with a VOICE coming from it. Then:
COP'S VOICE (into PB)
Yeah. We found some clothes.
Davitt, sweating like a pig, picks up his pace and heads for the edge of
the park.
EXT. PAPER ST. HOUSE - NIGHT
Davitt, panting, white as a ghost, trembling, approaches from the
sidewalk. He sees the front door open and four Space Monkeys come out,
carrying LUGGAGE.
BIG-EARED MONKEY (a solemn chant)
We are now the ...
OTHER MONKEYS & BIG-EARED (unison)
... right hands of Kharn.
Davitt steps up onto the porch and sees that they are all holding FLIGHT
COUPONS. Davitt notices that all of them have the KISS-SCAR on their
left hands. They ignore him with military demeanor and walk down to
the sidewalk and head for the bus stop.
DAVITT (V.O.)
Under and behind and inside everything I took for granted, something
horrible had been growing.
INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Davitt walks inside to see a Space Monkey, BEET-RED but silent, holding
out his hands while LYE BURNS the inside of the TOPS of his FINGERS.
Other Monkeys sit and await the process.
DAVITT (V.O.)
They were using lye to burn off their fingerprints.
INT. KHARN'S ROOM
Davitt barges into the room, goes to the desk and rifles through drawers.
His elbow bangs against the top of an ANSWERING MACHINE. It plays
MESSAGES.
PG 102
MARLA'S VOICE
Look, don't get bent, okay? But ... there's a therapist that I think
could really help you. Give me a call. Okay?
Click. Next message:
DETECTIVE STERN'S VOICE
This is Detective Stern with the arson unit. I've called four times in
the last two days. I need you to come in for some further questioning.
Davitt shivers, snaps OFF the machine, then more furiously continues his
search. He finally finds flight coupons -- both used and unused. The
used ones have the flight information, including the destination
cities. He stuffs all of them into his pocket.
CLOSE SHOT: SIGN: "LAGUARDIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT".
INT. BAR - NIGHT
Davitt walks in and sees several MALE PATRONS with FIGHT BRUISES. Davitt
goes to the bar, sidles next to the bruised men and the BRUISED
BARTENDER. They stare at him.
DAVITT
This is an emergency. I'm looking for Kharn.
BRUISED PATRON
Never heard of him. Sir.
He and the other bruised patrons and the bartender WINK at Davitt and
crack slight smiles.
MONTAGE - DAY & NIGHT:
"WELCOME TO" AIRPORT SIGNS -- Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix, Los
Angeles".
FACES -- bruised, smiling, tight-lipped.
DAVITT (V.O.)
In every city, I branched out from the airport to downtown and checked
bars. There was always a fight club. Kharn was setting up franchises,
all over the country.
PG 103
INT. ANOTHER BAR - NIGHT
Davitt walks in and sits at the bar. The BARTENDER wears a NECK BRACE
and has a black eye.
BARTENDER
Welcome back, Sir. No one's in here. It's always empty the day after
fight club.
DAVITT
Talk to me. Have you ever met Kharn?
BARTENDER
Is this a test, Sir?
DAVITT
Yeah, it's a test.
BARTENDER
You were in here last Thursday night. You were standing right there,
asking me about how good our security is. And it's tight as a drum.
DAVITT
Who do you think I am?
DAVITT (V.O.)
Please return your seatbacks to their full upright and locked position.
BARTENDER
You're the person who did *this* to me.
The Bartender shows Davitt his hand -- it has the kiss-shaped scar.
BARTENDER
You're Kharn, Sir.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Davitt bursts inside, runs to the phone, punches a number. He doesn't
bother to turn on the lamp.
INTERCUT WITH
PG 104
INT. MARLA'S ROOM - SAME
Marla answers the phone.
MARLA
Yeah?
DAVITT
It's me. Have we ever had sex?
MARLA
What kind of stupid question is that?!!
DAVITT
Is it stupid because the answer's "yes" or because the answer's "no"?
MARLA
Is this a trick?
DAVITT
Will you just answer, for God's sake?!
MARLA
Oh, you mean, you want to know if I think it was "making love" or just
two animals going at it?
DAVITT
So we *did* make love?
MARLA
Is that what *you're* calling it?
DAVITT
ANSWER THE QUESTION!!!
MARLA
You fuck me, then snub me. You love me, you hate me, you show your
sensitive side, you turn back into an asshole!
DAVITT
Oh, God.
MARLA
Is that a pretty accurate description of this relationship?
DAVITT
What's my name?
PG 105
MARLA
Kharn.
DAVITT (V.O.)
We've just lost cabin pressure.
MARLA
I'm coming over.
As Marla hangs up, we END INTERCUT. Davitt stares at the receiver a
beat, then realizes ...
DAVITT
Oh, shit! No! I'm out of town!
He punches Marla's number like a maniac. Listens ... just ringing and
ringing. He turns, sees KHARN -- sitting on the bed, staring at him
with an ominous poker face. Davitt drops the receiver. The room is only
lit by dim moonlight through the window.
KHARN
You broke your promise.
DAVITT
Why do people think I'm you?
KHARN
Because we happen to share the same body.
DAVITT
What the hell are you talking about?
KHARN
Sometimes *I* control it and you imagine watching me.
INT. BAR BASEMENT - NIGHT (DAVITT'S MEMORY)
Davitt stands near the back of the crowd as Kharn stands in the middle of
the light.
KHARN
The first rule of fight club is --
JUMP CUT - SAME SHOT - (ALTERED FLASHBACK) -- it's DAVITT in the light,
talking, behaving like KHARN.
DAVITT
-- you don't talk about fight club.
PG 106
INT. HOTEL ROOM - RESUMING
Davitt gasps and wheezes. Kharn grins and nods.
DAVITT
But we fought --
KHARN
When *you're* controlling the body, you see me and hear me. But no one
else does.
INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - IN FLIGHT - NIGHT (ALTERED FLASHBACK)
Davitt sits next to an empty seat and "looks" at the blank air beside
him, eyes focusing on "someone" close.
DAVITT
What do you do Kharn?
(pause; listens to reply)
I mean -- for a living.
Davitt listens to the reply, then laughs.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - RESUMING
Davitt has trouble catching his breath.
DAVITT
What about when we were together around other people?
KHARN
You never talked.
EXT. PARK - NIGHT (ALTERED FLASHBACK)
Davitt (Kharn) has his face right in front of the Police Commissioner's.
DAVITT ("KHARN")
We'll send one ball to the "New York Times" and one ball to the "Los
Angeles Times". Sort of press release style.
PG 107
INT. HOTEL ROOM - RESUMING
Kharn sits down on the bed, takes Davitt's hand. He presses his lips to
the kiss-scar.
KHARN
And when you fall asleep, I go places and do things without you.
EXT. BUILDING (FLASHBACK)
We see that the building is "TRW". Davitt, Bob, Ricky, Angel Face and
another GUY rappel down the die and start SPRAYING PAINT. Everyone is
more or less paired off. Davitt IS "KHARN" in his demeanor, mannerisms,
speech. He's next to Angel Face.
DAVITT ("KHARN") (to Angel Face)
You are not your job. You are not how much money you have in the bank.
Suddenly, the TWO WINDOWS SHATTER OUTWARD and two of the men yell out
the windows:
BRUISED MAN #1
I AM NOT MY JOB!
BRUISED MAN #2
I AM NOT HOW MUCH MONEY I HAVE IN THE BANK!
INT. HOTEL ROOM - RESUMING
Davitt shakes his head in disbelief.
DAVITT
But you ... you ... you rent the house.
KHARN
The house is rented in your name.
DAVITT
You're a projection? A personality disorder? A psychogenic fugue
state?
KHARN
Fuck that. You're *my* hallucination.
PG 108
DAVITT (points to his body)
I was here first.
KHARN
Who's done more with it?
DAVITT
You're not going to do any more with it.
KHARN
What are you going to do? You couldn't even figure this out. It's
been staring you in the face for months. I had to drop my busy
schedule and come here and tell you. How are you going to fuck with
me? You think there's any possibility that I haven't prepared for? Do
you think anyone you care about is safe?
Davitt quivers with shock, shaking his head, sweating more profusely.
DAVITT
No. This is all ... it's not possible. Kharn. Kharn ... it's a joke,
right? Right?
Davitt FAINTS and falls to the floor, UNCONSCIOUS.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - DAY
Davitt's eyes snap open. He shoots to his feet.
DAVITT
Kharn ... ?
He remembers the revelations of the previous night ... he looks at
himself in the mirror. A sledgehammer of emotions hits him. He looks
at the clock -- 1:35p.m.
BAM!
INT. HALLWAY
The room door slams against the wall as Davitt bursts out of the room,
SPRINTING for the stairs. Fuck the luggage.
INT. STAIRWELL
Davitt takes three steps at a time.
PG 109
INT. LOBBY
Davitt storms for the front door, passing the length of the front desk.
A DESK CLERK calls out to him.
DESK CLERK
SIR?!
Davitt catches sight of the Clerk, who waves a piece of paper.
DESK CLERK
Please initial the list of phone calls.
Davitt snatches the bill and looks at it. There's a MASS of PHONE
NUMBERS.
DAVITT
When were these made?
DESK CLERK
It says right there, Sir. Between two a.m. and five thirty a.m.
Davitt grins. He initials the bill. The Clerk gives him a copy. Davitt
stuffs the bill into his pocket and disappears out the door.
INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - IN FLIGHT - DAY
Davitt sits, staring out the window, his face set hard.
EXT. AIRPORT DRIVE - SUNSET
Davitt sprints to the curb and leaps onto a taxi.
EXT. MARLA'S HOTEL - SUNSET
The taxi pulls to a halt by the curb. Davitt leaps out and runs up the
front steps.
INT. HOTEL STAIRS - CONTINUOUS
Davitt sprints up the steps, taking two or three at a time. He gets to a
landing and turns and runs down to the end of the
PG 110
INT. HALLWAY
Where he pounds on Marla's door. She opens it. He endures her baleful
gaze for a beat.
MARLA
Your whacked-out, bald feaks threw me out of the house. I thought they
were going to kill me. They almost broke my arm.
DAVITT
I'm sorry, I ...
Davitt takes both her hands in his.
DAVITT
Marla, I'm going to tell you something and it's going to take a
tremendous act of faith on your part to believe me.
MARLA
Here comes an avalanche of bullshit.
DAVITT
-- A little *more* faith than that.
MARLA
Spill it.
INT. MARLA'S ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Davitt leads her toward the bed.
DAVITT
Look, did you notice a big difference between me when we were having
sex and when ... we weren't?
MARLA
Did I notice? You're manic-depressive. It's like a neon sign all over
you.
DAVITT
No. It's worse than that.
Davitt sits on the bed, pulling Marla down next to him. They and the
sheets and covers SLIDE OFF onto the floor. Davitt keeps his composure
and looks into her eyes.
DAVITT
Kharn is my split personality.
PG 111
MARLA
Then, who are you?
Davitt takes out his wallet, shows Marla his driver's license.
MARLA
You gave me a fake name? What a jerk.
DAVITT
*I* didn't give you the fake name -- a *fake person* did. Listen,
those people all over the house -- you're in danger.
MARLA
Okay, what do you want? You want me to create my own wonder-bitch
personality to match? So we can be a foursome?
DAVITT
I WANT YOU TO FUCKING BELIEVE ME!! YOU WANTED TO TALK?! WELL,
*HERE'S* OUR FUCKING TALK!!!
Davitt's eyes well up with tears. He turns away from her. Marla's face
softens. She strokes Davitt's hair, turns his face to look at her.
MARLA
I'm sorry. This split personality thing is ...
A beat of silence. She squeezes his hand; he squeezes back. He looks
at her, working up some nerve.
DAVITT
I've go to know something. Why did you respond to Kharn? Instead of
me. Sexually.
MARLA
I ... uh ... I don't know what to say -- *you're* Kharn.
DAVITT
Okay, however you want to say it -- the abusive side of me -- the
asshole who treated you like shit and made you leave in the morning.
PG 112
MARLA
What do you want? You want me to say I'm shit and I deserve to be
treated like shit? Well, I AM! And that's how you GOT ME OFF!! AND
YOU *KNOW IT*!!!
Davitt touches her face and she slaps his hand away. He sighs and gets
to his feet. He pulls out an airline FLIGHT COUPON and shows it to
her.
DAVITT
I want you to get out of town for awhile. Whether you believe me or
not, you're in *real* danger. Is there someplace you can go?
Marla grabs the flight coupon, looks it over.
MARLA
There's plenty of places I'd like to go.
Davitt digs into his pocket and produces a wad of cash. Marla roughly
seizes the cash, checks out the amount.
DAVITT
Leave as soon as possible. Go to a rural little town, away from any
major city. Go now. Okay? Please. Promise?
MARLA
Count on it. And I'm not paying this back -- I consider it "asshole
tax".
DAVITT
I agree. More than you know.
Marla's expression of rage becomes muddled with confusion over Davitt's
almost spiritual tenderness. Davitt starts toward the door. A WAVE OF
DROWSINESS and FATIGUE hits him. He staggers, eyes closing. He drops
onto a chair for a beat and rests his hand over his face.
He SNAPS AWAKE. Marla is GONE. Davitt bolts up out of the seat.
DAVITT
Marla?!
PG 113
INT. HALLWAY
Davitt leaps out of the room, looks down the hall in both directions.
DAVITT
Marla?!
EXT. PAPER STREET - SUNSET
The taxi screeches to a halt. Davitt leaps out.
DAVITT
Wait here.
INT. PAPER ST. HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER
Davitt walks inside to find it completely EMPTY and DESERTED. He gawks
at the bathtub and canisters that hold vast amounts of liquid. He sees
bottles labeled "nitric acid". He TIP-TOES to the
INT. KITCHEN
And picks up the phone. He pulls out the hotel bill and scans the
phone numbers. Through the window, the LAST bit of SUNLIGHT slowly
SINKS.
Davitt punches the first number.
VOICE (from phone)
Maintenance.
A brief silence while Davitt absorbs this and adjusts.
DAVITT
Uh, excuse me. I'm not sure I have the right number. I've been
calling maintenance departments all over the city, regarding the water
supply. Which maintenance department is this?
VOICE
Very good, Sir.
DAVITT
Excuse me?
PG 124
VOICE
Don't worry about us, Sir. We're solid.
Davitt hangs up the phone. He punches the next number.
DIFFERENT VOICE (from phone)
Maintenance.
DAVITT (imitating Kharn)
Give me your position.
DIFFERENT VOICE (baffled)
Huh? Who's this?
DAVITT
Oh, excuse me. I'm calling from the water company. I've mixed up my
phone numbers. Which maintenance department am I talking to?
DIFFERENT VOICE
You almost had me there, Sir. Everything's A-okay here.
Davitt hangs up the phone. He punches the next number.
ANOTHER DIFFERENT VOICE (from phone)
Maintenance.
Davitt hangs up; punches the next number.
YET ANOTHER DIFFERENT VOICE (from phone)
Maintenance.
Davitt hangs up; punches the next number.
EVEN YET ANOTHER VOICE (from phone)
Maintenance.
A beat while Davitt thinks.
DAVITT
There's been a change in the plan.
EVEN YET ANOTHER VOICE
You told me you'd say that, Sir.
PG 115
DAVITT
I don't care what I told you -- there's *really* a change of plan!
EVEN YET ANOTHER VOICE
You told me you'd say *that*, too, Sir.
DAVITT
Now, listen to me, you stupid fuck! I've got the phone numbers mixed
up! Tell me where you are! Now!
EVEN YET ANOTHER VOICE
This is a very good test, Sir. You sound like you mean it.
Davitt hangs up the phone and KICKS IT. He flushes red, looks around at
passersby. He lifts the receiver again and punches the next number on
the hotel bill.
SCRATCHY VOICE (from phone)
Mason Industrial Electronics.
DAVITT
This is Kharn.
SCRATCHY VOICE (harsh whisper)
Are you outta your fucking mind?! What the fuck are you doing, calling
me in the daytime?!
DAVITT
I ... have some questions about ...
SCRATCHY VOICE
Jesus! I showed your guys how to use it! A four-year-old could take
that shit and break through any security system in the world! If you
can't then fuck you, moron! Now, don't ever call me again!!
Click. Disconnect. Davitt looks at the receiver, hangs it up.
PG 116
EXT. LOU'S TAVERN - NIGHT
Davitt gets out of the cab, turns to the CABBIE.
DAVITT
I gotta have you wait again. Leave the meter running.
The Cabbie grins.
CABBIE
There's no charge, Mr. Kharn.
Davitt gawks at him, backs away.
INT. LOU'S TAVERN - SAME
Davitt darts inside and signals to Irvine. Irvine comes out from behind
the bar and he and Davitt move to a corner. Other men with BRUISED FACES
turn and watch them.
DAVITT
Look, I need to know where the nitroglycerin was taken.
Irvine scowls at him a beat, then slowly smiles.
IRVINE
Right, Mr. Kharn.
DAVITT
This isn't a test. There's been a mix-up.
IRVINE
You told me you'd say that.
DAVITT
Where are all the maintenance departments?!
IRVINE
You told me you'd say that, too.
Davitt bristles with rage. He grabs Irvine's shirt collar.
DAVITT
Did I tell you I'd call you a motherfucking asswipe dickhead?!
IRVINE
Yes, you did.
Marla walks into the tavern, makes a beeline for Davitt.
PG 117
DAVITT
WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!
MARLA
You told me to meet you here at ten till.
DAVITT
WHEN?!
MARLA
Back in my room. When you dropped into the chair.
DAVITT
SHIT!
Irvine and a couple of the bruised-faced guys grin at Marla and take a
few steps towards her. Davitt grabs her and drags her out the door.
EXT. LOU'S TAVERN
Davitt ignores the waiting cabbie and heads for the main road. He's
stomping along at a brisk pace. His face hardens into a mask of
psychotic determination. He pulls Marla with him onto a run-down side
street.
He darts into a
INT. PAWN SHOP
He immediately points to something high on a shelf.
DAVITT
Let me see that trumpet.
The OWNER, a huge, gruff man, pushes a ladder to the spot starts to
climb. Davitt throws himself onto the countertop near the register,
looks around, pulls up a HANDGUN.
OWNER
Hey!
Marla GASPS. Davitt checks the clip -- it's fully-loaded. He sprints
for the door, dragging Marla.
EXT. STREET - CONTINUOUS
Davitt steps out into traffic. A LEXUS screeches to a halt. Davitt goes
to the DRIVER'S door and whips it open.
DAVITT
Police emergency.
PG 118
DRIVER
Bullshit!
Davitt shoves the gun barrel into the Driver's temple. The Driver gets
out of the car and FLEES. Davitt points the gun at Marla and motions her
to get into the car. Overwhelmed by all this, she complies. Davitt
leaps behind the wheel and stomps on the gas.
EXT. GREYHOUND BUS STATION - LATER
Davitt drags Marla into the passenger loading area. A Greyhound bus is
taking on passengers. Davitt sees the DESTINATION -- PHOENIX -- and he
impulsively averts his eyes, but too late.
DAVITT
SHIT! I can't know where it's going! Come on, let's find another one.
Davitt drags her to another loading bus. He keeps his eyes averted from
the DESTINATION sign.
DAVITT
Get on the bus.
MARLA (reading the destination)
But I don't want to go to --
DAVITT
SHUT UP! Don't tell me where it's going!
MARLA
But, the people there talk funny and their teeth are rotten.
DAVITT
Shit! Now, I know it's the rural South!
Davitt jams the gun barrel into Marla's ribs.
DAVITT
Get on that fucking bus right now!
Marla starts for the bus. Davitt keeps himself from seeing the
destination sign, but watches Marla get on board. Then, the doors
close. Then, the bus pulls away. Then, the bus gets to the end of the
road and turns a corner.
Davitt turns and walks off the passenger platform and out into the
PG 119
EXT. STREET NIGHT
He sees a Space Monkey on the corner, watching him. He looks down and
sees another Monkey in the opposite direction, also watching him.
DAVITT (V.O.)
They probably had a map of the city with little push pins. I felt like
a migrating goose on "Wild Kingdom. Well, fine. They could watch me
do *this*".
INT. POLICE STATION - NIGHT
Davitt walks past desks of PLAINCLOTHES DETECTIVES until he sees a
private office. He glances down at a business card, then keeps moving
forward.
INT. OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
Davitt steps inside the office to see Detective Stern at the desk.
DAVITT
I want you to arrest me. I'm the leader of a terrorist organization
that's about to set off bombs all over the city.
Detective Stern scowls at Davitt.
INT. HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER
Davitt, handcuffed, is led by Detective Stern. Several other DETECTIVES
follow. A somber mood prevails.
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Stern enters and leads Davitt to a table. All the other Detectives file
inside. The last one closes the door. Dim light from a single bulb
overhead creates the tone of a torture chamber. Cigarette smoke
becomes thick. Davitt sighs with relief. It's finally over. The
Detectives all stare harshly at Davitt.
Then, they all BURST into HYSTERICAL LAUGHTER. They slap and punch
Davitt's shoulder.
DETECTIVE STERN
Very good, Mr. Kharn.
Davitt uses all his strength to stifle his utter shock. He forces a thin
smile.
PG 120
DETECTIVE STERN
Operation Domino has everyone a little skittish right now. But it's
all going like clockwork.
Davitt, ready to explode, keeps the smile plastered on his face and
forces his hand -- like a palsy victim -- to form the gesture "thumbs
up". The Detectives give him the same gesture in reply.
EXT. BACK OF POLICE STATION - NIGHT
A door opens and Davitt is playfully shoved outside. LAUGHTER of
Detectives rings out. Davitts starts to walk away from the police
station.
EXT. STREET - CONTINUOUS
Davitt steps out into the street. In a state of shock, he lopes forward,
dizzy.
DAVITT
... Operation Domino ... "fall like dominoes" ... SHIT! ONE, TWO,
THREE! YES!
Passersby look at him as if he were a homeless, insane guy.
DAVITT
THE BANKS! What was the first one?! Number one, number one ...
*CITIBANK*!
INT. STOLEN LEXUS - MOMENTS LATER
Davitt RACES along the streets, swerving and passing cars, HONKING.
After a beat a MOTORCYCLE COP appears behind Davitt and turns on his
SIREN and FLASHING LIGHT. Davitt reflexively slows down. The motorcycle
moves up beside Davitt and the COP SMILES, waving Davitt forward. The Cop
provides an ESCORT. The Lexus turns a corner and heads for the
EXT. CITIBANK BUILDING - CONTINUOUS
Davitt leaps out of the car. He sprints into the
INT. LOBBY - NIGHT
Two Space Monkeys take over the escort and lead Davitt toward the
elevators.
DAVITT
I'll take the stairs.
Davitt darts to the side, throws open the stairwell door.
PG 121
INT. STAIRWELL
Davitt dashes DOWN the steps.
INT. PARKING AREA
Davitt races from the stairwell into the parking area, eyes combing the
place. He darts from one SUPPORT POST to another, his eyes frantically
searching.
He moves around a support post and sees -- Kharn, sitting on the
ground, his back against the post.
KHARN
Looking for something?
DAVITT
Where are the charges at?!
KHARN
Don't end a sentence with a preposition.
DAVITT
WHERE ARE THE CHARGES AT, *FUCKHEAD*?!!!
KHARN
Listen to "Elephant Balls" ... shit, slinging a gun. *Where did I go
right*?
DAVITT
I'll find them.
Davitt moves away, continues looking around support posts.
KHARN
There's eight floors of parking.
DAVITT
I don't give a shit.
KHARN
You do -- because you don't have enough time.
Kharn grins, points to his watch.
KHARN
... Ten minutes.
Davitt stalks back toward Kharn, gun raised.
PG 122
DAVITT
TELL ME WHERE THE CHARGES ARE!
KHARN
They're all up and down the building. They're not just here. If you
tried to stupidly pull a fuse on a charge, you'd just cause it to blow
up. The charges are set to go in a specific order -- so that the
building will implode and collapse. If you *did* defuse one of the
charges, you'd fuck up the sequence, and the building might fall the
wrong way. Why don't you just find a television and watch the party?
DAVITT
I'm awake. I have control of the body. You can't give orders.
KHARN
I don't have any orders left to give. It's all set.
Davitt boils over, then cracks. He drops the gun, falls to his knees and
clutches at Kharn. He touches Kharn's face.
DAVITT
Kharn. You're real, aren't you? This is all a big joke, isn't it?
You *are* real, you son of a bitch!
Tears well up in Davitt's eyes. He hugs Kharn. Kharn hugs him back.
KHARN
We're both real.
Davitt squeezes harder, then lifts his head -- he's hugging ANOTHER DAVITT.
The real Davitt gasps, flinches backwards, landing on the gun. He
turns, grabs the gun, and turns back around. Fifty feet away, Kharn,
standing, leans against a pillar. He winks.
Davitt raises the gun, turns it around and aims it at his own head.
DAVITT
There's only one way to stop all this.
Davitt shoves the barrel into his mouth.
PG 123
KHARN
You better not. If our body is found dead, the Space Monkeys have
orders to kill Marla.
DAVITT
Marla is gone -- and you don't know where.
Kharn's hand suddenly DARTS INTO FRAME, CLOSE-UP and SNATCHES the gun.
NEW ANGLE
Kharn, laughing, holding the gun, dashes for the elevator. Davitt
sprints after him.
INT. ELEVATOR
Davitt manages to leap inside just as the door closes. He lunges at
Kharn and fights for the gun. Kharn, laughing, manages to retain it.
The elevator climbs rapidly -- blinking numbers indicate floors
whizzing past.
INT. TOP FLOOR LOBBY
The elevator doors open and the struggling pair whirl out and toward
the GLASS WALLS. Kharn SHOVES Davitt's HEAD against the window, turns it
so Davitt is looking down.
ANGLE ON STREET
A GREYHOUND BUS sits idling right by the front lobby doors, having been
allowed through the cordon.
INT. TOP FLOOR LOBBY - RESUMING
As Kharn and Davitt continue to stare downward.
DAVITT
That's ... not the bus.
KHARN
You know it is.
Kharn swings Davitt away from the window and shoves him backwards.
KHARN
Now, can you grasp that there's nothing you can do?
Davitt raises the gun, aiming at Kharn. Kharn laughs, but flinches --
just as Davitt FIRES. The bullet chews out a CHUNK of the wall.
PG 124
DAVITT
I'm not going to kill myself. I'm going to kill *you*.
Kharn laughs, but he starts rapidly moving down the hallway.
KHARN
You can't kill me! How can you kill me?!
Davitt FIRES again, missing Kharn. Kharn breaks into a sprint. Davitt
does the same.
INT. HALLWAY
Davitt turns a corner, sees Kharn at the end of the section of hallway,
heading for an intersection. Davitt aims the gun at Kharn. RAPID CUT
TO:
SECURITY CAMERA POV - HALLWAY
Davitt aims the gun at himself. RAPID CUT TO:
INT. HALLWAY
Davitt FIRES. As Kharn flinches down -- RAPID CUT TO:
SECURITY CAMERA POV - HALLWAY
*Davitt* flinches down, having shot at himself. RAPID CUT TO:
INT. HALLWAY
Davitt resumes sprinting until he turns a corner to
INT. NEW SECTION OF HALLWAY
Davitt sees Kharn turn, freeze, then leap sideways toward a room. Davitt
FIRES. The bullet GRAZES Kharn's leg. RAPID CUT TO:
SECURITY CAMERA POV - HALLWAY
Davitt, with the gun still aimed at his own leg, falls backwards,
bleeding from the graze wound his just gave himself. RAPID CUT TO:
INT. HALLWAY
Davitt pulls himself to his feet, and, his face now looking completely
insane, runs with his limp, holding the gun up, ready to fire. He
turns a corner to --
PG 125
INT. TOP FLOOR LOBBY
And suddenly, Kharn LEAPS onto Davitt. RAPID CUT TO:
SECURITY CAMERA POV - LOBBY
Davitt crumples to the floor and wrestles with himself. He punches
himself, he tries to trap pin his own arms, he kicks himself. RAPID
CUT TO:
INT. TOP FLOOR LOBBY
Kharn leaps to his feet and dashes away. Davitt pulls himself up and
follows into a --
INT. LARGE SOCIAL ROOM
With floor-to-ceiling windows showing a view of the city. There are a
HUNDRED DUFFEL BAGS lining the floor, along the walls.
Kharn leaps onto Davitt seizes the gun. Davitt holds onto Kharn. Kharn
shoves the gun barrel into Davitt's mouth.
KHARN
Okay -- let's kill you -- let's kill *both* of us. Be a martyr for the
cause.
Kharn pushes Davitt against a glass wall. Davitt, exhausted, is losing his
spirit.
DAVITT (V.O.)
I think this is about where we came in.
KHARN
Two minutes.
Davitt collapses to the floor. Kharn moves down with him, keeping the
gun in Davitt's mouth. He sits on Davitt.
DAVITT
Either way -- the building blows us up or you pull the trigger -- it'll
finally be over.
KHARN
This building isn't going to blow up. It's the observation room.
Pay-per-view. So, what are you going to do? You don't even have the
guts to make a decision.
PG 126
Davitt looks into his eyes for a moment, then reaches up and PULLS THE
TRIGGER. *GO TO SLOW MOTION* AS -- KABLAM! his cheeks INFLATE with gas
from the gun. His eyes bulge, BLOOD flies out backwards from his head.
SMOKE wafts out of his mouth.
RESUME NORMAL SPEED as Kharn gapes at Davitt, then reaches behind his
head and feels -- there's a HOLE BLOWN OUT THE BACK. Kharn's eyes
glaze over and he falls backwards, plopping on the floor, DEAD, with a
grin on his face.
A throng of Space Monkeys -- two of whom drag Marla -- RUSHES into the
room. They see Davitt, ALONE, holding a gun, bleeding profusely from the
side of his face, where he's SHOT A HOLE through HIS CHEEK. He stares
at the empty floor in front of him with his weird, little smile.
TALL SPACE MONKEY
ARE YOU ALL RIGHT, SIR?!!
The two Space Monkeys who hold Marla press forward through the crowd.
One of them puts a GUN to her head. He COCKS it.
TALL SPACE MONKEY
ARE YOU ALL RIGHT, SIR?!!
Davitt takes in the sight of Marla and the gun at her head. He cracks a
Kharn-esque grin.
DAVITT
Everything's fine. Give me the girl.
The Monkeys release Marla. She moves next to Davitt, now becoming more
shocked by his bloody state. Davitt grabs her arm. She digs through her
purse and pulls out a wad of tissue paper. She puts them into his
mouth to plug the hole.
MARLA
What the fuck is going on?!
Davitt cracks his weird, little smile; his eyes are wide and
half-insane-looking. He winks at Marla and squeezes her hand.
DAVITT
Kharn's dead.
The Space Monkeys all grab their duffel bags and file out of the room,
saluting Davitt as they go.
Now, Davitt and Marla are completely alone. He struggles to get to his
feet. She helps him. They look out the window.
PG 127
MASSIVE EXPLOSION -- a building a quarter of a mile away. It's
destruction is completely visible from here. The glass walls RATTLE
LOUDLY from the shock wave. They both stare out the window.
DAVITT
Listen, you met me at a really weird time in my life ...
Marla looks at Davitt, then looks back out the window. He reaches for
her hand. She takes his hand.
They are SILHOUETTED against BRIGHT FLASHES as ANOTHER BUILDING
EXPLODES and COLLAPSES. ANOTHER BUILDING EXPLODES. And ANOTHER
BUILDING. And ANOTHER BUILDING.
The FILM SLOWS DOWN, then ADVANCES ONE FRAME at a TIME -- SHOWING the
SPROCKET HOLES on the SIDES. It's CAUGHT in the mechanism of the
projector's GATE. EACH FRAME is the EXPLODING BUILDINGS -- then, *ONE
FRAME is a PENIS*. Then, EXPLODING BUILDINGS again. SPEED UP the
frames, LOSE the sprocket holes, RESUME NORMAL SPEED.
FADE OUT
*THE END*
end PG 127