THE LOVE SONG OF PRINCE MICHAEL AND CECELIA
Written by
SECOND DRAFT
June 28, 1998
FIRST DRAFT:
December 11, 1990
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"THE LOVE SONG OF PRINCE MICHAEL AND CECELIA"
FADE IN:
INT. NOICEN CASTLE LIBRARY - DAY
PRINCE MICHAEL, a tall and exceptionally handsome twenty-one-year-old Black man dressed in matching regal sweater and slacks and black leather boots, is sitting at a finely polished mahogany table, listening intently to the older and bespectacled Black tutor, LORD WILLIAMS, who is standing before him pointing at a map of Noicen and the much larger kingdoms surrounding it.
WILLIAMS
Williams points to a kingdom on the map that has been divided into six subsections.
WILLIAMS (CONT'D)
Michael nods reluctantly.
MICHAEL
Williams closes the open atlas on the table.
WILLIAMS (CONT'D)
Michael rises from his chair and stands.
MICHAEL
Williams bows to Prince Michael, who acknowledges the gesture and then walks out of the room.
CUT TO:
INT. NOICEN CASTLE GYMNASIUM - DAY
Prince Michael, now in fencing costume, puts on his helmet and assumes the stance before his instructor, LORD DENNIS.
MICHAEL
The two men begin to parry lightly. Michael moves stiffly.
DENNIS
Michael and Dennis parry again, with Dennis picking up the pace of the charges. Michael reacts, but it's not enough. Dennis fights through and the tip of his sword reaches the heart on Michael's chest, ending the battle.
Dennis puts down his sword and removes his helmet, and Michael does the same.
DENNIS
Abruptly, a SERVANT rushes in.
SERVANT
Michael and Dennis drop their helmets and run out of the gymnasium, followed by the servant.
CUT TO:
EXT. NOICEN CASTLE - DAY
Outside Noicen castle on this overcast day stand rows of men, women and children, all members of the working class of Noicen, all looking sad and anxious at the castle's windows.
BEGIN TITLES
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. DOOR TO KING JOSEPH'S BEDROOM - DAY
Outside the door of King Joseph's bedroom stand rows of men, women and children, all members of the royal court of Noicen, all looking sad and anxious at the door. A ROYAL GUARD stands at the door.
END TITLES
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. KING JOSEPH'S BEDROOM - DAY
KING JOSEPH, a handsome and older Black man with a commanding presence and dressed in African royal robes, lies unconscious, propped up on pillows on an impressive bed that is laid with the majestic silken bedclothes of a monarch. His crown lies on the small table beside the bed.
QUEEN KATHERINE, a beautiful and older Black woman dressed in long, flowing royal robes, sits on the bed beside King Joseph, holding his hand and looking very sad and worried.
ROYAL GUARD (O.S.)
Make way for Prince Michael!
Suddenly Michael -- back in his regular clothes, no longer in the fencing costume -- rushes into the room with a cold towel. At a look from his mother, though, he calms down and closes the door gently behind him and walks over to her.
Michael gives Katherine the towel, which she places on Joseph's forehead.
MICHAEL
Katherine shakes her head slowly.
Michael sits beside her on the bed.
MICHAEL (CONT'D)
CUT TO:
INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE KING JOSEPH'S DOORWAY - DAY
MAGUS, the Royal Magician of King Joseph's court, is a quiet and distinguished Black gentleman obviously possessing great power, both mystical and spiritual. He walks down the hallway, the people of the court clearing an open pathway for him to the door to Joseph's bedroom. He opens it and steps inside.
CUT TO:
INT. KING JOSEPH'S BEDROOM - DAY
Magus walks into the room and bows and closes the door behind him. He slowly approaches the bed.
Magus looks carefully at Joseph -- and he feels Joseph's cheeks with the back of his hand.
MAGUS
Magus takes a small vial of green liquid from his belt. He gently pours the liquid down Joseph's throat. Slowly, Joseph's face changes, from a solid stillness to a grudging animation. His eyelids flutter and he begins to stammer.
JOSEPH
Joseph's eyes slowly open. At first blurrily and then clearly he sees the smiling faces of his wife and son, and also of Magus.
KATHERINE
JOSEPH
Michael looks up at Joseph. But he cannot bring himself to make the request. He looks at Katherine.
KATHERINE
Joseph begins to picture the events he relays to them all.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. NOICEN CASTLE - THRONE ROOM - 15 YEARS AGO
King Joseph and Queen Katherine, noticeably younger, sit upon their throne. Lords and ladies of the court are present.
Joseph finishes explaining something and smiles. He then removes his crown and hands it to the SIX-YEAR-OLD PRINCE MICHAEL.
JOSEPH (O.S.)
Younger Michael accepts the crown with young, eager hands. He holds the crown to his head and begins to skip around the throne room, to the amusement of his parents and the court.
JOSEPH (O.S.) (CONT'D)
Younger Michael does indeed seem to be shouting, "I am king! I am king!"
JOSEPH (O.S.)
Younger Michael leaps atop a table in the center of the room and makes an imperial stance, looking down upon the whole court. He folds his arms across his chest --
And the large crown slips unceremoniously from his head onto his shoulders!
The entire room erupts into merry laughter!
JOSEPH (O.S.)
Younger Michael, with the crown laying on his shoulders, looks quite dejected.
Joseph and Katherine laugh along with the court.
DISSOLVE TO:
BACK TO KING JOSEPH'S BEDROOM - PRESENT
Joseph and Katherine quietly chuckle at the memory.
Magus ruefully laughs at the story, but he looks over for Michael's reaction.
Michael smiles, but he then rises slowly from the bed and stands above his father.
MICHAEL
Michael bows serenely. Joseph smiles at Michael and a proud light enters his eyes.
MICHAEL (CONT'D)
Magus bows, smiling.
JOSEPH (CONT'D)
Magus walks to the door and opens it to the waiting guard and members of the court.
MAGUS
A huge cheer goes up from the guard and members of the court!
CUT TO:
EXT. NOICEN CASTLE
And this cheer is echoed by the members of the working class!
CUT TO:
EXT. SKY ABOVE NOICEN KINGDOM - DAY
The sun comes from behind the clouds and shines brightly over the whole kingdom.
CUT TO:
Page 10 | Back to Top
EXT. NOICEN MARKETPLACE - HORSE'S POST - DAY
The next day, Michael enters the marketplace on his horse, accompanied by THREE ROYAL GUARDSMEN on horseback. HAKEEM ABDUL, a tall and proud Black man in his late twenties, approaches the prince.
HAKEEM
Michael dismounts his horse and the first guardsman ties it on the post with the others.
MICHAEL
Hakeem accompanies Michael and the three guardsmen to the heart of the busy and bustling marketplace just ahead of them.
IN THE HEART OF THE MARKETPLACE
There are lines of booths in which men and women display their various wares, which include pastry danishes, rag dolls, and lengthy, embroidered dresses.
Everywhere people barter and gossip, laughing merrily. A flurry of cheers, bowing and curtsying ensues and progresses as Michael proceeds down the square.
Hakeem and Michael stop at the booth that Hakeem shares with his wife, ADJOUA ABDUL, a pretty young Black woman who makes Black rag dolls. She is setting these out on trays. She looks up and smiles at the two upon their arrival.
HAKEEM
Adjoua curtsies before the prince.
ADJOUA
Michael accepts the curtsy and smiles a little nervously.
MICHAEL
The son of Adjoua and Hakeem, BRANDON ABDUL, comes up to the group lugging a box of Hakeem's zucchini bread -- but he can't see, the box blocks his view.
Brandon accidentally bumps Michael, who turns around and smiles at him. Brandon's face lights up.
Hakeem smiles and takes the box from Brandon. He opens it up and gestures for Michael to pick a slice of the zucchini bread inside it.
Everyone in the marketplace is quiet and looks on as Michael takes a slice of the zucchini bread and bites into it.
His satisfied smile brings a cheer from everyone.
CUT TO:
SERIES OF SHOTS
Throughout the day Michael:
A) Assists elderly Black MRS. ANNA BETHUNE with her many packages.
B) Listens to a GROUP OF OLDER, BEARDED MEN by the tools section of the marketplace, nodding often. They're all drinking out of large metal cups -- drinking ale. The men encourage Michael to take a swallow. At first, he begs off, but he finally acquiesces and takes a drink -- and his face quickly sours and then he coughs, choking! The men laugh, which Michael accepts good-naturedly.
C) Smells and purchases flowers from Latina MRS. MARIA FLORES while she gossips with her friends.
CUT TO:
EXT. NOICEN MARKETPLACE - HORSE'S POST - LATE AFTERNOON
The three guardsmen are sitting on the ground finishing up a snack.
FIRST GUARDSMAN
All the guardsmen laugh heartily.
FIRST GUARDSMAN
Just then, Michael approaches with THE CHILDREN OF NOICEN, about forty children of various ages and races, including Brandon. One of the older boys, MARLON, has a guitar.
MICHAEL
A groan comes up from the children.
MICHAEL (CONT'D)
Michael slyly winks at the children.
The children all wink back. Then they begin to leave, bowing and curtsying as they do.
CHILDREN
The last child leaves and Michael turns to face his guardsmen.
SECOND GUARDSMAN
The guardsmen chuckle good-naturedly, as they and Michael mount their horses.
FIRST GUARDSMAN
The prince smiles and sets his horse toward home, with the guardsmen following.
CUT TO:
EXT. NOICEN FOREST ROAD - LATE AFTERNOON
Michael and the guardsmen ride slowly past Noicen forest, where a huge spanse of the trees are clearly dying.
FIRST GUARDSMAN
Michael picks up the trot and the guardsmen follow suit as they approach the castle.
CUT TO:
INT. NOICEN CASTLE COUNCIL CHAMBERS - NIGHT
LORD SAMUELS, LORD JABBAR, LORD JOHNSON, and LORD SAMAD are bitterly arguing around a table.
At the head of the table Michael is ignored, unable to get a word in edgewise.
The weariness of the day finally catches up to him -- he places his hands on the table and rests his chin on top of them. Then he turns his head and places his cheek on his folded arms and closes his eyes to sleep.
It is Samad who stops the arguing to indicate that Michael is sleeping.
The lords all look at Michael and smile. They whisper.
SAMAD
The lords file out of the room quietly.
The BELL TOWER outside begins to strike eleven o'clock.
Katherine then enters the room and gently wakens Michael, leading him from the table and out of the room.
CUT TO:
INT. KING JOSEPH'S BEDROOM - MORNING
Katherine sits beside Joseph, holding his hand and laughing.
KATHERINE
Katherine leaves the room.
CUT TO:
EXT. NOICEN CASTLE COURTYARD - MORNING
Michael, noticeably weary, is about to mount his horse. Katherine appears in a window right above the courtyard.
KATHERINE
Michael leaves the courtyard, yawning.
CUT TO:
EXT. NOICEN MARKETPLACE - MORNING
The NOICEN TOWN CRIER stands in the center of the marketplace on a small platform.
NOICEN TOWN CRIER
Brandon, looking sad, runs from the center of the marketplace.
CUT TO:
EXT. ROAD TO NOICEN SCHOOLHOUSE - MORNING
The road is full of the children of Noicen walking to the schoolhouse. Brandon catches up to and whispers into the ear of one of the other boys and then he looks sad as well. Together they spread the word to all the other children on the road.
CUT TO:
EXT. NOICEN CASTLE - AFTERNOON
The children are creeping around the castle, keeping out of sight from the guards, and looking at the windows.
Brandon steps away from the group and looks up at the window right above them.
BRANDON
INT./EXT. CASTLE - WINDOW RIGHT ABOVE CHILDREN
Katherine hears the hushed call for Michael from outside the window. She looks out of it at the children below.
KATHERINE
BELOW THE WINDOW
Brandon steps away from the group and bows, which prompts the other children to follow suit in paying respects to Katherine, bowing or curtsying.
BRANDON
AT THE WINDOW
Katherine smiles.
KATHERINE
BELOW THE WINDOW
Brandon nods.
BRANDON
AT THE WINDOW
Katherine remains, looking down and accepting each child's parting curtsy or bow until all of them have paid their respects and are walking back down the road from the castle to Noicen.
Katherine stands pondering the children, until that pondering leads her from the window and heading down the hallway.
CUT TO:
INT. PRINCE MICHAEL'S BEDROOM - DAY
Adorning the walls of Michael's room are framed drawings of Michael in fantastical worlds, idealistic visions of Noicen -- but he is always alone in the pictures. The few pictures that contain other people feature them clustered together away from him. He is always in the background, brooding...
Michael lays in bed, looking at the pictures, staring at them, as if expecting them to answer some question.
There is a knock on the door.
MICHAEL
Michael quickly stops staring at the pictures and recovers into a more natural sleeping position.
MICHAEL
Katherine opens the door and enters the room, smiling comfortingly. She sits on Michael's bed and takes his hand.
KATHERINE
Katherine smiles.
KATHERINE
The realization of Michael's actions hits Katherine like a glass of cold water. She is completely caught off-guard.
KATHERINE
Katherine rises slowly, wringing her hands together. She turns from Michael.
KATHERINE
Katherine turns back around to face Michael.
KATHERINE (CONT'D)
Katherine nods... And nods again.
CUT TO:
EXT. NOICEN ROYAL ROAD - DAY
The children walk along, happily chattering.
The smallest girl, LILA, suddenly takes notice of an object flying briskly in the sky. She stops and points up at it.
LILA
Brandon and the rest of the children stop and look up at the object, which is shaped vaguely like a bird with stiff wings.
BRANDON
The rest of the children nod their heads in agreement and continue walking.
CUT TO:
Page 20 | Back to Top
EXT. "THE BIRD"/FLYING CARPET - DAY
Only the bottom of this object is a bird -- it is actually the flying carpet of CECELIA BARNETT, a pretty young Black woman -- rather outrageously wearing pants in this day and age!
She does have with her a bird -- a mechanical bird, named BIRDY, who talks and sings.
She's singing (to the tune of Pebbles' "MERCEDES BOY") "MAGIC CARPET BOY." Birdy sings backup.
CECELIA
Cecelia looks over the edge of the carpet.
CECELIA'S POV - KINGDOM OF NOICEN FROM ABOVE
She sees the expansive Noicen Castle of King Joseph, surrounded by beautiful woodlands, mighty hills, and a crystal blue lake.
BACK TO SCENE ON CARPET
CECELIA (CONT'D)
The flying carpet changes direction and starts heading down, taking Cecelia out of the CASTLE ROOF GUARD'S view to the back of the castle.
CUT TO:
EXT. MAGUS' WORKSHOP - DAY
Magus is practicing his telekinesis, moving small objects around his room with his mind. Right as he has "picked up" a small glass bowl --
CECELIA (O.S.)
He is startled by Cecelia's scream and "drops" the bowl. Magus stands over the broken glass on the floor. He sighs.
MAGUS
Cecelia bounds into the room, full of light and fire.
CECELIA
Magus points down at the floor.
Cecelia looks down and sees the broken bowl. She looks back up at Magus and grimaces, laughing.
CECELIA
Magus focuses on the broken glass on the floor and closes his eyes.
THE BROKEN GLASS
magically comes back together into a bowl!
THE BOWL RISES
and puts itself on the table above.
CECELIA
Cecelia sighs impatiently.
MAGUS (CONT'D)
Cecelia smiles and properly approaches Magus, who hugs her.
MAGUS (CONT'D)
Magus hesitates before responding.
MAGUS
CUT TO:
EXT. NOICEN FIELD - TOP OF HILL - DAY
Lila's face lights up, happy!
LILA
LILA'S POV
Prince Michael runs up the hill with most of the children of Noicen.
BACK TO SCENE
The rest of the children are already atop the hill, including Marlon with his guitar.
Michael and all of the children stand in a clearing in the forest that's sunny and bright. The wind is a playful breeze. The children all crowd around Michael.
BRANDON
Michael bows good-naturedly before the children.
MICHAEL (CONT'D)
Michael gestures to Marlon.
MICHAEL (CONT'D)
Marlon nods excitedly and takes up his guitar. He begins playing a really energetic tune.
The children all dance as Michael sings and dances with them.
MICHAEL (CONT'D)
Don't let the hard times
Get to you.
Come on, get away from sadness.
You know it's better to...
Laugh away those troubles!
Ho ho!
Dance away the tears!
If you're gonna
Live your life,
You gotta push away
All those fears!
Sing this song of gladness!
Sing this song of joy!
Sing this song,
Live to laugh,
And I mean every girl and boy!
At the end of the song, Michael and the children all fall down on the ground laughing.
WE PAN DOWN
to the bottom of the hill.
Down below at the bottom of the hill -- where no one can see him -- a rather burly man in his early 40s who's dressed in poor shoddy clothes, FRANCIS D. TOOKIE, laughs and applauds.
BACK AT THE TOP OF THE HILL
Marlon begins playing a slower song. As the children sit on the grass, crowded around Michael, he sings a beautiful ballad, "SOMEDAY I`M GONNA FIND MY LOVE."
Two of the older children, LUIS and ANITA, are quietly holding hands. Luis whispers into Anita's ear and she then blushes and nods. They shyly get up and begin to dance to the music.
Some of the younger children point at them and silently giggle, while others of them get up and start to imitate them, making fun of them.
Soon everyone is up and dancing, except Marlon, strumming his guitar...
And Michael, who remains seated, singing alone...
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL
Francis D. Tookie suddenly takes off down the road, passing a sign reading "NOICEN MARKETPLACE THIS WAY."
CUT TO:
EXT. NOICEN MARKETPLACE - DAY
Francis arrives at the marketplace and leaps atop the town crier's platform in the center of the marketplace. He clears his throat grandly.
The people of the marketplace express a curious interest in the raggedy man.
FRANCIS
The people, including Hakeem and Adjoua Abdul and Maria Flores, chatter among themselves and look at Francis with much amusement.
FRANCIS (CONT'D)
The marketplace cheers its agreement.
FRANCIS
Francis indicates a height with his hand.
FRANCIS
Hakeem and other men by him march up to the platform and grab Francis on either side, taking him down from there.
The men take Francis down the same road from which he'd come. Everyone in the marketplace follows them.
CUT TO:
EXT. NOICEN FIELD - BOTTOM OF HILL - DAY
The procession reaches the bottom of the hill where Francis had been watching Michael and the children before.
The procession stops when they hear music coming from above. Everyone, including Hakeem, looks up at the hill.
HAKEEM
TOP OF THE HILL - HAKEEM'S POV
Hakeem sees Michael still singing the ballad, with the children dancing around him.
BACK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL
The people stare wide-eyed in amazement.
Francis alone smiles.
FRANCIS
The people begin to quell their amazement and do begin to listen...
AT THE TOP OF THE HILL
Michael sings, swaying to the melody of the song.
One by one the people of Noicen are all struck at the beauty of Michael's voice and his song and they begin to sway with him in time to the music.
At the point where all eyes are on Michael, Francis slips away from Hakeem and the other men.
Francis looks toward the road ahead.
FRANCIS (CONT'D)
Francis skips happily past a sign that reads "WELCOME TO LEGANSELOS."
CUT TO:
Page 30 | Back to Top
INT. LEGANSELOS - PALMER'S RESTAURANT - DAY
Francis enters the restaurant and goes right up to a GROUP OF MEN laughing at the bar -- in which Francis' brother-in-law, HARRY GIORDANO, a fat, mean-looking man, is in the center, the loudest of them all.
Harry spots Francis.
HARRY
Everyone turns away from Francis.
FRANCIS (CONT'D)
Harry turns and looks at Francis sardonically.
HARRY
Harry laughs.
HARRY
A hushed silence spreads throughout the bar.
HARRY (CONT'D)
The restaurant erupts into laughter.
FRANCIS
HARRY
The restaurant again roars with laughter.
FRANCIS
The restaurant falls silent. The patrons all look at one another. Then one by one they all rush out.
FRANCIS (CONT'D)
Francis leads Harry out of the restaurant.
CUT TO:
EXT. NOICEN FIELD - TOP OF THE HILL - DAY
The children scream for Michael to go back to singing "SING A SONG OF GLADNESS" and he does.
Michael gets up and they all start singing and dancing the song together.
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL
The childrens' parents dance along to the song as well.
BACK AT THE TOP OF THE HILL
Michael gets into the song, dancing incredibly with rhythmic stops, re-starts, and really complex dance moves. Soon everybody is just watching Michael dance, cheering him on to continue, praising his ability.
BRANDON
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL
The parents cheer Michael on, too.
HAKEEM
In the middle of the dancing, a crowd of people, both adults and children, come running down the road from Leganselos.
CHARLIE, a rather depressed-looking Leganselos boy, looks up at the hill.
CHARLIE
MARY, Charlie's teenage sister, lights up when she looks up and sees Michael.
MARY
Two teenage girls, TINA and TRICIA, who are dressed much richer than Mary and Charlie, push their way up to Mary and Charlie's front row.
TINA
She picks up the hem of Mary's many-patched skirt.
TINA (CONT'D)
Mary swallows and ignores the two girls and looks up at Michael.
CHARLIE
From behind them comes Francis with the bewildered Harry, both looking up at the hill.
FRANCIS
Harry digs into his pants pocket, fishes out his money, and gives half of it to Francis.
More and more people gather at the bottom of the hill, from both Noicen and Leganselos, reaching into the hundreds, with everyone dancing and singing along with the song.
AT THE TOP OF THE HILL
Michael pricks up his ears at the noise, knowing he is hearing more singing than he should, but he shrugs it off and keeps dancing with little Lila. Then he signals to Marlon to finish the song, and Michael suddenly hits an incredibly sustained note that ends truly soulfully, falling all over itself as all the children whoop and clap!
But the cheers and applause go on even after the children have stopped, confusing Michael and the children.
Michael starts to descend the hill, looking confused, until his question is answered and a look of horror crosses his face.
MICHAEL
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL
As the children join hands with Michael to walk down the hill, the people of Noicen and Leganselos all join him -- gathering around him, surrounding him.
Michael and the children reach the road that leads back to Noicen and are greeted by the remaining mass of people from Noicen and Leganselos.
As Michael walks down the road, people who are complete strangers to him start to shake his hand and praise his voice, compliments to which he politely gives thanks.
Hakeem makes his way through the crowd to Michael.
MICHAEL (CONT'D)
Francis approaches Michael and Hakeem through the crowd.
FRANCIS
Michael struggles to keep his composure.
MICHAEL
Francis extends his hand to Michael. Michael shakes it.
FRANCIS
Francis spots Harry behind him, taking notes.
FRANCIS (CONT'D)
The crowd obeys and clears a way for Michael to get through them.
FURTHER BACK DOWN THE ROAD
Harry heads back to Leganselos.
HARRY
CUT TO:
EXT. NOICEN MARKETPLACE - HORSE'S POST - DAY
The crowd is still with Michael as they reach the horse's post.
The guardsmen watch the multitude, confused.
Michael signals them to follow, and they do, on horseback, leading his horse behind them.
CUT TO:
INT. NOICEN CASTLE - THRONE ROOM - DUSK
HERBERT, THE HEAD NOICEN ROYAL GUARD runs into the room and an anxious Joseph and Katherine turn from the window to him.
JOSEPH
CUT TO:
EXT. NOICEN CASTLE GATES - DUSK
The people are all crowded around Michael and it seems impossible to open the gates to let Michael in without all the other people coming in as well.
The GATE GUARD stands looking quizzically at Michael.
GATE GUARD
Francis stands beside Michael.
FRANCIS
The people obey and clear away from the gate, letting Michael in the courtyard.
Not far from the gate stand Tina and Tricia with Mary.
TRICIA
The three girls leave the scene and head toward the side of the castle.
The gate guard closes the gate on Michael's three guardsmen coming in with Michael's horse.
CUT TO:
INT. NOICEN CASTLE THRONE ROOM - DUSK
Michael runs right to Katherine and hugs her, crying.
KATHERINE
JOSEPH
Katherine holds down her head and does not say a word.
MICHAEL
Michael crumbles to the floor, rolled up in a ball, utterly crushed and defeated.
Joseph looks down at his only son with pity, finally remembering Michael's truly sensitive interior. He then sits down on the floor next to his son and taps him.
Michael shyly looks at him and sees the gentle and understanding smile on his face. Michael turns over and sits up to face his father.
JOSEPH (CONT'D)
Michael nods.
JOSEPH (CONT'D)
Michael and Joseph rise from the floor.
JOSEPH
Joseph then takes note of his wife and remembers his earlier comments to her. He walks over to her and kisses her cheek. Katherine looks up at him and smiles.
JOSEPH (CONT'D)
KATHERINE
Suddenly Herbert rushes in, feverish and frantic.
HERBERT
Michael's eyes start to fill with tears.
KATHERINE
Katherine nods and takes Michael out of the room. Herbert follows.
CUT TO:
Page 40 | Back to Top
INT. DOOR OUTSIDE MICHAEL'S BEDROOM - EVENING
Herbert reaches Michael's door and he bows respects to Michael and Katherine as they approach. He opens the door for them.
INT. MICHAEL'S BEDROOM - EVENING
The three are greeted by the squeals of three very excited teenage girls -- namely Tina, Tricia, and Mary.
TINA
Herbert takes the three girls out of the bedroom and closes the door behind them.
KATHERINE
Katherine stops when she notices that Michael isn't listening but has stopped to pick up his favorite picture -- the one of him in the field -- from the floor. It's a little crumpled now and has a shoeprint on it.
KATHERINE (CONT'D)
Michael straightens the picture out and wipes the dirt from it.
MICHAEL
Suddenly the rumblings outside turn into discernible shouts directed toward the window.
Katherine and Michael go to the window and look out.
VIEW FROM WINDOW
The people, led by Mary & Tina & Tricia, are all singing in unison (to the tune of "WE LOVE YOU, CONRAD" from musical "BYE BYE BIRDIE.")
PEOPLE OF KINGDOM
The people all start whooping and shouting and start singing the song over and over.
BACK IN THE BEDROOM
Katherine and Michael turn from the window and look at one another. Then Michael goes to Katherine and hugs her.
MICHAEL
Michael sighs resignedly.
MICHAEL
She watches Michael sink down into himself, crossing his arms and looking into the floor.
KATHERINE (CONT'D)
CUT TO:
INT. MAGUS' LAIR - EVENING
Magus sits watching the crowd from his window. Cecelia runs in and looks out of the window.
CECELIA
Cecelia is silent to hear the song.
PEOPLE OF KINGDOM (O.S.)
MAGUS
CECELIA
Magus looks up sadly.
CUT TO:
INT. NOICEN CASTLE TOWER - EVENING
Indeed the tower is quieter and the people only dotted lights from their torches in the small window. A small bed sits in the corner of the tower room. And nothing else.
Michael and Katherine look around, despairingly.
KATHERINE
Neither believe her words.
Michael hugs his mother.
MICHAEL
Katherine nods. She turns from him to wipe away her tears.
KATHERINE
MICHAEL
Katherine smiles, which makes Michael smile.
Katherine leaves the room.
Michael goes to the window and watches the people below.
VIEW FROM THE WINDOW
Down below the people are still chanting and singing outside Michael's bedroom window.
MARY, TINA AND TRICIA
and some of the other people around them are beginning to nod off a bit.
BACK UP IN THE TOWER
Michael goes to the bed and lies down upon it.
He begins to hum "SOMEDAY I'M GONNA FIND MY LOVE" before succumbing to the emotions of the day, crying, and then falling into a troubling sleep.
And then Michael begins to dream...
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. NOICEN CASTLE GAME - NIGHT (A DREAM)
It's an eerie night full of terror and electricity. An incredible NUMBER OF PEOPLE stand outside the small castle gate.
Excitedly, they count down from 10 to 1 and push at the gate, bringing it down to the ground. They rush through the courtyard to the door of the castle.
INT. NOICEN CASTLE DOOR - INSIDE CASTLE - NIGHT
The guards run as the door falls down, pushed open by the people. The number of people seems to have again doubled, with Mary, Tina, and Tricia leading the pack of people who come streaming into the castle. They chant and cheer in unison.
PEOPLE OF KINGDOM
INT. TOWER - NIGHT
Michael awakens to the sound of the people stomping up the stairs, chanting his name, with the chanting getting louder and louder!
Michael pushes himself back on the bed, trying to push himself into the very wall, wide-eyed with fear.
INT. TOWER DOOR - NIGHT
Herbert's eyes widen as he drops his weapon and runs down the hallway in the other direction!
INT. TOWER - NIGHT
With Michael plastered against the wall, the people, still chanting, break down the door.
MICHAEL
Michael can do nothing as all the people push themselves into the room squealing with delight that they've found him. And then the squeals build to a huge scream.
PEOPLE OF KINGDOM
The people chant this over and over as they pull at Michael's hair -- like it's spaghetti! -- and rip at his clothes.
But everybody wants to get in the room! And as more people get in, the room is filled more and more past capacity, squeezing together everyone inside.
And then Michael can talk no more -- he's being squeezed to death.
CUT TO:
INT. TOWER - DAWN (AWAKENED FROM THE DREAM)
Michael awakens abruptly, shooting up out of bed screaming.
MICHAEL
Michael breathes heavily, trying to calm down.
Herbert suddenly enters, frightened by the scream.
