Belle Page #2

Synopsis: Mum collapses into a nightmare on the morning of her daughter's 16th birthday.
Genre: Drama, Family, Short
Director(s): Jon Max Spatz
Production: Fox Searchlight
 
Rotten Tomatoes:
83%
Year:
2014
14 min
$8,792,708
Website
2,594 Views


His firm gaze holds his aunt and uncle to account. A long

beat. LADY MANSFIELD stands conflicted.

LADY MANSFIELDWhat has she been named?

SIR JOHN LINDSAYShe is Belle...after her mother.

Dido Elizabeth Belle...Lindsay.

LORD MANSFIELDShe takes your name?

SIR JOHN LINDSAYI am not ashamed.

LINDSAY stands his ground.

LADY MARYWe cannot have another

Elizabeth in the household.

LADY MANSFIELD regards the child, then looks to her

husband, gravely. He turns his back - aggrieved.

LADY MANSFIELDWe...we will call her Dido.

(off Lindsay’s nod)

Good Lord, she is thin. Mary,

find her something to eat.

LORD MANSFIELD storms from the room. LADY MANSFIELD

follows. LINDSAY kneels, choked with emotion.

SIR JOHN LINDSAYLittle Belle - sweet child...

(weak smile)

My wish is to keep you...keep youwith me...but a ship...it is noplace for one so precious as you.

(pause)

In these walls, yours will be a

life equal to my blood.

A beat. Through eyes that brim...he catches his breath.

LADY MARY is both stunned and moved - she has to turn away.

SIR JOHN LINDSAY (CONT’D)

You will not understand in this

moment, but hold this in your

heart...you are loved...Just as

I loved your mother.

A tear spills and DIDO’s little fingers come up to wipe it

from his cheek. He presses his lips to her hand, sobbing a

moment, and then he is gone - to stay any longer would be

too much to bare.

5.

INT. KENWOOD HOUSE. STAIRS/ENTRANCE HALL/GALLERY - DAY. 277*

ON ELIZABETH seated at the grand staircase as LADY MARY and

DIDO emerge. Like ELIZABETH, DIDO is now freshly dressed in

rich silks, an adorable sight as they move through corridorsELIZABETHAre you...a nee-gro?

ELIZABETH makes her way across...taking her aunt’s hand as

all three walk. DIDO is silent.

ELIZABETH (CONT’D)

Are you what they call ‘a negro?’

I heard them talking.

LADY MARYQuestions, questions, Elizabeth!

Tis a most irritating trait you

and your father share.

ELIZABETHPapaa M?

LADY MARYNo your blood papaa. Sir David

Murray. You should not insist on

always speaking your mind, you

know. You will end up an old maid

with only your own company for

entertainment!

ELIZABETHLike you, Aunt Mary? That is what

the maids say?

LADY MARYYou little....

ELIZABETH takes off. LADY MARY rushes after her.

DIDO is left alone - through the doorway of the gallery, a

portrait of LINDSAY stares at her. She gazes at it.

LORD MANSFIELD approaches, arrested at the sight of DIDO,

newly tidied. He follows her gaze to LINDSAY’S image. The

sight affects him, unexpectedly.

LORD MANSFIELDCaptain Sir John Lindsay.

(off her reaction)

Do you recognise him?

She nods. A beat as conflict fills him.

6.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote

Misan Sagay

Misan Sagay is a screenwriter whose credits include The Secret Laughter of Women, starring Colin Firth, and Their Eyes Were Watching God, starring Halle Berry. Misan’s most recent writing project is Belle, an historical drama starring Tom Wilkinson, Emily Watson and Gugu Mbatha-Raw playing the title role. more…

All Misan Sagay scripts | Misan Sagay Scripts

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Submitted by acronimous on March 20, 2016

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