Big Fish Page #2

Synopsis: When Edward Bloom (Albert Finney) becomes ill, his son, William (Billy Crudup), travels to be with him. William has a strained relationship with Edward because his father has always told exaggerated stories about his life, and William thinks he's never really told the truth. Even on his deathbed, Edward recounts fantastical anecdotes. When William, who is a journalist, starts to investigate his father's tales, he begins to understand the man and his penchant for storytelling.
Production: Sony Pictures
  Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 68 nominations.
 
IMDB:
8.0
Metacritic:
58
Rotten Tomatoes:
76%
PG-13
Year:
2003
125 min
$66,257,002
Website
4,359 Views


Edward downs his champagne in a gulp.

EXT. OUTSIDE LA RUE 14° - NIGHT

We come into the middle of an argument on the sidewalk.

Occasional PASSERSBY take notice, especially as it gets moreheated. Both men are a little drunk.

5.

EDWARD:

What, a father’s not allowed to talkabout his son?

WILL:

(disbelieving)

I am a footnote in that story. I am

the context for your great adventure.

Which never happened! Incidentally!

You were selling novelty products inWichita the day I was born.

EDWARD:

(shaking his head)

Jesus Christ.

WILL:

Friend of yours? Did you help him outof a bind?

EDWARD:

Come on, Will. Everyone likes thatstory.

WILL:

No Dad, they don’t. I do not like the

story. Not anymore, not after athousand times. I know all the

punchlines, Dad. I can tell them as

well as you can.

(closer)

For one night, one night in your entirelife, the universe does not revolvearound Edward Bloom. It revolves

around me and my wife. How can you notunderstand that?

A long beat, then...

EDWARD:

(low)

Sorry to embarrass you.

Will won’t let him get the last word.

WILL:

You’re embarrassing yourself, Dad. You

just don’t see it.

ANGLE ON Edward. Fine. A hand to wave, enough of you.

He walks away.

6.

ANGLE ON Will, still fuming with righteous anger. It’s then

we FREEZE FRAME.

WILL (V.O.)(cont’d)

After that night, I didn’t speak to myfather again for three years.

INT. A.P. NEWSROOM (PARIS) - DAY

A typically busy day. On hold with the phone cradled underan ear, Will sorts through a bundle of mail dropped on hisdesk.

WILL (ON PHONE)

(without pauses)

William Bloom with the Associated Press

if I could just...

He’s put back on hold. Returning to the mail, he finds ahand-addressed envelope. Rips it open.

WILL (V.O.)(cont’d)

We communicated indirectly I guess. In

her letters and Christmas cards, mymother would write for both of them.

INT. BLOOM HOUSE KITCHEN - DAY

At the table, Sandra talks on the phone while Edward fixes asandwich.

WILL (V.O.)

When I’d call, Mom would say that Dadwas out driving. Or swimming in thepool.

Edward takes a seat, starting to eat his sandwich.

WILL (V.O.) (cont'd)

True to form, we never talked about ournot talking.

INT. BLOOM HOUSE MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT

Sandra stands by the window, watching as...

EXT. BLOOM BACK YARD - NIGHT [CONTINUOUS]

Edward swims laps in the family pool. He’s born to the

water.

7.

WILL (V.O.)

The truth is, I didn’t see anything ofmyself in my father, and I don’t thinkhe saw anything of himself in me. We

were like strangers who knew each othervery well.

EXT. RIVER - DAY

Edward stares intently into the water, a lion in wait.

WILL (V.O.)

In telling the story of my father’slife, it’s impossible to separate thefact from the fiction, the man from themyth. The best I can do is to tell it

the way he told me.

Rate this script:3.7 / 3 votes

John August

John August (born August 4, 1970) is an American screenwriter and film director, and host of the Scriptnotes podcast along with Craig Mazin. more…

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Submitted by acronimous on September 12, 2016

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