Almost Famous Page #5

ANITA:

What about me?

ELAINE:

(heartbroken, can't help

herself)

You're rebellious and ungrateful of my

love.

ANITA:

Well, somebody's gotta be normal around

here!

WILLIAM:

(blinking, still can't

believe it)

Eleven.

11 INT. WILLIAM'S BEDROOM -- DAY11

William finishes the last of many candy bars. A mound of

wrappers sit just below the mirror. He examines his face

hopefully for zits. Nothing coming. We begin to hear Simon

and Garfunkel's "America."

12 INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY12

Anita stands in the living room. The song continues playing

on the stereo.

ANITA:

I want to play you a song that explains

why I'm leaving, and try to listen.

ELAINE:

We can't talk? We have to listen to

rock music?

13 EXT. FRONT LAWN -- DAY13

William watches sadly. Anita's good-looking boyfriend DARRYL,

a dead ringer for young Stephen Stills, loads her suitcases

into a large turqouise Chevy. The suitcases are adorned with

plastic stick-on flowers. All coolness is leaving William's

life. Mom watches nearby, worried and helpless. (Their house

is more austere, less "fun" than the other front lawns.)

WILLIAM:

Take good care of her in San Francisco,

man.

Darryl gives the kid a sub-human look. He's invisible, too

young to converse with.

ELAINE:

How can she leave such a loving family?

Anita turns and heads towards them. She focuses on William,

placing her hands on his young shoulders. Her face is very

close to him now, as she delivers this sage prediction of the

future.

ANITA:

One day you'll be cool.

He nods stoically, hopefully. He is utterly lost. She leans

forward and whispers in his ear.

ANITA (cont'd)

Look under your bed. It'll set you

free.

Anita shakes hands with Mom, and exits. As the car takes off:

ELAINE:

She'll be back.

In the distance we hear the whoop of her daughter.

ANITA:

YEAHHHHH-HOOOOOOOO.

ELAINE:

Maybe not soon...

William watches wistfully. He moves away from his mother.

She pulls him closer. Shot moves in on his slightly fearful

face.

14 INT. DARRYL'S CAR - DAY14

Anita looks back at the receding American Gothic-image of her

mother and brother. Sister waves to brother. She feels for

him. Music now shifts to The Who's "Sparks."

15 INT. BEDROOOM -- NIGHT15

William locks the door. He reaches under his bed. It's a

black leatherette travel bag, with tartan design. He unzips

the bag -- it's filled with albums. He flips through the

amazing, subversive cache of music. Cream's Wheels of Fire...

the seminal Bob Dylan bootleg Great White Wonder... the Rolling

Stones' Get Yer Ya Ya's Out... The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds...

Abraxas by Santana... Jethro Tull's Stand Up... The Mother's of

Invention's We're Only In It For The Money... Led Zeppelin...

Crosby, Stills and Nash... Miles Davis' B*tches Brew... and

The Who's Tommy... with a note taped to it.

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