Belle Page #4

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


He shakes his head at the complexity of it all.

LORD MANSFIELDImpossible. Any match her..’other

origins’ may attract would surely

disgrace her and the family rank.

LADY MANSFIELDAnd when we are no longer here? No

husband - who will take care of her?

He rubs his eyebrows, perturbed, turns back to the lawns.

EXT. KENWOOD HOUSE. LAWNS - CONTINUOUS. DAY.2/31010*

A view across the idyllic estate. SOUNDS of children’s

shrieks have become adult.

CAPTION:
1781A twenty year old DIDO darts between trees.

DIDOBette! No...no surprises Bette!

ELIZABETH, also twenty now, suddenly jumps from behind the

willows, causing DIDO to wail hysterically.

LADY MARY stands at the doorway of the old nursery.

LADY MARY(shrieking)

Girls! Will you refrain from

shrieking like the...bless-ed

French!

The girls race towards the house.

ELIZABETH’S blonde colouring remains, whilst DIDO’S looks

have become dramatic - her dark hair, thick and long, wrapped

in a bun, and black lashes that frame her dark eyes.

EXT. HAMPSTEAD. CHURCH - DAY.31111*

Church bells - parishioners make their way into the

beautiful sixteenth century chapel, in lush green fields.

INT. CHURCH - DAY.31212*

REVEREND DAVINIER, white wigged, stands at the pulpit.

9.

REVEREND DAVINIER...for it is the power of God

unto salvation to every one that

believeth. So saith Christ the

Lord. Amen.

CONGREGATIONAmen.

A FLAME as a YOUNG MAN lights a candle by the altar. He sings,

choir-like, the word ‘amen’ rather than simply saying it.

REVEREND DAVINIERHymn no. 76.

ON the MANSFIELDS as the congregation begins to sing.

INT. CHURCH - DAY. 31313*

The YOUNG MAN stands collecting bibles as the congregation

file out. DIDO hands him hers.

He is chaotically handsome with deeply set, expressive eyes

that lock with hers for a moment, stirring her. Then his

gaze moves suddenly to LORD MANSFIELD - intense, as he

watches him drift from the church, the family in tow.

EXT. KENWOOD ESTATE. HEATH - DAY.31414*

Pure, lush, green. The Mansfield carriage on the horizon.

INT. MANSFIELD CARRIAGE - DAY.31515*

LORD and LADY MANSFIELD sit together, ELIZABETH beside

them. DIDO and LADY MARY ride backwards.

LORD MANSFIELDI have reason to speak with youalone, Dido.

DIDO is quietly alarmed.

DIDOHave I wronged you, Papaa?

LORD MANSFIELDYou have done no such thing.

INT. KENWOOD HOUSE. LORD MANSFIELD’S STUDY - DAY.31616*

LORD MANSFIELD is grave. DIDO stands before him.

10.

LORD MANSFIELDI have not past experience in the

ways of breaking grave news to you.

He hands her a letter and she reads. A beat, as the news

resonates through her, silently. Her pained gaze slowly

rises to meet LORD MANSFIELD’S.

DIDO(quiet, shock)

I thought I should one day have

the opportunity to make his

better acquaintance.

LORD MANSFIELDYes. I know.

INT. KENWOOD HOUSE. DIDO AND ELIZABETH’S BEDROOM - DAY.31717*

ELIZABETHTwo thousand pounds a year?

ELIZABETH sits at the edge of the bed in day clothes. DIDO

nods, her back to us as she stares out through the window.

ELIZABETH (CONT’D)

Then you are an heiress! He has

left you your fortune!

INT. KENWOOD HOUSE. DIDO AND ELIZABETH’S BEDROOM - NIGHT 31818*

Darkness. DIDO and ELIZABETH lie in separate beds. Only a

shaft of moonlight illuminates their faces.

ELIZABETHHe must have loved you, Dido.

DIDOHe did not know me.

ELIZABETHMy father’s new wife wishes him

to leave me not a thing, and he

obliges her.

DIDOThen it is her cruelty you should

lament, Bette, not his stupidity.

ELIZABETHI think he might have loved me

more if Mamaa had not died.

11.

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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