Lost in America
- R
- Year:
- 1985
- 91 min
- 902 Views
1EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT
Sold sign is posted in front of a house. SHOT OF SIGN.
CUT TO:
2INT. HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - SAME NIGHT
The house is empty except for Bekins boxes which are
packed. They are all over the rooms. The CAMERA
SLOWLY MOVES IN AND AROUND the boxes until we REACH
the bedroom.
3INT. BEDROOM
The bed is the only piece of furniture left. The CAM-
ERA STOPS. In front of the bed is a small black-and-
white television. In bed are DAVID and NANCY HOWARD.
Nancy is rolled over on her side. David is lying on
his back with his eyes wide open.
DAVID:
Nancy? Nancy?
NANCY:
What?
DAVID:
Sleeping?
NANCY:
Yes.
DAVID:
Maybe we shouldn't move.
NANCY:
(sitting up)
Oh God. What's the matter now?
DAVID:
Nothing. It's just time to ask
these questions.
NANCY:
No. We've sold our house and
bought another one. These
questions should have been
asked before.
DAVID:
Okay, fine. I can't talk to
you. Good night.
David pretends like he's actually going to go to sleep.
NANCY:
(in a monotone; obvi-
ously she's had to
say this many times
before)
Stop it. You're nervous about
tomorrow. You'll get your
promotion, don't worry. We'll
move into our new house and we'll
be happy, okay?
DAVID:
Boy, you should hear yourself.
The excitement in your voice
just fills the room.
NANCY:
Look, I'm tired. Stop questioning.
We made a wise decision. Let's try
and feel good about it, alright?
DAVID:
Fine.
NANCY:
Good night.
DAVID:
Good night.
Nancy tries to go back to sleep. David just lies
there.
DAVID:
(continuing)
But why that house?
NANCY:
What?
DAVID:
I think it's too close to here.
It's going to feel like the same
think about this long enough.
NANCY:
We wanted more space. That
house has more space.
DAVID:
Yes, but the point of a house is
not just space. You can rent
space. Maybe we should've moved
into a completely different
neighborhood, a step up or
something. Maybe we should've
gotten a house with a tennis
court.
NANCY:
Why? We don't play tennis.
DAVID:
Sure we don't play tennis. We
don't have a court. When you
have a court, you learn.
NANCY:
Well, possibly some day, we'll
have a court and then we can
learn.
DAVID:
Let me ask you one more question?
Why did we let Bekins do all of
our packing?
NANCY:
What?
DAVID:
Isn't that a waste of money? We
could've packed ourselves. Maybe
we were too irresponsible.
NANCY:
I don't believe you. One minute
you want a tennis court, the next
minute you're worried about Bekins
packing a box? My God. Sometimes
I wish we really were irresponsible.
DAVID:
What does that mean?
NANCY:
Nothing. Look, get some sleep,
okay? You'll feel better.
DAVID:
Don't assume how I'm feeling.
What do you mean "nothing"? If
you're saying we should be more
irresponsible, I imagine you mean
we're too responsible? Is that
right?
NANCY:
Well, sometimes I think that we
are too controlled, yes.
DAVID:
Oh, I see. Well, tell me
something? How do you go out
and buy a four-hundred-thousand-
dollar house and let a moving
company pack everything and get
maids and servants and live the
good life and not be controlled?
NANCY:
What are you talking about?
DAVID:
It doesn't matter what I'm
talking about.
David gets up. He takes his pillow with him.
DAVID:
(continuing)
I'm going to sleep in the garage.
NANCY:
Don't do that.
DAVID:
Why not? I'm responsible. I
should be guarding the car.
NANCY:
You're insane.
DAVID:
(yelling from
the kitchen)
You're right. I am insane. I
am insane and I'm responsible.
A very, very good combination.
We STAY in the bedroom with Nancy. She lies there.
Her eyes are open. She's staring straight ahead. She
looks sad. After a moment, David reappears at the door.
DAVID:
I am not an animal.
NANCY:
What?
DAVID:
I am not an animal. I will not
sleep in the garage.
NANCY:
Just come to bed. Come on.
DAVID:
(sitting down on
the bed)
I apologize, okay? But don't
call me names.
NANCY:
What names?
DAVID:
You know what names. Calling me
responsible is saying what? That
I'm closed up. I'm old. I'm
stodgy. That's not fair. I
don't like the way things are any
more than anybody else does but
what am I supposed to do? I'm
trying. What about you? You're
as responsible as I am. Personnel
Director for a department store is
not the most irresponsible job in
the world. Go hire anyone you
want. Think you'd be fired fast
if you did that? How much freedom
do you have? We're all in the
same boat. We're trying to make
something of ourselves and it's
hard. Okay?
NANCY:
You're very upset. I'm sorry I
used that word.
DAVID:
No, I'm glad you used that word.
It's honest but things are going
to get better. They're going to
change.
NANCY:
You always say that.
DAVID:
Yes, but this time it's different.
After tomorrow I'm no longer an
employee, I'm a Vice President.
I'll be my own boss. I'll have
a piece of the company. You see
what I mean? I can be more
irresponsible because I'll be in
a position of responsibility.
That makes sense, doesn't it?
NANCY:
I don't know. I guess it does.
Good night.
DAVID:
Okay, go to sleep.
Nancy and David both lie down, each facing the oppo-
site direction. After a few seconds...
DAVID:
(continuing)
It does make sense and things
will work out, don't you think
so?
No answer.
DAVID:
(continuing)
Nancy?
No answer.
DAVID:
(continuing)
Asleep already?
No answer.
DAVID:
(continuing)
Maybe men are supposed to fall
asleep last. It could be a
protective thing.
CUT TO:
David is brushing his teeth. He stops for a minute
and looks in the mirror. He starts talking, pretend-
ing the face he's seeing is the one of his boss.
DAVID:
What can I say? I'd be a liar if
I tell you I'm surprised. I do
feel it's deserved but yes, I
still am flattered... That's very
nice. Thank you... Oh, stop,
please. I've never been good
at taking too many compliments
at once... Well, I feel the
same way about you.
Nancy walks in during this. She watches him for a bit.
NANCY:
(interrupting him)
What are you doing?
DAVID:
(caught off guard)
Why? Nothing.
NANCY:
Who are you talking to?
DAVID:
I'm not talking to anybody.
What is it?
NANCY:
I'm leaving now. Mr. Taft will
Please be on time.
DAVID:
Wait a second. I can't do this
today. I can't choose tiles.
This is my big day. Please?
You do it.
NANCY:
We're trying to do this together.
I think it's important.
DAVID:
I'm very nervous and it's your
kitchen anyway. You'll make
the right choice.
NANCY:
You're in the kitchen more than
I am.
DAVID:
But I'm not thinking about
anything when I'm in the kitchen.
I don't really care.
NANCY:
We said we would make these
decisions together.
DAVID:
Come on. It's just today.
NANCY:
(exasperated, turn-
ing around and
leaving)
Fine.
DAVID:
Please don't be mad.
NANCY:
I'm not mad.
After a moment, she comes back in.
NANCY:
(continuing)
Good luck. You'll get it. You
deserve it.
Nancy exits.
DAVID:
Thank you. And I trust any
decision you make. You have
great taste.
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"Lost in America" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 4 Oct. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/lost_in_america_904>.
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