Low Down
I often thought
my father was born of music...
some wayward melody
that took the form of a man.
He heard music everywhere.
Squeaking bedsprings, buzzing flies,
dripping faucets were all
filled with rhythm to him.
That he was "a great jazz pianist"
was the opinion of Charlie
Parker, Lester Young,
and scores of others
who played with him.
I, too, was in awe of his talent.
But I loved him out of all proportion...
as only a daughter could.
One more time. Motherf***er.
Hey, Hobbs, maybe not the
fifth... that last note?
- Try sharp eleventh.
- Yeah.
- That's the Monk note, man.
- That's right.
Yeah, man.
- What'd you think of that?
- I loved that one.
The circular spherical midnight?
Mm-hmm.
I think it felt good.
- Yeah? Yeah.
Maybe something a little
bit more danceable?
Whoop.
Hey.
Push the button, mutton.
Ah. My lady.
Kind sir.
- Hey, where are you goin'?
- That thing's too slow.
You're fast on your feet, "Vargas. "
Dance lessons have paid off handsomely.
Grab those rabbit ears, too.
Why don't you, uh, put on some coffee?
You want a cup of coffee?
I'm good.
Joe Albany, we had an appointment
scheduled in my office three days ago.
Did you forget to mark
it down on your calendar?
I'm sincerely sorry about that.
You see, I took a job
down in Palm Springs...
very nice place, legit,
a lot of film people.
Mm, one of the terms of your
parole, Joe, is that you call me.
You inform me of any
work that you procure.
Do you have any record
of this employment?
Uh, it was a cash job.
Unfortunately, I don't have much left.
I owed a few people some money. I...
I got the TV out of
hock for my kid and so...
Mm. I don't like having
to leave my office, Joe.
I have a new air cooler
that I enjoy very much,
and I don't like this town.
So I don't care to travel
the streets of this town
and track down people who are not
considerate of my valuable time.
You must turn up on time.
No excuses will be accepted.
- Is that clear to you?
- Yes, perfectly.
Should it be necessary
for me to return here,
you will be returned
to the penitentiary.
Is that also clear to you, Joe?
- Yes, sir.
- Right.
Now please, roll up your sleeves.
Other arm.
Nothing fresh.
I've been clean.
And that will be $3.55.
Hey, champ. You got any money on you?
What? Is that a joke?
Okay, okay. I know you.
Pay later. Okay?
Are you sure? I...
I know you. Pay later.
See?
Our luck is changing.
You brought her back.
She'll live and I'll
get her another body.
Let me die.
Ugh!
Hey, listen to this one.
"Due to your melodic nature,
moonlight never misses an appointment. "
What? Let me see that.
Wow. That's poetry.
I'm gonna keep this one.
I can't take this any longer.
Oh, it's "Night of the Living Dead. "
Mm.
That's a good one.
You have to shoot him in the brain.
It's the only way to kill him.
Oh, good. Thanks for that info.
Who is it?
Hey, it's Lew.
Hey, Joe.
I was just walkin' along,
noticed you were home.
Thought I'd come up, say hi.
You think I'd be okay if I just came in
and rested for a few?
No. I'm here with my daughter.
Listen, here's the story.
- Keep it down.
- Shh.
- Keep your voice down.
- Okay, I'm sorry.
So here's the story.
I just copped
and...
I ain't feelin' so good out here.
F*** you showin' up here.
Aw, man, come on.
I'll just be in and right out.
No.
Got a little taste for you.
You think I give a sh*t?
There ain't nobody that followed me.
Just wait there.
ghastly with each performance.
Difficult to imagine such
a thing actually happening...
He's just gonna use the
bathroom for a second.
Come on.
- Oh, thank you, man.
Hurry up. Go on.
You better not make a
f***in' mess in there.
Wake up, Jo. Time for school.
It's the weekend.
Yeah. It is, isn't it?
That's great news.
That's the best news.
We'll go do something fun later.
- ... to renovate the
- Hollywood sign,
and guess who's gotten into the act?
Well, Alice Cooper. The Hollywood sign
is a rebel, I mean, a nightmare.
And that's just like his lifestyle.
- Hey, Jo.
- I'm cleaning my lifestyle,
and I wanna clean the sign up. It
should be Hollywood, not "Hollyweird"...
I have a big surprise for you.
Oh, but you have to
remember one thing...
Ta-da!
Really are as skinny as a
little stray kitten, Amy-Jo.
You must eat.
"Amy-Jo. "
I never call her that.
You should.
I named you after my two favorite
sisters in "Little Women. "
Amy, pretty and self-possessed,
and Jo, the independent tomboy.
Yeah. I know that.
Well, you seem to have
the tomboy part down.
I think she's got the
pretty part down, too.
Guess what, Jo?
Your mom wants to start singing again.
We can try to work together
like in the days of old.
I thought you didn't
like working with singers.
I don't recall saying that.
Well, I for one will be honored
to have a collaborator as
brilliant as your father.
Think it calls for a toast, don't you?
"If music be the fruit of love,
play on. "
Beautiful.
Amy-Jo.
- Not here.
- Why?
We can go somewhere else.
It's a pity your dad has to work
in a glorified pizza parlor.
I think it's great.
Right on.
Thank you, Billy Strayhorn.
That was a tune he wrote,
called "Lush Life. "
I hope I did it justice.
We'll take a short break now.
Joe?
Joe. You were great. Come sit with me.
Joe, my man.
- One second, man.
Joe...
Nice work.
- We enjoyed it.
- How're you doin'?
Well, this has become a crashing bore.
I'm getting out of here.
Why don't you go over there
and sit with the boys' club?
Just... listen.
- Mom, it's okay.
- You're right.
I'm okay. Amy-Jo...!
Porter?
Porter? There any messages...
- Hey, hey.
- What're you doin'?
What hap... hey, Sheila.
Amy...
your mom...
ah, so you know.
"I wanna hold your claw. "
Ha. That's right.
It's Valentine's Day, isn't it?
Yep.
Let me make you breakfast.
We only have two eggs.
I'll run to the shop.
- Only one egg.
- Oh, well.
I'll be back in a flash with the hash.
Corned beef hash, that is.
"Today...
is named
after a saint...
who got his head chopped off...
for performing weddings.
Ouch. "
"Happy Valentine's Day, Dad. "
Hello, Joe!
- Hello?
- Gram?
Amy, is everything all right?
No.
What's going on?
Is your father there?
No.
Well, where is he?
Oh-hh.
I hear you wheezing. Your chest hurt?
Yeah.
- All right, now.
Okay, I want you to sit over there.
All right, you just sit down.
Sweetie, I'll get you some water.
- There you go.
- Thank you.
Too bad the chauffeur had a day off.
Oh.
There is a book...
that I have been
thinking you would enjoy.
Here it is.
Now, you've got to trust me on this.
I know you like it. It's Dylan Thomas.
I want you to read that.
Dylan Thomas was 15 years
old when he left school.
So you have two years to become a writer
as good as Dylan Thomas.
Yeah, there's plenty of room in here
for all your things.
Mm.
I'll see what I have
in the refrigerator.
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"Low Down" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 4 Dec. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/low_down_13010>.
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