THE VIRTUOS WOMAN
Written by
Lori Finnila
INT. – 40’s – 50’s ERA – LIVING ROOM - DAY
Celia (17) is leaning on a mantle crying and rubbing wounds
on her. Blood is pouring down her face. The light is dim.
Shades are almost completely closed.
The colors of the room are drab and faded.
Some linens are torn.
A slightly worn rope is tied to a bedpost of one end, other
end is free.
EXT. OUTSIDE THE DOOR IN AN ALLEY – DAY
There is dirt and
rubbish in the alley.
The alley is narrow but large enough for more than one
person to fit through at the same time.
The stones are dark on the walls of the alley with graffiti
and cigarette burns on it.
GUY
(Blood on clothes.
Has a fierce look on his face.)
GUY - "So what are we going to do about the baby?”
GIRL
(Blood on her hands.
Smitten look on her face.)
GIRL - “This makes things more complicated. Director’s name
can’t find out. We made a deal. You better make sure it goes through. Miss Pipsy winks isn’t going to get all
she wants. She can cry and moan and play her little girl thing to the rooftops and beyond…… it’s not going to do her any
good anymore.
INT. CELIA’S OLD APARTMENT - DAY
Things are strewn everywhere.
Some clothes draped about the room in silks and pale,
vibrant colors, some mauves.
Sun is shining everywhere particularly hitting on a picture
of Celia.
Luxurious bedding with crystal about and gold knobs
everywhere.
Phone rings. …. Answers it.
Name
(Holding Celia’s
dress, an item he gave to her. Look of concern on his face.)
Oh, hello…… I’m sorry, …. my mind is not on what you are saying. This
isn’t a good time now. No,…. I haven’t seen Celia.
EXT. - FLASHBACK – PIER – DAY
Celia (14) is walking off in the hands of the director as
she looks over her shoulder seeing her father wipe his tears away.
INT. – DIRECTORS BEDROOM – NIGHT
Orgy going on between director and many women. Celia now 17
sits by the window looking out at the stars and sky. She has no interest in
what is going on. Women become aggressive and fight. Director does not notice
all this. Drugs, alcohol, money, lots of expensive clothes and jewelry
everywhere.
GIRL – Look at Ms.
Pissy Pants over there.
2nd Girl – She thinks she’s going to start
something. She can act up all she wants doing her thing all the way to the rooftops and beyond and she’s still not
going to get her way.
Director looks over at the confusion and then over to Celia
to throw his usual astonishing smile toward her and then continues with what he
is doing.
EXT. – STREET –
DAY
Celia gets into a cab with……
He touches her and she can’t help but to let him continue. They exit the
cab together.
INT. OUTSIDE CELIA’S APARTMENT – DAY
(Celia is panting as he is pressing her up against her door.)
CELIA – Would you like to come in? He pushes past her
pulling her in slightly and shutting the door
Man is on top of her and having sex with her a bit roughly.
Celia’s face is a bit surprised.
MAN – This is what you wanted isn’t it.
Celia’s face looks surprised.
CELIA – Yes it is.
EXT. – OUTSIDE CELIA’S
APARTMENT – NIGHT
Name is walking down her
steps and hails a cab. Cab pulls up and he gets in. His phone rings.
Hello. It’s done.
Hangs his phone up.
Name - …… studios. Closest
to directors name.
INT. – DRESSING ROOM AT ….
STUDIOS – DAY
Bunch of girls are all
scurrying to get ready to film.
Director walks by film crew
and the dressing room. He looks in and then keeps walking. He looks at his
assistant director that is now walking by.
(He has a concerned look on
his face or sounding concerned.)
Name – Have you seen Celia?
Dressed in khaki’s with his
glasses sitting on top his head.
Name – No, I haven’t.
Name – Ok, well then. Carry
on good ol’ chap. I’ll catch up with
you. She’s not going to make it for the shooting today, MY STAR ACTRESS!
Assistant Director tips his hand
at him as though it was a hat, looking at him curiously and walks away.
INT. DIRECTORS OFFICE – DAY
Bad guy is in there. He is
looking at all the pictures of him and Celia since she was brought there. They
are all loving pictures of the two of them. Some are taken in her shooting
outfits.
(He startles.)
Bad Girl – What are you doing in
here?
(She scurries in to him.)
BAD GUY – I’m checking out my opponent.
BAD GIRL – Fine. Now you have to leave.
(She picks up one of the pictures of Celia and Director on
the desk.)
Director enters. She jumps taking a breath in.
DIRECTOR – Woe, sorry there Bad Girl. I didn’t mean to
startle you.
(He gazingly looks toward the photo.)
DIRECTOR – Yes, that’s my star. My Celia. Have you seen her?
(Looking as though she’s hiding something.)
BAD GIRL – No, I haven’t.
(Puzzled)
DIRECTOR – Okay. Thank you. He
kisses her on the forehead. Be sure not to be late on the set.
Bad Girl smiles and walk off with
her usual slant as he watches it on her as she walks away, his puzzled look
carries on.
INT. – LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Celia is getting a bunch of her
things together into a suitcase that is torn that she has found. Glasses filled
with remnants of old drugs from the days before sit on tables and furniture in
the room.
(She begins to sob softly. You can
hear Bad Girl and Bad Guy coming down the alley.)
CELIA – I have to get out of here.
(She scurries to an open window
that leads to an enclosed part of the alley that is hidden behind a dumpster.
She pulls herself through pulling the suitcase with her. She hides behind the
dumpster.
EXT. – LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
BAD GIRL – That bitch!!
She got out of the ropes.
BAD GUY – She couldn’t have gone
far. I gave her too many valiums.
BAD GIRL – Stupid! You obviously
didn’t give her ENOUGH!!
(Celia makes a dash out from
behind the dumpster and runs past them in the room. They go after her. There is
a fight between them. Celia bites and scratches so hard she is able to get away
from them.)
EXT. – GRASSY MEADOW – DAY
(Celia wakes up and finds herself
outside on the grass of a place that she is not familiar with. She looks at her
new wounds and her bulging belly now that shows so well. She feels pain. She
hold her stomach as she screams as she delivers the baby.)
CELIA – Oooooh!!!
INT. – SET – DAY
(Bad Girl is dressed in Celia’s
shooting outfit. She caresses Director’s hair and face.)
BAD GIRL – Aw Director, do you
think I could fill in for Celia today? She is so late and we can’t find her
anywhere. She didn’t even show up yesterday.
(Director looks over the scratches
on her hand.)
DIRECTOR – Yes. You’d better cover
those scratches up from the strawberry patch I presume you tried to get into by
the rose bushes outside. CARRY ON everyone!! Lights!!
EXT. – GRASSY FIELD – DAY
(Celia coddles baby as she notices
the lights shining up from below. She realizes how close she is to the studio.
Limping now she puts the baby under her sweater and begins to run toward the
light all the way down through all the shrubbery and grassy field to the
street. Panting she crosses the street and with the sound of commotion meets
the Director’s eyes. Tears fall down from them.)
DIRECTOR - Well I never thought
you’d show my love.
CELIA – I wouldn’t miss it for the
world.
(She opens her sweater up to hand
the baby to him. He looks at her and then the baby as a tear comes to his eye.)
DIRECTOR – I see you’ve been busy.
I guess I have been too much myself. If there is one thing I have learned is
the importance of love and who and what is important in life. And you Celia,
and now my son, are the two most important people in my life.
(He holds the baby up high as
Celia smiles.)
DIRECTOR – Everyone this is my
son. And this IS my wife, Celia, if she’ll have this stupid ol’ chap as a
husband.
(He looks to her.)
DIRECTOR – Will you Celia? Will
you be my night and day, my shining armor as I have tried to be for you all
these years, and have miserably failed?
CELIA – I will. But I don’t need a
shining armor anymore. I am the virtuous woman that you made me.
(She looks at him and the Bad Girl
and the Bad Guy and turns around to walk out. The sun shines down on her. She
looks back one more time over her shoulder.
THE END
