Original Script for

go, if you must

Premiered on IFILM

Tuesday, 18 January, 2000

Premieres in the "Real World" on 9 November, 2000 at the

Ohio Independent Film Festival.

INT. a quiet room - day

The only thing that can be seen is the nervous face of BUDD BANKER.  He is a filmmaker who is use to being behind the camera, and not in front of it.

BUDD

Do, I get paid for this?

(seeing the answer is no)

I got a film in the lab. Yeah. Okay. Sammy Trick.  I was his DP.  His buddy. His only friend. Maybe I felt sorry for the prick. Gifted? I guess. Actor. Director. Make up your freaking mind, Sammy.

INT. a dark room - night

KIT HAVVERS sits at a table. She has long brown hair, and reminds one of a movie star, but she moves like an awkward little girl.

KIT

I dated Sammy once... before his breakdown.

VOICE (O.S.)

Funny Twit.

KIT

That’s Kit.

VOICE (O.S.)

Whatever. Kit. Okay, so it’s Kit. Miss Kit Havvers.

KIT

(a bit hard & cold)

Don’t you ever forget it.

She loosens into a smiles. She leans her arm on the table. A DARK OFFSCREEN HAND pours her a drink. She smiles at it, and sips it gently.

KIT

I did love you Sammy. In a kind of “why the hell couldn’t you help me be a star, kind of you’re not too bad in bed, if I’m drunk, and don’t compare you to other guys” kind of way.

VOICE (O.S.)

If I had a heart, it’ll be breaking.

She laughs.

INT. a movie set - day

The hero is MEL NEWERS. Mel is slumming on this picture; his alimony payments are behind. He looks over at SAMMY.  Sammy is an okay looking black guy, who could have been an actor if he was taller.  Next to him at the camera is Budd. It is a 16mm camera.

Mel does not look pleased.  Kit is sitting in a chair. Mel is reading a script.

The script reads:

He hits her with all the strength he can muster. (The word “hits” has been scratched out and replaced by the words “Kiss”).

MEL

I agreed to do this film only because Mister Caine is producing it, and I haven’t seen him once.  All I’ve seen is his

Mel cocks his head toward A TALL ENGLISH CHAP standing in the shadows.

MEL (cont’d)

(to the Chap)

What are you again?

The Chap doesn’t say a word, but adjust a pair of glasses on his face.

Kit stands and wraps her arms around Mel. Mel ignores her. Mel looks at Sammy.

SAMMY

You’ve seen rewrites before.

Mel pushes Kit off and walks over to the Chap. He is pointing things to him in the script. The Chap turns and walks off.

Mel turns and walks back to Kit. He looks her up and down and sighs. She touches him and he winces. He straightens up. He looks at Sammy.

MEL

So, I kiss her, not hit her? I’d rather hit her.

SAMMY

Why should you have all the fun. Just do this and you can go home.

He turns to Budd. Budd sighs and lines up the shot.

Mel takes a deep breath.

MEL

Let’s just get this over with.

INT. a screening room - night

A back shot of “MICHAEL CAINE” standing as images of Kit and Mel in a love scene play out.  Caine walks in front of the screen, and the images wash over him.

He doesn’t look back at Sammy, who is sitting in a chair looking at this.  Behind Sammy is the Chap, who seems bored with all this.

CAINE

I paid $15 million for this?

Caine looks at his Chap.

CAINE (cont’d)

Did you know about this?

The Chap shakes his head.

Caine walks in the darkness, while Sammy sits sadly in the chair, squirming.

CAINE (cont’d)

Sammy, I gave you a chance. A comeback. My script, my money. You’ve rewritten my tough crime story “Go, if you Must” and made it a bloody love story. A bad love story.  He’s suppose to kill this girl, not love her.

SAMMY

You’ve got to trust me, Michael.

Caine goes in the background and throws strips of film at him.

CAINE

Trust, I’m the only one who does trust you.

SAMMY

(dodging pieces of film)

Michael, I really think-

CAINE

You know what I think?

SAMMY

Not at this moment.

CAINE

I’m taking my name off this piece of crap, and if you say you know me, I’ll sue your ass.

Sammy looks after him, as Caine walks to the door.

CAINE (cont’d)

Hopefully, I can write this off.

He picks up the pieces of the film.

After Caine is gone, Sammy looks at the Chap.

SAMMY

You could have stopped me.

He just smiles.

CHAP

I could have.

Sammy turns and walks away from him.

INT. a coffee shop - day

At a table, near the back is a copy of “The Hollywood Reporter”  At the bottom of a row of films is “Go If You Must.”  Headline reads. “Go If You Must should Have Never Came.” Sammy is looking down at this. Kit is at the table ignoring him. She is reading Backstage West.  She circles something, and gets up to leave. He grabs her arm, and she pushes away.

Sammy watches her walk off.  He smiles and she comes back and puts her hands on his chest. She reaches into his jacket, and pulls out his cell phone. She smiles at it. She pats him on the head and turns to leave.

Sammy looks down at the headlines and photos of Michael Caine with Sammy Trick.

DON’T GET TRICKED INTO SEEING THIS FILM.

A quote in bold letters from Michael Caine reads: “I should have known better.”

Ext. a parking lot outside a studio - day

Budd’s alarm on his car beeps twice.  He is about to get in, when he sees Sammy come up beside him. He looks around, and pulls Sammy to a quiet dark place.

BUDD

Jesus, Sammy. Did anybody see- Ohh, how the hell you been?

SAMMY

If you don’t want to be seen with me.

Budd starts to walk away when Sammy grabs his arm. Budd pushes him off of him.

BUDD

Here

(pulling out his wallet)

Kit said, you had got all out of it-

SAMMY

Since when have you been talking to Kit?

BUDD

Please, take the damn money.

SAMMY

I’m not a welfare case, I’m a director.

BUDD

Why don’t you go somewhere else and shoot films, Sammy? I heard they do some films in Ohio?

SAMMY

I’d rather die.

BUDD

Ain’t you heard? You are dead. I got to go. I’m directing my first feature.

SAMMY

Yeah, I heard.

Budd walks off. Budd gets in his car and pulls off. The car stops a moment later, and he backs up. He steps out the door and looks back at Sammy.

SAMMY (cont’d)

Hey.

BUDD

You know. Someone of us make films because we love them and some of us make films to get laid.

Budd shrugs, gets in his car and drives off.

INT. an audition room - day

Kit, in her best outfit, is sitting in front of a seemingly cultured BLACK DIRECTOR. He has a stack of actresses Headshots on his desk and a script beside these. He is looking at her resume. He looks at her, and sighs. He is sipping a cup of coffee.

DIRECTOR

Kim Havvens. Hmm. Oh, I know you now. “Go, if you must.”

She smiles weakly.

DIRECTOR (cont’d)

How is Sammy Trick?

She shrugs.

KIT

I’d rather talk about the part. I feel I could add a lot to-

DIRECTOR

I heard you two dated.

Kit puts her head down, then look up at him.

KIT

Look, Sir. With all due respect, I came here to audition for a part. I would rather put Sammy Trick behind me. You’re the twentieth or thirtieth or whatever. All I hear is about him. Dammit, the movie bombed. Can’t you just let it go?

She stands.

KIT (cont’d)

I’ll be going now.

She turns to leave.

DIRECTOR

Wait.

She turns to him.

He writes something on a piece of paper and puts it out to her.

KIT

Uhm, what’s-

DIRECTOR

That’s where I live at. You know, there’s a bit of nudity in this part. I thought if you don’t feel comfortable taking off your clothes here, maybe in a more private place... Well, it might make you more comfortable.

She balls up the piece of paper, and drops it on the floor. She starts to say something, but sees he is looking at her legs.

INT. a TV show

The Black Director is being interviewed by an offscreen ANNOUNCER.

DIRECTOR

Sammy Trick is what is wrong with the black man working in white Hollywood.

ANNOUNCER

So, you blame the film’s failure on Michael Caine?

DIRECTOR

No. Oh no. Michael Caine is a genius. I blame that crap on Sammy Trick and his choice of casting. His love story. “The Hot Rain” Should have been called “The Hot Piss.” That boy is sad. He’s always in his movies. I think. You know that boy has got a fetish for white women.

THE SCREEN GOES BLACK.

INT. a dark room - night

Kit is sitting in a dark room holding a remote control. She sniffles and takes a swig out of a bottle of Jack Daniels.

INT. budd’s car - night

Budd is shaking his head at his passenger, Sammy.

BUDD

I was kidding about going to...Sammy. Jesus. What a shitty place to try and make movies. Baby, you have lost it.

SAMMY

Kit’s been leaving weird messages on my machine all day. I want to say goodbye to her, then I leave San Francisco to you.

Budd shakes his head.

BUDD

I’ll wait in the car.

He stops the car.

Sammy is about to get out when Budd grabs his arm.

BUDD (cont’d)

If I think you’re up there getting some..

Sammy pushes him off.

INT. a TV show

Budd is there in his sharpest suit.

BUDD

Yeah, well I’ll tell you what the real crime of it is. I do a remake of “Go if You Must”, makes 30 million-

ANNOUNCER

I thought you cared about being a filmmaker, Budd. An artist?

BUDD

Baby, I care about one thing. Boxoffice. Dollars. Money. Are we clear? Look, I’ll say one last thing about Sammy Trick. I’m Budd Banker. I got a three picture deal. I... I make movies too. You know. It’s just a sad state of affairs. Oh. What can I say about Sammy that sums up his life and career. Well, you know. The best thing I can say about Sammy Trick is, “He seemed to know what he was doing.”

INT. a dark room - night

Sammy opens the door, and sees Kit looking a mess on the couch with the bottle. He looks at her and sighs.

SAMMY

Kit?

KIT

You ruined my career, Sammy.

SAMMY

You don’t have a career, you twit. What the hell are you going to do, drink yourself to death?

Kit shakes her head. She turns the bottle up and shows him it is empty.

KIT

(crying)

This is my last bottle. Oh buy me another one.

Sammy puts out his arms.

SAMMY (cont’d)

Now Kit. You know what. You know I love you, baby.

KIT

I expected more out of you than that, Sammy.

SAMMY

Okay, I don’t love, but I’m awfully fond of you. Come on, give me a hug and well talk.

She smiles, moves to hug him and tries to hit him with the bottle. He grabs it. Then puts his arms around her, and she whimpers.

SAMMY (cont’d)

That’s my girl. Tell you what? I’m going to take you some place where they- we can make movies. You can be a star.

KIT

(very excited)

L.A.

SAMMY

No.

KIT

New York.

SAMMY

No.

KIT

Miami.

SAMMY

No.

KIT

Ohh, ohh, Chicago.

SAMMY

No.

KIT

Pittsburgh?

SAMMY

No.

He whispers in her ear.

cut to black

KIT

Cleveland?

CREDITS ROLL

the end

Premiered on IFILM

Tuesday, January 18, 2000

Premieres in the "Real World" on 9 November, 2000 at the

Ohio Independent Film Festival.