(Robert
and Francesca are in the middle of dinner.
But instead of the usual silence that surrounds
Johnson family eating, Francesca is mesmerized
by Robert as he manages to eat and tell
a story. The scene begins with a LAUGH FROM
FRANCESCA.)
ROBERT
(laughs) ... No, wait, it gets better. He
stands up and acts it out for her.
ROBERT (cont'd)
You have to get the full picture here. I
have three cameras around my neck, a tripod
in one hand and my pants down around my
ankles. I thought this was a private bush.
I look up and this gorilla,
this female gorilla, is staring at me with
what can best be described as the most lascivious
expression I've ever seen on a female with
so much body hair. (Francesca laughs) I
freeze. 'Cause that's what they tell you
to do. In this position. She comes towards
me and... and she...(he stops awkwardly)
FRANCESCA What?
ROBERT She
starts sniffing me.
FRANCESCA Oh
my God...(laughs) You're blushing.
ROBERT It's
still a very sensitive memory for me.
FRANCESCA Then
what happened?
ROBERT We got
engaged.
FRANCESCA Oh
you!
(She
throws a napkin at him.)
FRANCESCA (cont'd)
None of this is true!
ROBERT No,
it is. Except for the engagement part. She
wouldn't have me, although I still get a
Valentine every year.
(Francesca is laughing so hard she can't
breath. Robert loves making her laugh.)
FRANCESCA You
ought to write these stories down.
ROBERT Nah.
I've tried. My writing's too technical,
I think. Problem of being a journalist too
long is you stop giving yourself permission
to invent. I better just stick to making
pictures.
FRANCESCA "Making
pictures." I like that. You really
love what you do, don't you?
ROBERT (nods,
smiles shyly) I'm kind of obsessed by it,
actually.
FRANCESCA Why,
do you think?
ROBERT I don't
know if obsessions
have reasons. I think that's why they're
obsessions.
FRANCESCA
You sound like an artist.
ROBERT No.
I wouldn't say that. National Geographic
isn't exactly the hub of artistic
inspiration. They like their wild life
in focus and without any personal comment.
I don't mind really. I'm not artist. I'd
faced that a long time ago. It's the course
of being well-adjusted. I'm too normal.
FRANCESCA (supportively)
I don't think you're normal.
(He looks at her in surprise. She catches
herself again.)
FRANCESCA
I didn't mean that the way it sounded.
ROBERT Well,
let's just call it a compliment and move
on. (changes subject) Did you love teaching?
FRANCESCA (cont'd)
Sometimes. When there was a particular student
who made a difference. I know they're all
supposed to, but it's not true. You tend
to single
out one or two you think you
can contribute something to.
ROBERT And
did you?
FRANCESCA I'd
like to think so. I know one of them went
on to Medical school.
ROBERT Why
did you stop?
FRANCESCA My
children. And Richard didn't like my working.
ROBERT Do you
miss it?
FRANCESCA
I don't know. I've never thought about it...
what was the most exciting place you've
ever been to? Unless you're tired of talking
about it.
ROBERT You're
asking a man if he's too tired to talk about
himself? You don't get out
much, do you?
(Francesca smiles, a little embarrassed.)
ROBERT
I'm sorry. That was...
FRANCESCA (overlapping)
No. It's all right. I just meant, it might
be a little dull for you, telling all this
to some housewife in the middle of nowhere.
ROBERT This
is your home. It's not nowhere. And it's
not dull.
(Francesca
smiles again, this time relieved.)
ROBERT Let's
see -- my favorite place...
(Francesca settles in to listen, never taking
her eyes off of him.)
ROBERT
(cont'd) Well, it's the obvious choice,
but I think I'd have to say Africa. It's
another world. Not just the people and the
cultures but the land, the colors you see
at dawns and dusks -- and the life there.
It charges every molecule of air.
(Francesca is fascinated, being drawn into
his imagery.)
ROBERT
(cont'd) It's tangible
-- the moment to moment of life and death,
the co-habitation
of man and beast, of beast and beast,
who'll survive, who won't -- and there's
no judgement about it. No right or wrong
or imposed morality. It's
just life. It's a voyeurs paradise really
because those animals don't want anybody
in their business. You can watch but at
a distance. (excited) I remember one time
I was on a truck headed for the Niger.
(Lights
begin to dim as Francesca is so taken in
by his story, she begins to actually see
what he is describing.)
ROBERT
(cont'd) We were driving north. The truck
was old so I guess the sound of the motor
muffled
this kind of rumbling
in the distance -- until finally, it was
upon us like, like a hundred thunder claps
all at once...
CUT TO:
EXT. AFRICA - DAY
(Robert and a driver are in a truck driving
north. Robert turns to look out the window
and sees?
(A HERD OF GIRAFFES AND GAZELLES AND WATERBUCKS
AND ZEBRA are running in the grasslands
to the right of the truck. Robert excitedly
instructs the driver.
ROBERT
Get us closer!!
(The driver veers off towards
the stampede as Robert opens his door
and makes his way to the flatbed part of
the truck with his camera. The truck takes
its position within this breathtaking force
of wildlife, as giraffes, zebras and gazelles
surround it -- all going in the same direction.)
(Robert
stands in the truck, shooting as fast as
he can. The truck races to keep up with
the animals. Robert is so pumped he can
hardly catch his breath. Suddenly, the force
and beauty of these creatures causes him
to lower his camera. He is unable to film
it because it overwhelms
him. He just stands there in
awe and lets out a primal scream. The animals
gradually veer off to where the truck can
no longer follow. Robert watches them disappear
into the distance.)
CUT BACK TO:
INT. JOHNSON KITCHEN - NIGHT
(Francesca has seen all
of this in her mind. Robert smiles at her,
sensing how in tune with the
story she was.)
FRANCESCA
My God. How I'd love to see that.
ROBERT They
have safaris for tourists now. Maybe you
can convince your husband.
(Francesca smiles. There is an awkward pause
between them.)
ROBERT
(cont'd) It's a beautiful night. Would you
like to go for a walk?
FRANCESCA Well,
it's kind of buggy
out there.
ROBERT (rises)
Have no fear. This Shoshone Medicine Woman
taught me how to make bug
repellent tea out of tree root.
FRANCESCA You
drink bug repellent?
ROBERT No,
you rub it on you. I have some in the truck.
Don't go away.
(She shakes her head. He runs out the screen
door, not letting it slam. Francesca looks
like a teenager with first date excitement.)
EXT. PASTURE - NIGHT
(Francesca and Robert walk through the pasture.
She sniffs her arm.)
FRANCESCA Smells
like dirt.
ROBERT You
get used to it.
FRANCESCA When?
ROBERT (laughs)
You want to go back in?
FRANCESCA No.
I'm all right. It's working.
(Silence. They walk. It is a beautiful night.)
ROBERT
You've got it all right here, you know.
It's just as beautiful as any other place
I've seen. God, it knocks me
out.
FRANCESCA What?
ROBERT (indicating
the night) This "... Of what I call
God and fools can Nature." Who wrote
that?
FRANCESCA Umm,
I don't know. I can look it up.
ROBERT I'd
appreciate it. I like knowing who I'm stealing
from. If you can't create art I think the
least you can do is recognize it around
you, don't you think? There is... (genuinely
affected)... so much beauty.
(She watches him with great appreciation.
He smiles at her. Instead of looking away,
their eyes remained locked for a moment.
There is clearly an attraction. They simultaneously
look away and continue walking.)
(Francesca's heart is beating a mile a minute
yet she can't deny she is enjoying herself.
Walking side by side in
silence, Francesca turns back
occasionally to look at her house as they
get further away from it. Suddenly, the
more distant the house becomes, the more
frightened she starts to feel. Something
inside her knows she's going too far with
this man -- too far from home. Although
a part of her wants it, she is surprised
to find a larger part of her finds too unknown.
She stops.)
ROBERT
(cont'd) What's wrong?
(Francesca looks confused for a moment,
not knowing what she
wants. She can't move. She searches for
a way out.)
FRANCESCA
Would you like some coffee? Or maybe, some
brandy?
(Somehow Robert can sense her uneasiness.
He obliges.)
ROBERT
How about both?
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
(Francesca moves about the kitchen preparing
coffee -- dropping
the coffee pot basket, spilling the grounds.
She acts tense.
Robert sits at the table opening the brandy
bottle Francesca
almost opened the night before, aware of
her mood.)
(Francesca
gets the coffee going then sets the table
with cups and saucers.)
ROBERT You
sure you won't let me help you with those
dishes?
FRANCESCA (coldly)
No. I'll do them later.
ROBERT Francesca?
FRANCESCA What?
ROBERT Are
you all right?
FRANCESCA Yes
ROBERT Francesca?
FRANCESCA What?
ROBERT We're
not doing anything wrong, do you?
(Francesca
freezes. He has read her mind again._
ROBERT (cont'd)
(smiles) Nothing you can't tell your children
about.
(Once
again, he relieves her of fear and anxiety.
He hands her a glass of brandy...)
Useful lanuage
items:
mesmerize
施催眠术于某人。Back
lascivious
好色的、猥亵的。 Back
the
hub of artistic inspiration
艺术灵感的中心。Back
You
don't get out much, do you?
你不常出去吧?Back
imposed
morality 强加于的道德。Back
The
driver veers off towards the stampede. 司机改变方向开向那些溃散的动物。Back
sensing
how in tune with the story she was 感觉到了她完全沉浸在了故事当中。in
tune with 与步调一致。Back
it
knocks me out. 我简直陶醉了。Back
