Christine, Edward, and the Cube
Hippopotamus Migration in Africa
Kathleen Jensen (kittyjensen79@hotmail.com)
John Reed (johnreed@mac.com)
"MARX BROTHERS"
Treatment
This is a short piece depicting two twenty-something pseudo-intellectual males having a casual conversation in a coffee shop on a mildly busy day. It is a familiar café scene, and as such the camera work is very deliberate. Issues of gender and sexuality are commented on in this piece through the character’s discussion of the Marx Brothers. The film wraps up with a dream sequence involving one of the men singing longingly about the Marx Brothers and his desire for them to be female.
CAST
BRENT - A mid-twenties caucasian male; pseudo-intellectual. He is of a normal height/weight ratio and mildly attractive; a conservative dresser.
TODD - Also a caucasian male in his mid-twenties, Todd is a near clone of Brent with the exception of his wire-frame glasses.
Screenplay
1. INT. COFFEE SHOP-DAY
Two twenty-something males sit at a small, roundish table in the middle of a café. Quiet chatter can be heard throughout the scene, but it is indecipherable. The men are dressed in similar attire: both are in khakis, TODD is wearing a turtleneck and glasses, BRENT is sporting a sweater vest. A waitress sets two drinks down on their table, but the men do not acknowledge her. She leaves, and the men return to their conversation.
BRENT
Anyway, that’s what I thought of Fight Club.
TODD
Ok, Ok… I see what you’re saying about that. But here’s what I don’t get: You’re telling me that Brad Pitt and Edward Norton are the same person? What is that?
BRENT
I don’t know, I haven’t figured everything out. (pauses, sips coffee) But back to what I was saying about Karl Marx…
TODD
Wait, wait… he’s one of the Marx Brothers, right?
BRENT
No, Karl Marx… Didn’t you read The Communist Manifesto in college?
TODD
No, but I did see this Marx Brothers movie last week, Duck Soup…
BRENT (rolling his eyes)
Enough about those Jews already…
TODD
Who cares if they’re Jewish? Those guys are funny. I don’t care what they are, if they make me laugh, that’s enough…
BRENT
Yeah, I guess you’re right… I don’t care either. I mean, when I’m trying to score a chick, it doesn’t matter if she’s Catholic, Jewish, crippled, whatever…
TODD
That’s how it is with me and the Marx Brothers! I don’t care if they’re Jewish, they make me laugh.
BRENT
Yeah, I’ll have to check out Duck Soup.
TODD (threatened)
Hold it. The Marx Brothers are my girls!
BRENT
You idiot… The Marx Brothers aren’t girls.
TODD (defensive)
I know they’re not girls. (pauses, then sadly) How I wish they were.
Lights go down and a spotlight shines on Todd as he stands up. He looks longingly off into the distance and begins to sing.
TODD (singing)
Oh, if the Marx Brothers were girls
if the Marx Brothers were girls
I’d spend all of my time with them
in the movies…
yes in the movies,
Just lookin’… lookin’… just a’lookin’,
lookin’ at them!
BRENT
Come on, let’s go out and get something to eat and I’ll try to forget about them sweet-looking brothers!
Continutiy script
A Coffee Shop, day
Fade in.
1. LS: We see most of a coffee shop: the coffee bar is at the right of the frame, the round tables dominate the center of the shot.
2. MS: Two conservatively dressed men are at a table talking over coffee. Heads are cut off at nose level. Waitress walks up and brings them drinks. She is seen from the chest down. Waitress walks away. Camera moves up slowly to show the men’s faces. TODD is sitting on the right, BRENT on the left. The camera makes slight pans throughout the conversation.
TODD: Ok, Ok… I see what you’re saying about that. But here’s what I don’t get: You’re telling me that Brad Pitt and Edward Norton are the same person? What is that?
BRENT: I don’t know, I haven’t figured everything out. (pauses, sips coffee) But back to what I was saying about Karl Marx…
TODD: Wait, wait… he’s one of the Marx Brothers, right?
BRENT: No, Karl Marx… Didn’t you read The Communist Manifesto in college?
TODD: No, but I did see this Marx Brothers movie last week, Duck Soup…
BRENT: (rolling his eyes) Enough about those Jews already…
TODD: Who cares if they’re Jewish? Those guys are funny. I don’t care what they are, if they make me laugh, that’s enough…
BRENT: Yeah, I guess you’re right… I don’t care either. I mean, when I’m trying to score a chick, it doesn’t matter if she’s Catholic, Jewish, crippled, whatever…
TODD: That’s how it is with me and the Marx Brothers! I don’t care if they’re Jewish, they make me laugh.
BRENT: Yeah, I’ll have to check out Duck Soup.
TODD: (threatened) Hold it. The Marx Brothers are my girls!
BRENT: You idiot… The Marx Brothers aren’t girls.
TODD: (defensive) I know they’re not girls. (pauses, then sadly) How I wish they were.
4. Camera slowly tracks backwards to a MLS. Todd slowly stands and steps away from the table. The lights in the shop go down as a spotlight comes in to shine on Todd from the left.
TODD: (singing) Oh, if the Marx Brothers were girls, if the Marx Brothers were girlsI’d spend all of my time with them in the movies…yes in the movies, Just lookin’… lookin’… just a’lookin’, lookin’ at them!
5. MCU: Todd is back at the table, staring off into space. We realize now that his singing number was a dream.
6. MS: Brent nudges Todd. Todd snaps out of his daydream.
BRENT: Come on, let’s go out and get something to eat and I’ll try to forget about them sweet-looking brothers!
7. LS: Back to opening shot. Brent and Todd stand up and walk to frame right away from table. Fade to black.
