"NATURAL BORN KILLERS"
WRITTEN BY
QUENTIN TARANTINO
INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY
A coffee shop somewhere in New Mexico. MICKEY KNOX, his back
turned to us, is sitting at the counter finishing his meal. We
hear the PING...BANG...of a pinball machine being played OFF
SCREEN.
MABEL, a waitress, comes over and fills Mickey's coffee cup.
MICKEY
What kind of pies do you have?
MABEL
Apple, pecan, cherry, and key lime.
MICKEY
Which do you recommend?
MABEL
The key lime is great, but it's
an acquired taste.
MICKEY
I haven't had a key lime pie in ten
years.
MABEL
When ya had it, did ya like it?
MICKEY
No, but that don't mean much. I was a
completely different person ten years
ago. Let's give key lime a day in
court. And a large glass of milk.
Mabel turns to her right.
MABEL
(to someone O.S.)
Should I make that two pieces?
CAMERA PULLS BACK and we see for the first time MALLORY KNOX,
Mickey's wife, sitting on a counter stool next to him. Her back
is to the camera as well.
MALLORY
Nada, Rosey.
MABEL
(annoyed)
My name's not Rosey.
(points at name tag)
It's Mabel.
Mabel exits FRAME.
MALLORY
Whatever.
Mallory hops from the stool, walks over and grabs the JAR next
to the cash register, then dumping out the coins on the counter,
she selects a quarter.
MABEL
Hey, what the hell do you think you're
doin'?
Mallory saunters past the COWBOY playing pinball. As his eyes
follow Mallory, he loses his ball.
She walks to the jukebox in the back, inserts the quarter,
selects a song, punches the buttons, a needle lands on a record,
and a good God almighty rockabilly tune cuts through the coffee
shop.
Mabel brings Mickey his pie and milk.
MABEL
(to Mickey)
She ought not be doing that. That's
for Jerry's kids, not rock 'n roll.
CAMERA moves around to a CU of Mickey. This is the first time
we see him. As he takes a bite of green pie:
MICKEY
I can't take her anywhere.
Mallory starts doing a slow seductive fandango around the coffee
shop. She's really cooking and smoking.
Pinball Cowboy and Mabel are starting to wonder just who the
hell these people are.
Mickey isn't paying much attention. He's too busy enjoying his
pie and milk.
EXT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY
A dirty pickup truck, sporting a Confederate flag decal, pulls
up to the coffee shop. SONNY, OTIS, and EARL, three
tough-looking rednecks, pile out. Steam rises from beneath the
pickup's hood.
EARL
Goddamn this sumbitch is runnin' hot.
Y'all go inside. I'm gonna check 'er
out.
INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY
The LOUDNESS of the Rockabilly song slaps Sonny and Otis in
their faces as they walk inside the door. The sexy sight of
Mallory doing the ubang stomp stops them in their tracks.
SONNY
Good God almighty. What the hell is
that?
OTIS
That's a bitch outta hell, son.
Otis and Sonny exchange looks.
SONNY
Take a run at 'er, kiddo.
Otis heads toward Mallory. Sonny moves over to the counter next
to Mickey.
SONNY
Miller, Mabel.
MABEL
Comin' up.
Otis stands in front of Mallory, trying to copy what she's
doing. Her eyes are closed at the moment, so she doesn't see
him.
Mabel sets the Miller down in front of Sonny. Sonny takes a
swig, enjoying the floor show.
SONNY
(to Mickey)
That's some sweet piece of meat, ain't
it?
Mickey turns from his pie and looks at Sonny. His expression
betrays nothing.
MICKEY
Her name's Mallory.
The needle lifts off the record. The song ends.
Mallory opens her eyes and sees Otis.
OTIS
Hells Bells! Don't stop now sugar.
I'm just getting warmed up.
Otis gives her his best shit-eating grin before turning to
Sonny.
Sonny gurgles out a laugh.
SONNY
Hey, I think she's sweet on you.
Otis turns to Mallory as she PUNCHES him hard in the face
spinning him around.
Sonny spews his mouthful of Highlife.
Mallory grabs the back of Otis' head and SMASHES it down on the
table, cracking the linoleum.
Otis buckles, dropping to his knees.
Sonny jumps off the counter stool, but Mickey's hand clutches
hold of his shoulder.
Sonny spins around toward Mickey, loaded for bear, and points
his finger at him, threateningly.
Before any threat can be made, Mickey whips a large buck knife
out from its sheath, and in a flash, SLICES off Sonny's finger.
Sonny's finger drops on his boot. He grabs his aching hand.
Blood flows from the wound.
MICKEY
Just because my woman's mopping up the
floor with your buddy is no reason for
you to join in.
Mickey makes five lightning quick SLASHING SWINGS. The buck
knife slips back into its sheath. At first, there seems to be
no difference with Sonny. Finally, blood flows from the slices
made in his face and chest. Sonny collapses.
The SHORT-ORDER COOK charges out of the kitchen at Mickey,
wielding a meat cleaver and screaming.
Mickey whips out a .45 automatic from a shoulder holster inside
his jacket and FIRES.
BULLET'S POV: Heading fast toward Short-Order Cook's face. It
HITS. Short-Order Cook puts his hands to his face and falls to
the ground, screaming.
Mickey spots Earl, who's standing outside the plate glass
window. Earl's watched the whole shebang.
Earl mouths 'Fuck!' He turns and runs for it.
Mickey hurls the knife through the plate glass window, which
SHATTERS. The knife PLUNGES deep into Earls back. He hits the
ground dead.
Mickey turns to Mallory. She's sitting on op of Otis, SLAMMING
his head repeatedly on the floor.
MICKEY
Honey.
Mallory looks up at Mickey. She gets off Otis and moves to
Mickey's side.
Mickey trains his .45 on Pinball Cowboy, who's shaking in his
cowboy boots. Mickey aims at Mabel, who's clutching the coffee
pot, crying.
MICKEY
(to Mallory)
Pick one.
Mallory does eanie, meanie, minie, moe, pointing back and forth
from Mabel to Pinball Cowboy.
MALLORY
Eanie, meanie, minie, moe, catch a
nigger by the tow. If he hollers, let
him go. Eanie, meanie, minie, moe. My
mom told me to pick the best one and
you are it.
She ends, pointing at Mabel. Mabel's crying. She screams.
MABEL
NO!
Mickey FIRES the .45. The bullet CHINKS through the coffee pot
Mabel's holding and explodes, THUNKING her in the chest. She
hits the floor dead.
Mickey and Mallory join hands and walk over to the Pinball
Cowboy who stands in a pool of his own urine.
MALLORY
When you tell people what went on here,
tell 'em Mickey and Mallory Knox did
this. Understand?
Pinball Cowboy nods yes.
The two killers plant a big wet kiss on each other's mouths.
Then, holding hands, Mickey and Mallory walk out of the cafe.
CREDIT SEQUENCE:
INT. COUPE DE VILLE - MOVING - DAY
Mickey and Mallory in a flashy '68 Cadillac Coupe De Ville.
Duane Eddy's 'REBEL ROUSER' blares on the soundtrack. The B.G.
is an outrageous PROCESS SHOT. The titles splash over this
image 50's style.
When this sequence is over, we CUT TO BLACK.
END CREDIT SEQUENCE
Over black screen, we hear:
CAPTAIN SQUERI
Send Scagnetti in here.
INT. POLICE STATION (SQUERI'S OFFICE) - DAY
CAMERA is position in the middle of the office. The door is in
the middle of the frame.
JACK SCAGNETTI flings the door open and steps inside Squeri's
office. Squeri's never seen.
SCAGNETTI
You wanted to see me, Capt'n?
CAPTAIN SQUERI (O.S.)
Scagnetti, go up to interrogation room
C. Dewight McClusky, chairman of the
prison board, is waiting to meet you.
You're gonna deliver two prisoners from
the county jail to Nystrom Insane
Asylum in Bakersfield.
SCAGNETTI
This is bullshit. I'm a detective.
You want an errand boy, call Jerry
Lewis.
Scagnetti spins around and leaves the room, SLAMMING the door
shut behind him. Captain Squeri shouts after him.
CAPTAIN SQUERI (O.S.)
Jack!
INT. POLICE STATION CORRIDOR - DAY
Police Detective Scagnetti walks rapidly down the hallway,
wearing an old, wrinkly, black suit jacket.
PEOPLE walk by in the F.G. and B.G. Scagnetti slips an already
tied tie over his head.
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM C - DAY
DEWIGHT MCCLUSKY, a man in his fifties, wearing a business suit,
stands in the F.G. reading a book with his back to the door.
In the B.G., Scagnetti enters the room.
SCAGNETTI
Jack Scagnetti. You wanted to see me?
McClusky turns toward Scagnetti.
MCCLUSKY
Congratulations on the Curtis Fox case,
Scagnetti. You put an end to a
nightmare. The ladies of this city can
get to sleep again, and they have you
to thank.
SCAGNETTI
Thank you, sir.
MCCLUSKY
Dewight McClusky of the California
Prison Board. Take a seat please.
Scagnetti lowers into a chair in front of the interrogation
table.
MCCLUSKY
(referring to book)
This is damn good reading. I'm
surprised Hollywood hasn't found you.
This would make a better movie than
that 'Serpico' shit.
McClusky puts the book down, we see the title: 'CURTIS FOX: The
Capture and Death of a Serial Killer'. Author: Jack Scagnetti.
McClusky sits on the edge of the table, facing Scagnetti. He
lifts a file off the table, then tosses it in Scagnetti's lap.
MCCLUSKY
I think you'll find that good reading
as well. Mickey and Mallory's file.
You familiar with them?
Scagnetti opens it. It's the files, reports, and photographs
of Mickey and Mallory Knox. Scagnetti's face lights up.
SCAGNETTI
Who isn't?
MCCLUSKY
You been followin' the news coverage?
SCAGNETTI
They've been separated since their
incarceration in a couple of
penitentiaries---
MCCLUSKY
Susanville, Soledade.
SCAGNETTI
They've killed a shitload of inmates
and guards---
MCCLUSKY
Five inmates, eight guards and one
psychiatrist all in one year's time...
Very good. You do keep up with the
headlines.
Scagnetti nods.
MCCLUSKY
Look, our situation in a nutshell is,
no prison wants 'em, no prison will
take 'em. I'm even talkin' hellholes,
where the warden's as hard as a bar of
iron. No one wants those fuckin'
assholes behind their walls, dealin'
with 'em day in, day out.
SCAGNETTI
I can appreciate that.
MCCLUSKY
So can we. So the solution to our
little problem is we had them deemed
crazy. And we're shippin' 'em to
Nystrom Asylum for the criminally
insane.
SCAGNETTI
Lobotomy Bay?
MCCLUSKY
You've heard of it?
SCAGNETTI
So, how do I fit into this scheme?
MCCLUSKY
The public loves you Jack...You don't
mind if I call you Jack, do you?
SCAGNETTI
By all means.
MCCLUSKY
You're a celebrated cop. Twenty-six
years on the force, a best-seller out on
paperback...
McClusky grabs Scagnetti's book and reads from the back cover.
MCCLUSKY
A modern day Pat Garret. A hell bent
lawman with a deadly axe to grind with
maniacs.
McClusky lowers the book.
MCCLUSKY
You're a breathing icon of justice and
that's why you were chosen to deliver
Mr. and Mrs. Knox. We, the prison
board we, knows that once you get them
on the road if anything should happen,
an escape attempt, an accident, fire,
anything...Jack 'Supercop' Scagnetti
would be there to look out for his
public's best interests.
SCAGNETTI
I see.
MCCLUSKY
You write the script Jack, call it,
'Showdown in Mojave: The extermination
of Mickey and Mallory', whatever...
Have we found our man?
Hold on Scagnetti.
CUT TO:
INT. COUNTY JAIL - CELL BLOCK CORRIDOR - DAY
SCAGNETTI'S POV: McClusky stands next to a big iron door. He
BANGS on it with is fist. We stay on Scagnetti's POV through
this scene.
MCCLUSKY
Pete, open it up! I'm comin' through
with a visitor!
A BUZZER SOUNDS
McClusky opens the door and we follow him down the corridor. As
soon as the door opens, we can hear a female voice singing the
song 'Long Time Woman'.
McClusky turns to Scagnetti as they walk.
MCCLUSKY
Well, Jack, I'll tell ya, in all my
years with the penal institution, and
I'll tell ya that's no small number,
Mickey and Mallory Knox are without a
doubt the most twisted, depraved group
of fucks it's ever been my displeasure
to lay my eyes on. I mean, those two
rat shits are a walkin' reminder of
just how fucked up our system really
is.
The song 'Long Time Woman' is getting louder as they proceed.
SCAGNETTI (O.S.)
Who's the song bird?
MCCLUSKY
Mickey's better half herself. Mallory
Knox. This little lady drowned her
father in a fish tank.
INSERT: INT. A LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
CU of a home aquarium with fish swimming around. Suddenly
Mallory's FATHER'S head is shoved into the tank.
BACK TO: PRISON CORRIDOR
MCCLUSKY
While the two together burned her
mother alive in her bed.
INSERT: INT. A BEDROOM - NIGHT
MEDIUM CU of Mallory's MOTHER lying asleep in bed, mouth open.
What looks like a gas nozzle appears at the top of the FRAME,
pouring gasoline all over her face. She coughs and gags.
CAMERA PANS up and we see Mickey holding a gas can.
CU of Mallory with a lit match by her face. She tosses it in
front of her. We hear the SOUNDS of Mallory's mother igniting.
BACK TO: PRISON CORRIDOR
Still SCAGNETTI'S POV:
SCAGNETTI (O.S.)
Why?
McClusky's still walking ahead of us.
MCCLUSKY
Because they wouldn't give them their
blessing for marriage.
SCAGNETTI (O.S.)
Ain't love grand.
McClusky laughs.
MCCLUSKY
Ain't love grand. That's a good one.
Still SCAGNETTI'S POV: We look down from McClusky to Mallory's
file in our hands. It contains her picture and lists her color
of hair, color of eyes, height, weight, race, etc. Beneath that
is a column which reads: PSYCHIATRIC REMARKS.
As we read the remarks, we hear a DOCTOR'S VOICE read aloud.
FEMALE PSYCHIATRIST (V.O.)
When pressed about the reason for the
murders...patient became hostile...
INSERT: INT. A PSYCHIATRIST'S OFFICE - DAY
Looking trashy, wild, and animalistic, Mallory's a sex machine
dressed in a prison gown. She sits in a chair, looking directly
at the CAMERA.
MALLORY
I don't owe you an explanation! I don't
owe you shit! I'm not here for your
entertainment. If I don't tell you
what you wanna hear, what are you gonna
do? Throw me in jail? I'm already
there, you stupid pigfucker. You gonna
give me some more time? I've already
got life. What else you got to
threaten me with? Death? I'd like to
see you fuckin' try. I haven't met one
motherfucker here who's shown me shit!
BACK TO DEATH ROW CORRIDOR:
Still on SCAGNETTI'S POV:
We look up from the fill and see McClusky's leaning against a
cell door.
We hear somebody signing 'Long Time Woman' inside the cell.
We move to McClusky, who looking into the CAMERA, gestures
toward the cell.
MCCLUSKY
Here she is...you know her, you
love her, you can't live without
her...Mallory Knox.
We PAN from McClusky to the inside of the cell where we see
Mallory, her back to us, singing and dancing.
INT. PRISON (MALLORY KNOX'S CELL) - DAY
CU of Mallory's face singing 'Long Time Woman'.
MALLORY
(singing)
99 years is a long, long time. Look at
me, I will never be free, I'm a long time
woman...
MCCLUSKY (O.S.)
Hey, Knox! Somebody out here wants to
meet you.
Mallory just keeps on truckin'.
MALLORY
(singing)
Been workin' on the road now.
Been workin' by the sea.
Been workin' in the cane fields.
and I wanna be free...
MALLORY'S POV: We stare at McClusky and Scagnetti for a second.
Then, like a bull, we charge/DOLLY straight at them. Mallory
screams O.S. We SMASH headfirst into the bars. Mallory's POV
flings up, looking at the ceiling, then falls backward.
MEDIUM TIGHT SHOT of floor, Mallory falls into FRAME, out cold.
CU on Scagnetti through the cell bars.
SCAGNETTI
Jesus Christ!
CAMERA PANS over to CU on McClusky.
MCCLUSKY
Don't worry about it. She does that
all the time.
BACK TO: Mallory on the floor, still unconscious with blood
trickling down her scalp.
MCCLUSKY (O.S.)
Follow me.
INT. PRISON (LONG CORRIDOR) - DAY
CAMERA is at the end of a long corridor. McClusky and Scagnetti
approach from the other end. Scagnetti's studying the files.
PHIL WURLITZER comes up behind the two men.
WURLITZER
You duckin' me Dewight?
MCCLUSKY
Hey, Phil, how the hell are ya?
WURLITZER
(to Scagnetti)
This son of a bitch is chairman of the
prison board, but it's like pullin'
teeth to get him down to a prison.
MCCLUSKY
The only reason I'm here now is to set
him straight, and I'm on the next
flight out.
(to Scagnetti)
Jack, this is the superintendent of the
jail. Phil Wurlitzer. He's the man
who's got the power of the pen here.
Wurlitzer shakes hands with Scagnetti.
WURLITZER
Pleased to meet ya, Jack. I read your
book. I'm impressed. Good work on
Curtis Fox.
SCAGNETTI
Thanks.
MCCLUSKY
From now on, you'll be dealin' with
Phil. He can answer all the questions
you got about the arrangements. I'm
gonna be bidding you good luck and
adieu in about twenty minutes. My
flight back to Sacramento leaves LAX in
a hour.
WURLITZER
And I want you to know, we'll all cry a
river when you're gone.
They all laugh.
SCAGNETTI
What's the travelling arrangements?
WURLITZER
Well, Mickey and Mallory can't be
together. So, we'll put you on one of
our prison busses and you'll take
Mallory first, then you'll come back
for Mickey.
SCAGNETTI
And where do you keep Mickey?
WURLITZER
We got his stinkin' ass in the deepest,
darkest cell in the whole place. But
it just so happens that right now he's
got a special visitor.
SCAGNETTI
Who?
WURLITZER
Wayne Gayle.
SCAGNETTI
(surprised)
Wayne Gayle!
INT. JAIL - VISITING AREA - DAY
WAYNE GAYLE, a young, energetic, commando journalist a'la
Geraldo Rivera is sitting on the visitor side of the county jail
visiting area. Wayne is alone and the visiting area is empty.
Apparently some arrangement was made for the visit. Wayne has a
miniature tape recorder in his hand and is testing it.
WAYNE
(into recorder)
Testing one...two...three...
testing...one...three...over,
over, over, Mickey Knox meeting.
Wayne shuts off the recorder, rewinds and plays it back. It
works beautifully. He hits the record button and conceals the
recorder in his sport coat jacket.
The door opens on the prisoner side and Mickey Knox is lead into
the room by two SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES. Mickey's wearing the country
jail blue jump-suit. He has a thick and wide leather belt around
his waist with a metal ring built into each side. Long sturdy
chains with handcuffs on each end are wrapped across his body
and through the rings, binding his arms to his sides. His hands
and feet are double cuffed.
The Deputies both have their guns drawn, ready to blow Mickey in
half at the slightest provocation. For a man wrapped and bound
in chains, Mickey seems strangely in control of his environment.
Even restrained as he is by the symbols of society (the chains,
jail, guards, guns, jump-suit), he remains a dangerous,
intimidating, and fascinating figure.
Wayne takes in the image of Mickey.
WAYNE
(to himself)
Showtime.
Mickey's roughly shoved into his seat on the prisoner's side of
the glass. The Deputies move to their place, off to the side by
the wall.
WAYNE
Hello Mickey. We've never been
introduced, but I'm Wayne Gayle. I
don't know if you've ever heard of me
or remember me. I was one of the
reporters outside the courthouse during
your trial---
MICKEY
Everybody knows who you are. You're
famous.
Wayne pauses and retorts.
WAYNE
I could say the same thing about you.
(smiles)
I want to thank you very much for
seeing me...
Mickey is silent.
WAYNE
I have a television show. It's very
popular. Every week we do a profile on
a different serial killer. You don't
mind if I call you a serial killer, do
you?
Mickey shakes his head no.
WAYNE
The episode we did on Mickey and
Mallory was one of our most popular ones.
MICKEY
Did you ever do one on Wayne Gacy?
WAYNE
Yes.
MICKEY
Whose ratings were higher?
WAYNE
Yours.
MICKEY
How 'bout Ted Bundy? Ever do one on
him?
WAYNE
Yes. Yours got the larger Nielson share.
MICKEY
Good...yuppie piece of shit.
WAYNE
What I'd like to do---
MICKEY
How 'bout Manson?
WAYNE
Manson beat you.
MICKEY
Yeah, it's pretty hard to beat the
king.
WAYNE
We've been waiting to do a follow up
episode on you for a long time. And
that time has definitely come.
(pause)
I feel it's apparent to anyone who's
hip to what's going on that the prison
board has thrown the constitution
straight out the fuckin' window.
You and Mallory may be killers, but
you're not insane. You belong in a
prison, not in an asylum. The prison
board is blatantly railroading you into
a hospital for the sole purpose of
turning you into vegetables. Now some
people are saying, 'So what?' I am not
one of those people. If we avert our
eyes while they do this to you, we give
them permission to do it again whenever
they see fit. Today they wipe clean
your mind because they feel your
actions are dangerous, tomorrow they
wipe clean my mind because they feel
what I say is dangerous. Where does
it all stop?
No response from Mickey.
WAYNE
My problem Mickey, is that you don't
exactly inspire empathy. I'm all alone
on this. I need your help. I want
what the prison board is doing to be
the focus of our follow up episode.
Now I have interviews with chairman of
the prison board Dewight McClusky about
this issue. And I'm tellin' ya,
Mickey, he looks bad. The two
psychologists they used for their
psychiatric kangaroo court won't talk
to us, which always looks bad. I have
an interview with both the judge of
your trial, Bert Steinsma, and the
psychologist and author, Emil
Reinghold, both of which discount the
notion that you're insane. You put
that all together, and what the state
is doing becomes obvious. But the
network isn't satisfied. They feel the
show needs another element. It needs
you. In order to put the show on the
air, I need to get an interview with
you. You haven't talked to the press
since your trial. Now, a few days
before you get transferred to an
asylum, you grant an interview on
television with Wayne Gayle. We're
talkin' a media event here. Every son
of a bitch out the with a TV set's
gonna tune in to see that.
We'll make their motives so blatant,
we'll shame 'em into dropping the whole
thing. At least for a little while,
the publicity would keep them from just
giving you and Mallory lobotomies.
Well, whatta ya say?
MICKEY
Have you talked to Mallory about this?
WAYNE
She won't even see me, Mickey. Now
you're not supposed to know anything
about what's going on with her, but I'm
gonna tell ya somethin'. Since you
two've been sentenced, Mallory hasn't
spoken one word.
MICKEY
She doesn't talk?
WAYNE
Not to anybody. She sings.
MICKEY
She sings? What does she sing?
WAYNE
Songs. 'He's A Rebel', 'Leader Of The
Pack', 'Town Without Pity', that Dusty
Springfield song 'I Only Want To Be
With You'. That's what I hear anyway.
Her behaviour was the main thing the
doctors' report used against you. So
even if she would see me, which she
won't, I couldn't put her on camera
anyway. If I ask her, 'Mallory, are
you insane?' And she starts singing
'Dead Skunk In The Middle Of The Road',
that blows our whole case.
Mickey cracks a smile.
The guards come over to take him away.
DEPUTY SHERIFF (O.S.)
Time, motherfucker!
They grab Mickey, and jerk him from the chair. Wayne stands.
WAYNE
Wait a minute, Mickey, I need an
answer.
Mickey doesn't respond. He just leaves with the guards.
WAYNE
(yells after him)
Just think about it. But don't think
too long.
INT. MICKEY'S CELL - DAY
MEDIUM CU of Mickey curled up by his bed, writing Mallory a
letter.
MICKEY (V.O.)
Dearest Mallory. My cell is so cold.
At night I get the chills. I pretend
you're lying next to me, holding me
from behind with your leg draped over
mine and your arms wrapped tightly
around me. I lie in my cell...
DISSOLVE TO:
WIDE SHOT in cell behind Mickey. We slowly DOLLY back.
MICKEY (V.O.)
...and imagine kissing you. Not
making love, just kissing for hours and
hours on end. I remember everything
about our time. I remember every joke
you ever told.
CU of the letter being written over the WIDE SHOT.
MICKEY (V.O.)
I remember every secret you ever
shared. Shared or revealed? I think
shared is proper. I remember every
single time you laughed.
ECU of Mickey, mouthing the words as he writes, we can hear
Mallory's laugh - a distant haunting echo.
MICKEY
I remember every meal we ever ate. I
remember your cooking. I especially
remember your casseroles. I remember
watching David Letterman.
We hear the echo of television laughter.
MICKEY
I remember driving fast...faster,
man, fast behind the wheel of the Coupe
de Ville.
The sound of the Coupe de Ville swells until we...
CUT TO:
EXT. COUPE DE VILLE - NIGHT
CAMERA sits on the hood looking down at Mickey and Mallory,
driving fast -- SLOW MOTION. A hurricane of wind whips through
their hair. Mallory laughs wildly as she wraps her arms around
Mickey and kisses.
MICKEY (V.O.)
You, baby, by my side. Your bare feet
up on the dash, singing along with the
radio 'Needles And Pins', 'He's A
Rebel', 'You're My World', 'Ring Of
Fire', 'Love Grows Where My Rosemary
Goes', 'Groove Me'...
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. COUPE DE VILLE - NIGHT
Coupe de Ville parked on the road side. Mickey is in the
drivers seat with his feet on the dash watching Mallory dance on
the hood of the car.
MICKEY (V.O.)
And your dancing, my God, your dancing.
I lie on my bed and go over every day,
every minute of our happiness. Every
day take a day of our time and go
through it hour by hour. I don't jump
ahead either. I take it as it comes,
and I live that day again. That way
when I get to our first kiss...
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. A BEDROOM - NIGHT
The screen erupts with fire. Mickey and Mallory's faces appear
in the flame kissing passionately.
MICKEY (V.O.)
The killing of your parents, our
wedding...They're not just memories.
I feel that joy again...
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. RESTAURANT - DAY
MEDIUM CU of Wayne holding a piece of paper in front of his face
and reading from it out loud. We hear Wayne's VOICE over
Mallory's singing before the last scene DISSOLVES.
WAYNE
(reading out loud)
'After taking a few days to reflect on
your offer, I've come to the conclusion
that you are one hundred percent
correct. A national TV interview would
be very advantageous to both Mallory
and I. The only obstacle is they're
shipping me out to the funny farm in
four days. However, that is your
problem and not mine. I feel confident
you'll manage. Here's to us making
television history. Sincerely, Mickey
Knox.'
Wayne drops the letter down from in front of his face.
WAYNE
Am I a God or what?
We now see the restaurant adorned with the standard Denny's
decorum. Wayne's team is gathered in a booth that surrounds the
remains of a greasy meal. In response to his last remark, they
all pretend they are praying to him.
The team consists of SCOTT, the cameraman, who wears wild
t-shirts (presently a t-shirt with the movie 'She Devils On
Wheels' splashed on the front); ROGER, the soundman, who wears
wild Hawaiian shirts and Bermuda shorts; and UNRULY JULIE,
Wayne's assistant, a young lady who wears Bermuda shorts, a
baseball jersey, and a dark sports coat no matter how hot the
weather is at any time. Roger's never seen without his
recorder, Scott's never without his camera, and Unruly Julie
always has her giant notebook. These dishevelled film types are
all in their twenties and are a marked contrast to Wayne's
stylish yuppie demeanour.
Unruly Julie pops the cork on a champagne bottle. The guys hold
out coffee mugs, while Julie fills. Julie, however drinks
straight from the bottle.
NOTE: This scene is to be played at a rapid fire 'His Girl
Friday' pace.
WAYNE
Drink up! This is a celebration. This
is the day we received word we were
gonna make television history. We're
gonna have the first sit down, in depth
interview with the most charismatic
serial killer ever, one day before he's
being shipped to a mental hospital for
the rest of his life. This is one of
those golden moments that happens maybe
only four times in a lucky journalist's
career. This is Wallace with Noriega,
this is Elton John confessing his
bi-sexuality to the Rolling Stone, this
is the tearful reporting of the
Hindenberg disaster, this is Truffaut
setting the record straight on
Hitchcock, this is a Robert Capa photo,
this is Woodward and Bernstien meeting
Deep Throat in an underground parking
lot, this is John Reid reporting 'The
Ten Days That Shook The World', this is
the hippies' bloody palms at Kent
State, the Maysles brothers at
Altamont, this is the Nixon/Frost
interviews...
ROGER
This is Raymond Burr witnessing the
destruction of Tokyo by Godzilla.
Everybody laughs.
SCOTT
What's the schedule, mein fuehre?
As Wayne talks, Unruly Julie writes furiously in her notebook.
She never speaks, just writes.
WAYNE
We got tonight and tomorrow to get our
shit together. The day after that
they're shippin' Mallory. That's when
we do the Mickey Knox interview, 'cause
the next day he goes.
SCOTT
Would the network really not run it
without the interview?
WAYNE
Are you kidding? The last thing they
expected was Mickey Knox to get up
close and personal. They wanted a
follow up episode and would've taken
anything I had given them. I'm not
gonna tell Mickey Knox that. I'm gonna
make him think his grey matter depends
on it. When I told Woody and the brass
about this coup, they practically shit
a brick. I'm talkin' an adobe brick.
They want to expand the show to a hour,
and they want it on immediately.
ROGER
How immediate is immediately?
WAYNE
Next week's episode.
Wayne's team all spit out mouthfuls of champagne.
ROGER
We don't got enough footage for a hour
follow up.
SCOTT
(pointing at Roger)
What he said.
WAYNE
Rape and pillage the first episode,
just change the order a bit. Those
sons of bitches out there ain't gonna
know the difference. All that shit is
just filler for the interview anyway.
We film a new intro. Show some old
footage from the first episode so the
get a brief history of Mickey and
Mallory. We introduce a new angle...
what the prison board is up to. We
see some of that new shit, then the
rest of the show is the interview. Now
what's so fuckin' hard about that? Oh,
Julie make a note: I need Woody to get
me thirty seconds of the 'Live at Five'
broadcast to promote next weeks show.
We'll do a feed right from the jail
while we're wrapping up with Mickey.
Unruly Julie scribbles in her notebook. Wayne snaps at Scott.
WAYNE
You too Scott, Betacam and a remote,
keep it simple.
Scott closes his eyes in concentration, and repeats Wayne.
SCOTT
Betacam with remote and two-way comm
link. Got it.
(opens eyes)
How about the interview...What camera
do you want to use?
Wayne closes his eyes.
WAYNE
I see...high contrast sixteen
millimetre black and white, and I mean
black and white, where the black's
black and the white's white. This is
for posterity, so fuck video. Film!
Film! Film!
Wayne pounds on the table. CU of Unruly Julie writing in her
notebook: 'Film...film...film!'
WAYNE
So Unruly Julie's comin' with me and
planning the interview.
(points at Roger & Scott)
You two go down to the editing bay,
take the old footage and the new
footage, put it together, and see what
we got. Get it into shape so when we
finish the interview, we can just stick
it in.
SCOTT
When do you want the assembly?
WAYNE
Tomorrow.
CUT TO:
TITLE CARD: 'TOMORROW'
CUT TO:
INT. TV STATION CORRIDOR - DAY
CAMERA leads Wayne, who's talking to Unruly Julie. As they
march quickly through the halls Julie writes furiously in her
notebook.
WAYNE
At that point I'll ask him if he
believes in God. If he says yes, I'll
ask him what he thinks God would make
of his actions. And is he worried
about burning in hell? If he says no,
I'll say, 'Well, Mickey, what do you
believe in?' And hopefully he'll say
something like a live round of ammo,
the expression on the face of a man he
just split up the middle, Mallory's
eyes, sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll.
He's bound to say something
provocative.
Wayne and Unruly Julie enter the video editing room. Scott and
Roger are sitting at the editing bay. Everybody is wearing, and
looks like they slept in, the same clothes as the night before,
except Wayne, who's in another sweater and looks alert and snappy.
WAYNE
Okay, boys, let's have it.
SCOTT
Well, basically, what we did was put
part of the old show on first...
ROGER
But we changed the order around so it
wasn't super obvious...
SCOTT
Then we added the new shit to the
tail...
ROGER
So we film the interview, and we can
just slap it on at the end.
Wayne and Unruly Julie grab chairs and sit.
WAYNE
Okay, let's see it.
CU of video monitor screen. We see a show rewinding.
ROGER (O.S.)
Now we got to film a new intro for the
follow up episode. But we put the
intro for the first episode at the
beginning temporarily so you can see it
with some scope.
WAYNE (V.O.)
I hear ya. Play.
CU of Roger's hand pressing a play button.
CUT TO:
Static. Then the opening slate for 'AMERICAN MANIACS' fills the
SCREEN.
BEGIN: HIGHWAY - DAY
EXT. HIGHWAY - DAY
WAYNE GAYLE is standing in the middle of an empty highway. The
CAMERA looks up from the ground. With a WIDE ANGLE lens, he
looks practically mythic.
Wayne speaks into the camera.
WAYNE
Hello. Welcome to 'American Maniacs'.
I'm your host Wayne Gayle. And this is
Highway 58.
Wayne walks toward the CAMERA. We DOLLY back.
WAYNE
To some the fastest distance between
point A and point B. To others a
beautiful stretch to the American
landscape. But to Mickey and Mallory
Knox, it was a candy land of murder and
mayhem.
While we hear Wayne's narration, we see a MONTAGE of home 8mm
movie footage. These are films of Mickey and Mallory living a
normal life.
HOME MOVIE - Mickey shaking hands with the JUDGE who married
them. Mallory stands happily by Mickey's side.
HOME MOVIE - Mallory hamming up the sex angle, as she poses by
Bob's Big Boy.
HOME MOVIE - Mallory sitting on Mickey's lap at home.
HOME MOVIE - CU of Mallory asleep in bed. Mickey (holding
camera) tickles her under her chin. Mallory slaps herself in
the face with a handful of shaving cream.
HOME MOVIE - Mickey and Mallory posing with Santa Claus.
HOME MOVIE - Mickey being surprised in the toilet.
WAYNE (V.O.)
After living a very routine, drab,
nothing out-of-the-ordinary-ever-
happens kind of life, the sweethearts
shocked the entire nation with a
cross-country crime and murder spree
that lasted only three weeks, but
left---
PHOTO: BLACK & WHITE PHOTOS of bloody victims -- MEN and WOMEN.
PHOTO: BLACK & WHITE PHOTOS of a bloodstained police chalk
outline.
WAYNE (V.O.)
---forty-eight known bodies in its
wake. Including---
HOME MOVE FOOTAGE of Mallory and her PARENTS during happier
times. All three are smiling. Mallory's in the middle with her
arms around them. Mallory's father is eating a chicken
drumstick. Mallory takes a bite out of it while he's holding
it.
WAYNE (V.O.)
---Mallory's very own parents.
PHOTO: COLOR POSTCARD of Los Angeles.
WAYNE (V.O.)
They started their crime wave in Los
Angeles.
Wayne Gayle stands in front of a Circle K convenience store. He
speaks to us.
WAYNE
And they were finally apprehended here
at this Circle K in St. Paul,
Minnesota.
CUT TO:
EXT. CIRCLE K - DAY
This sequence is filmed in 16MM COLOR, cinema verite a'la 'COPS.'
The CAMERA runs behind three blue windbreaker clad COPS, as they
run up to the Circle K, shouting obscenities.
In front of the store three windbreaker cops have Mickey on the
ground, beating him with nightsticks. One COP lies on the
ground near them, holding his hands over his face, screaming.
To the left Mallory is slugging it out with a windbreaker COP,
matching each other blow for blow.
Meanwhile, the three cops we ran with reach the action and join
in.
CUT TO:
MONTAGE
NEWSPAPER-- Newspaper or magazine COLOR AD for a 7/11 store.
NEWSPAPER-- Newspaper or magazine COLOR AD for a gas station.
WAYNE (V.O.)
They started off robbing 7/11 type
stores and gas stations and later
graduated to banks and the big time.
EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - DAY
Wayne Gayle walks down the street. The CAMERA walks with him.
He speaks into the camera.
WAYNE
Mickey and Mallory's idea of an armed
robbery was a little different than
most. It was an assault, actually.
EXT. 7/11 STORE - DAY
Wayne interviews BISHOP, a young blonde kid with a 'Flock of Sea
Gulls' haircut. Bishop's name appears on the SCREEN.
BISHOP
Well. I knew that Mickey and Mallory
kill everybody when they're through,
except for one clerk. There were a
couple of people in the store then, and
I was working with Stevo. And I like
Stevo, you know? But I was thinking,
what could I do to make them pick me to
be the clerk that gets to live?
INT. 7/11 STORE - DAY
This scene is shot through the STORE'S BLACK & WHITE VIDEO
SURVEILLANCE CAMERA. The date and time of day are burned into
the edges of the frame.
Mickey and Mallory charge into a 7/11 store, cocking their
shotguns and shouting things.
Mickey SHOOTS a CUSTOMER who lies on the ground screaming.
Mallory BLASTS a FEMALE CUSTOMER who lies on the ground screaming.
Mickey points his shotgun at Bishop the store clerk and screams:
MICKEY
Money! Money! Money! Fast! Fast!
Faster! Faster! Faster than that!
Bishop stuffs money in a bag as Mallory guards the door, shotgun
ready.
STEVO, the other store clerk, walks in from the back room
carrying boxes and wearing a walkman.
Mickey and Mallory spin around and shoot him.
As all this mayhem happens before our disbelieving eyes, Wayne's
narration happens over it.
WAYNE (V.O.)
They'd storm in with shotguns, and kill
every customer in the place right off
the bat.
CUT TO:
Smiling PHOTOS of other VICTIMS. We CUT from each photo
to the next photo after shotgun FIRE.
EXT. BLEACHERS - DAY
Wayne Gayle sitting on football bleachers. He stares into the
CAMERA for a few beats. Then, after his dramatic silence, he
talks.
WAYNE
Sick, isn't it?
(mournful pause)
After killing numerous people, the
would always leave one clerk alive.
One clerk...to give them the money,
and tell the tale of---
PHOTO: BLACK & WHITE snapshot of Mickey and Mallory standing
next to each other, guns in hand, smiling for the camera.
WAYNE (V.O.)
Mickey and Mallory.
PHOTO: Police Academy BLACK & WHITE snapshot of OFFICER GERALD
NASH.
WAYNE (V.O.)
Patrolman Gerald Nash was just one of
the twelve peace officers that Mickey
and Mallory murdered during their reign
of terror.
PHOTO: BLACK & WHITE photo of Gerald Nash and his partner DALE
WRIGLEY, dressed in their uniforms, arms around each other.
WAYNE (V.O.)
Gerald and his partner Dale Wrigley
were parked at...
PHOTO: BLACK & WHITE snapshot of donut shop.
WAYNE (V.O.)
...this donut shop, Alfie's Donuts.
When---
Interview with Dale Wrigley. Dale's name appears below him on
the SCREEN.
DALE
This '68 Cadillac Coupe De Ville pulled
up about three spaces away. Gerald
came walking out with our coffee
and---
(begins to tear up)
my bear claw. When the driver of the
car asked him something, Gerald started
giving him what looked like street
directions. When he finished, the
driver waved him 'thanks,' brought up a
shotgun and---
PHOTO: BLACK & WHITE of donut shop.
WIDER PHOTO: Alfie's donut and parking lot. On this photo, a
white grease pencil circles where Gerald was shot. We hear a
SHOTGUN BLAST and a SCREAM over this.
PHOTO: BLACK & WHITE of Mickey and Mallory. We hear LAUGHTER
and a car PEELING OUT over this.
EXT. BLEACHERS - DAY
Wayne talks to us.
WAYNE
Apparently bored with banditry and
murder, the two outlaws proved what
renaissance psychopaths they really
are. To break up the monotony in
between bank jobs, or what have you,
they started butchering whole
households at random.
CUT TO: MONTAGE of newspaper front page stories and headlines
of family households butchered by the Knoxs.
INT. WAYNE'S STUDIO - DAY
Wayne, dressed in a pink shirt and suspenders, talks to us in
front of a blue screen that has 'WAYNE GAYLE'S AMERICAN MANIACS'
logo behind him.
WAYNE
Unfortunately, the story didn't end
with their capture. It just became
more surreal. Their subsequent trial
turned into a sick circus...
CUT TO:
EXT. COURTHOUSE - DAY
The CAMERA captures the crowd in front of the courthouse.
They're a very mixed lot.
WAYNE (V.O.)
...As spectators, reporters, law
students, tourists, gawkers, the
interested, the curious, the devoted,
and the demented were drawn to the Los
Angeles county courthouse like moths to
a flame.
INT. WAYNE'S STUDIO - DAY
Wayne talks to us.
WAYNE
The Mickey and Mallory Knox murder
trial was so event filled it made the
crime spree that took place before pale
by comparison. The first point was the
decision of Mickey's to act as his own
council. Now this in itself is not
unheard of, for instance, Ted Bundy
acted as his own council as well. What
was unexpected was how well Mickey's
performance would be.
INT. JUDGE'S DEN - DAY
Wayne interviews JUDGE BURT STEINSMA in his den at home.
WAYNE (V.O.)
We spoke with Burt Steinsma, who was
the presiding judge during the Knox
trial.
JUDGE STEINSMA
Mickey was surprisingly effective.
When I was told I was to be the judge
of this trial and then I was told
Mickey Knox would be handling his own
defence, I got a headache that lasted
five days. But at first I breathed a
sigh of relief. Mickey showed up very
prepared, and proved to be an excellent
amateur lawyer.
INT. WANDA BISBING'S OFFICE - DAY
Interview with state prosecutor WANDA BISBING, an attractive
woman in her forties.
WAYNE (V.O.)
However, this opinion isn't shared by
the state's prosecutor on this case,
Wanda Bisbing.
Wayne's with Bisbing.
WAYNE
Judge Steinsma said that Mickey showed
up very prepared and proved to be an
excellent amateur attorney.
BISBING
Oh, that's rich. Well, considering
that Mickey Knox turn his court into
a mockery and personally made him look
like a fool, I'd say that's very
benevolent of Judge Steinsma. As far
as Mickey being an excellent amateur
lawyer, maybe I'm old fashioned, but
when I went to law school, we were
taught the object was to win the case,
which I did.
INT. WAYNE'S STUDIO - DAY
Wayne talks to us.
WAYNE
The nation caught fire to Mickey and
Mallory fever, Mickey and Mallory
mania, if you will, as the merits to
Mickey's talent as a defence attorney
became apparent.
Law students from all ends of the
country converged on Los Angeles as
legal history took a new course. But
that was only the lemon next to the
pie. And that pie is you, the American
people. That pie is the way the
strangely charismatic, and make no
mistake, they are charismatic, Mickey
and Mallory have captured the public's
interest, fear, and in some cases,
admiration.
CUT TO:
EXT. COURTHOUSE STEPS - DAY
Wayne interviews three long-haired guys: CHUCK, STEVE, and JEFF.
WAYNE
What do you think of Mickey and
Mallory?
CHUCK
Hot.
JEFF
Hot.
STEVE
Totally hot.
CHUCK
Mickey and Mallory's the best thing to
happen to mass murder since Manson.
STEVE
Forty-eight people known. They're way
cooler than Manson.
CUT TO: Wayne interviewing MORGAN and PAGE, two young girls.
WAYNE
What do you think of Mickey and
Mallory?
MORGAN
Well, he's just...I dunno...
charismatic.
PAGE
They're so romantic.
CUT TO: Wayne interviewing an INTENSE COP.
INTENSE COP
I'm here to watch the judge give those
two shit asses (BLEEP) the stiffest
sentence the law allows. I want to see
their faces when the state says 'they
are the worst scum sucking, degenerate,
douche bag, filthy, I don't know what's
ever shit (BLEEP) out.
(referring to crowd
behind him)
And these assholes (BLEEP) are making
heroes outta sickos. You wanna know
who a hero is? You wanna know? I'll
tell ya who a Goddamn hero is. Mike
Griffin. Mike fuckin' (BLEEP) Griffin
is who these misguided assholes (BLEEP)
should be revering. You know why Mike
Jerome Griffin is a hero? I'll tell ya
why. Because he was killed in the line
of duty. Do you want to know how he
died?
WAYNE
Yes.
INTENSE COP
I'll tell you. Mike Jerome Griffin was
killed in the line of duty by those two
anti-heroes.
CUT TO: Wayne interviewing RUSSELL VOSSLER, Harvard law student.
WAYNE
Tell me, Mr. Vossler, how many days of
the trial have you attended?
RUSSELL
Ahhh yesss, I've been fortunate enough
to attend two days. Law history in the
making. I've been a participant.
WAYNE
And you being a Harvard law student,
what is your opinion of Mickey Knox's
performance?
RUSSELL
Ahhh, Mickey's pistolero savvy in the
courtroom trial rivals, dare I say
conquers that of master Melvin Belli.
He's like a magnificent loose cannon,
firing point blank in the prosecutor's
face. It is my anticipation---
BACK TO: The long-haired guys, Chuck, Jeff & Steve as Wayne
speaks.
WAYNE
You're talking about a man and a woman
who killed innocent people.
STEVE
Don't get us wrong...
CHUCK
We respect human life an' all.
JEFF
It's a tragedy.
STEVE
But...if I was a serial killer,
which I'm not, but if I was, I'd be
like Mickey.
CUT TO: Wayne talking with MARVIN, a black man.
MARVIN
They're like that crazy mother in the
first Dirty Harry movie. Member that
crazy ass mother? They're like him.
Mickey and Mallory be doin' some
cold-blooded shit. When I hear about
some of the shit they be doin' on TV, I
say 'Damn, that's fucked (BLEEP) up.'
BACK TO: The two young girls, Morgan & Page as Wayne speaks.
PAGE
(laughing and blushing)
We sit in the courtroom all day and try
to catch Mickey's eye.
CUT TO:
INT. GOLD'S GYM - DAY
Wayne's sitting in the gym. Behind him MUSCLE MEN are working
out. Their GRUNTING sounds fill the background. Wayne looks up
and just OFF CAMERA to the people he's interviewing.
WAYNE
What do you think of Mickey and
Mallory?
ECU on SIMON and NORMAN HUN, two brothers/bodybuilders, in a
head SHOT.
SIMON
I admire them.
NORMAN
I do, too.
WAYNE
(confused)
But how can you say that?
SIMON
They're mesmerising.
NORMAN
Hypnotizing.
SIMON
Have you seen 'Pumping Iron?'
WAYNE
Yes.
NORMAN
Then you've seen the scene where Arnold
Schwartzenegger is talking to Lou
Ferigno.
WAYNE
Yes.
SIMON
Through the power of the simple word---
NORMAN
And a snake-eye glare.
SIMON
---and a snake-eye glare, Arnold was
able to totally psyche out any
confidence Ferigno had.
NORMAN
He squashed him mentally before
physically defeating him.
SIMON
He had the edge. The mind's edge.
NORMAN
Mickey and Mallory have that edge.
SIMON
Only on a much grander scale.
NORMAN
They've hypnotized the nation.
SIMON
Schwartzenegger was the king of the
edge before they came along.
The CU of the brothers ZOOMS back.
WAYNE
You say this and yet...you two are
both victims of Mickey and Mallory.
SHOT has zoomed back to reveal that both Simon and Norman are in
wheelchairs (their legs maimed or gone).
SIMON
Yes.
NORMAN
Yes.
WAYNE
How can you say that you 'admire' them?
NORMAN
It's like this, Wayne. Two people are
standing in a dark room waiting for the
other to attack. These two people
can't see each other, yet they know
they're there. Now, they can either
stand in the dark room forever waiting
until they die of boredom, or one of
them can make the first move.
WAYNE
Why can't they just shake hands and be
friends?
NORMAN
They can't because neither knows if the
other is a deranged senseless killer
like the Knoxs. So, you may as well
make the first move.
WAYNE
And they made the first move?
NORMAN
Unfortunately, yes.
SIMON
But you see, that's okay, Wayne.
WAYNE
Why?
SIMON
They passed the 'edge' along to us.
WAYNE
How so?
SIMON
By taking away our legs. Now we have
to fight harder to get ahead than
anyone else you'll find in this gym.
Probably the whole city. They gave us
the fighting spirit. Before this
happened I was content. Now I'm pissed
off. Now I'm half a man and I've got
to work like the devil to get whole
again.
WAYNE
But you'll never be whole again.
SIMON
Never is a very long time, Wayne. A
word only the weak use. I'm not a sore
loser. Even if I don't have a leg to
stand on, I'm going to get up and fight
this world until I'm on top again.
NORMAN
That's the Mickey and Mallory way.
SIMON
That's the way of the world.
NORMAN
They're shocking the world into
remembering the primal law.
SIMON
Survival of the fittest.
WAYNE
One last question. Usually Mickey and
Mallory kill all of their victims. Why
did they let you two survive?
The brothers pause, then turn to Wayne.
NORMAN
They had us tied down during one of
their house raids, you've seen the
headlines, and they were taking a
chainsaw to our legs before they were
gonna kill us.
SIMON
Just for fun, I guess.
NORMAN
And then Mallory stops Mickey and says,
'Hey, these are the Brothers Hun.'
SIMON
Mickey stops sawin' on my leg and says,
'Oh my God, I'm your biggest fan!'
NORMAN
Apparently, they've seen all our films.
SIMON
They were especially influenced by
'Conquering Huns of Neptune.'
NORMAN
So, Mallory calls 911 and they took
off.
SIMON
They actually apologized.
INT. WAYNE'S STUDIO - DAY
Wayne talks.
WAYNE
The couple proved so popular that a
motion picture glamorizing their
exploits was made...
CUT TO: A POSTER for the Mickey and Mallory movie called 'Thrill
Killers' is shown. It has a drawing of the Movie Mickey and
Movie Mallory in a romantic pose a'la 'Gone With The Wind,' both
with guns in their hands. Around them are smaller drawings of
cars, people shooting, people fighting, explosions, etc.
The adlines are: 'RIPPED FROM TODAY'S HEADLINES --THE TRUE STORY
OF MICKEY AND MALLORY.' 'THE COUPLE THAT LIVED FOR LOVE AND
LOVED TO KILL.'
The poster lists the credits: 'Starring Jessie Alexander
Warwick and Buffy St.McQueen.' 'Written and Directed by Neil
Pope.'
WAYNE (V.O.)
The Movie 'Thrill Killers' proved to be
a tremendous box office success, making
stars out of the before then unknown---
CUT TO: STILLS of Movie Mickey and Movie Mallory holding
weapons, posing together, creating mayhem.
WAYNE (V.O.)
---actors Jessie Alexander Warwick and
Buffy St.McQueen.
CUT TO:
MOVIE TRAILER FOR 'THRILL KILLERS':
SHOT Movie Mickey dressed in a fastfood uniform.
ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
Meet Mickey Knox!
MOVIE MICKEY
I'm gettin' off this minimum wage
train. Break my back for you and throw
away my youth for nothing. when I'm
thirty, have a big wall drop down in
front of me called the future. Realize
I've been doin' time in a burger
flippin' jail.
He rips off his uniform.
MOVIE MICKEY
Listen to me Jimmy-dick, I want cash,
lots of it, cars, fast cars! And I
want it now! Not later, now! I wanna
wail, baby, wail!
SHOT of Movie Mallory on her hands and knees crawling toward
CAMERA.
ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
And his lovely wife Mallory.
MOVIE MALLORY
I need ya, Mickey. I gotta have ya.
I'm no good for no one else. when I'm
with you, I burn, baby. Burn like blue
flame.
SHOT of Movie Mickey and Movie Mallory driving fast and laughing
their heads off.
ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
Together they're the Thrill Killers.
The true story of the couple that
shocked the world...
SHOT of the Movie Knoxs FIRING guns.
ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
...with a bloodlust of violence...
SHOT of Movie Mickey and Movie Mallory kissing.
ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
...and unbridled passion.
SHOT of Movie Mallory with a knife to a COP'S throat. Movie
Mickey holds a shotgun.
MOVIE COP
When society catches up with you, I'd
hate to be in your boots.
MOVIE MICKEY
Let me telly ya about society and its
boots. It uses those boots for
steppin' on people like me and her!
CUT TO:
INT. EDITING ROOM - DAY
Wayne enters an editing room where filmmaker NEIL POPE is
working at a movieola.
WAYNE (V.O.)
We talked with Neil Pope, writer and
director of 'Thrill Killers' for his
take on the Mickey and Mallory
phenomena.
Pope stops the movieola, turns toward the CAMERA, and greets
Wayne M.O.S.
CUT INTO INTERVIEW:
NEIL POPE
It is my belief that Mickey and Mallory
Knox are a cultural phenomena that
could only exist in our sexually
repressed society. A flower that could
only bloom amidst a grotesque fast food
culture. A what I tried to do with
'Thrill Killers' was trace the root of
the problem all the way down the vine
to the original bad seed. Yet amidst
the violence and murder and carnage,
you've got the structure of a Wagnerian
love story.
EXT. ALLEY - DAY
In a back alley, the conclusion of 'Thrill Killers' plays out.
The sound of SIRENS and CHOPPERS are nearing. Movie Mickey,
shotgun in hand, runs down the alley stopping at a dumpster,
where the wounded and bloody Movie Mallory sits propped up
against a brick wall. On the bottom of the SCREEN, the
subtitle appears: SCENE FROM 'THRILL KILLERS' (1990).
MOVIE MALLORY
Mickey, honey, listen to me.
Movie Mallory holds out her hand for him to take it. He does.
MOVIE MALLORY
I can't go. I'm too fucked up.
MOVIE MICKEY
I'm not saying it's not gonna hurt,
but--
MOVIE MALLORY
I can't run with you, Mickey! I really
want to. If I could, I would, but I
can't. I gotta stay here. But you can
still get out of here.
MOVIE MICKEY
No fuckin' way! No fuckin' way!
MOVIE MALLORY
If they stay, they'll catch you, and
they don't have to catch you---
MOVIE MICKEY
No fuckin' way!
MOVIE MALLORY
Mickey, you're wasting time!
MOVIE MICKEY
I don't give a damn if a million United
States marines, all whistling the halls
of Montezuma, are gonna come marchin'
down this alley any second. There
ain't not fuckin' way in hell I'm
leaving you. And that's that!
Movie Mallory grabs his hand with both of hers. She's crying.
The SIREN and CHOPPER sounds are getting closer.
MOVIE MALLORY
Mickey, my love, if you leave me,
they'll catch me and take me to the
hospital. If you stay, you'll make 'em
kill you. Then it'd be like I killed
you. I could bear anything, but I
couldn't bear that. So please, please,
for me, my handsome
husband, run for your life.
The SIRENS and CHOPPERS draw closer.
MOVIE MICKEY
I can't do it. You're my wife, you're
my partner. A fella doesn't run when
his partner can't run with him.
Mallory, my angel, if I could of left
ya, I'd of left ya a long time ago.
They kiss.
MOVIE MALLORY
Well, hell, if you won't leave, give me
a gun so I can go out shooting.
Movie Mickey hands her his .44 Magnum from his belt.
MOVIE MICKEY
Sit tight. I'm gonna make it a little
tougher for 'em.
Movie Mickey runs to the end of the alley, peers around the
corner at the arriving COPS.
MOVIE MICKEY
(to himself)
Time to get naked and boogie.
Movie Mallory is out of movie Mickey's view. She cocks the .44,
then places the barrel under her chin.
MOVIE MALLORY
Mickey!
Movie Mickey's busy. He doesn't turn around.
MOVIE MICKEY
Yeah baby.
MOVIE MALLORY
You made every day like kindergarten.
Movie Mallory pulls the trigger. BANG!
DOLLY down the alley to a CU on Mickey as he spins around.
Movie Mallory literally blew her head clean off. Her headless
body, gun in hand, remains upright in her sitting position.
Movie Mickey runs toward her, screaming her name in SLOW MOTION.
MOVIE MICKEY
Mallory!
CUT TO:
BACK TO: THE POPE INTERVIEW
WAYNE (O.S.)
Why did you kill Mallory? Both of
them are still alive.
NEIL POPE
It was dramatic license, no doubt. But
I felt an operatic love story needed an
operatic ending. The two of them kill
for each other. They offer the death
of their victims to each other like
other lovers offer flowers or bon bons.
So what more natural, what more
organic, what more poetic than Mallory
offering her death to Mickey? It's
where it's been leading since day one.
We worked it in the movie by using a
what if they escaped situation. I
think it works beautifully. You'd be
surprised. People come up to me at the
end of the movie in tears.
EXT. PARKING LOT - DAY
Actor JESSIE ALEXANDER WARWICK sits on his motorcycle and talks
to the CAMERA. He's dressed in a Levi's jacket, jeans, a bandanna
is wrapped around his head, and as he talks he bogarts a smoke.
His name appears at the bottom of the SCREEN.
JESSIE
One thing about Mickey for sure, he's
definitely a man who has his moments.
It was wild playin' him. It was one of
those get-it-out-of-your-system
performances.
INT. BUFFY ST. MCQUEEN'S HOME - DAY
This interview is SHOT in Buffy's house a'la Barbara Walters.
BUFFY sits on the couch in her living room with a cat in her
lap. From time to time, she sips from a coffee cup. Her name
appears at the bottom of the SCREEN.
BUFFY
I didn't play Mallory, the murderer. I
didn't play her as a butcher. I played
her as a woman in love, who also
happens to murder people. I didn't
want her to be at arm's length from the
audience or myself. If you play her as
this wild maniac, the audience never
has to deal with her. If you see a
decapitation in a movie, you just say
'Oh wow, a neat special effect.'
Because you can't relate to a
decapitation. It doesn't mean anything
to anybody because it's not personal.
Decapitations don't fall into most
people's realm of life experiences.
But if you show somebody in a movie
getting a paper cut, the whole audience
squirms. Because everybody can relate
to a paper cut.
WAYNE (O.S.)
Did you meet the real Mallory Knox?
BUFFY
I tried to, but she wouldn't see me.
But I read some letters she wrote to
Mickey before the murder spree. They
helped me out a lot.
EXT. PARKING LOT - DAY
Jessie talks to CAMERA.
WAYNE (O.S)
You met Mickey Knox, didn't you?
JESSIE
Yeah, I visited him when he was up in
Susanville. He's a little cerebral for
my taste, but all in all, we got along.
INT. OFFICE - DAY
Wayne, sitting in a chair in front of a desk, interviews DR.
REINGHOLD, who sits behind the desk.
WAYNE (V.O.)
To get a psychiatric view on the
strange attraction Mickey and Mallory
seems to have, we talked with Doctor
Emil Reinghold, noted psychologist and
author.
Wayne begins his interview.
WAYNE
Can you shed some light, Doctor
Reinghold, on why the public has taken
a pair of sociopaths so close to their
bosom?
DR. REINGHOLD
Well, for one, the media has done a
tremendous job of turning the husband
and wife mass murderers into
celebrities. But it's the country's
youth who have turned the couple into
the ultimate anti-heroes. Basically,
the very thing that makes them most
lethal is the exact same thing that
captures the public's hearts and
minds -- Mickey and Mallory's operatic
devotion to each other. In a world
where people can't seem to make the
simplest relationships work and the
slightest emotional commitment is
considered devastating, Mick and
Mallory have a do-or-die romance of a
Shakespearean magnitude. To the
country's youth, 75 percent of which
are coming from broken homes, that's
appealing. They have an 'us against
the world' posture which always appeals
to youth. And they've taken that
posture seventeen steps beyond.
It's not 'us against the world,' it's
'we're gonna kill the world.' They're
exciting. I read their file and I find
myself turning the page like it was a
paperback. Why do disillusioned youths
get into Mickey and Mallory? Why do
disillusioned housewives read romance
novels? Why are you filming this
special? Because you know as well as I
do, you say 'tonight at nine Charles
Manson speaks,' everybody's going to
tune in to hear what he says. Mickey
and Mallory have shocked a country numb
with violence. They've created a world
where only two exist and anybody who
inadvertently enters that world is
murdered.
EXT. COURTHOUSE - DAY
SHOTS of the crowd.
WAYNE (V.O.)
This attitude from the young towards
their ultimate anti-heroes is nation
wide. And spreading.
TWO LONDON TEENS
BOY and GIRL, dressed like the Knox's.
TITLE CARD: 'LONDON'
LONDON BOY
You take all the great figures from the
States...Elvis, Jack Keroac,
Bukowski, James Dean, Jim Morrison,
Angela Davis, Jack Nicholson, Jim
Thompson, Martin Scorcese...add a
bloody pale of nitro and you got Mickey
and Mallory. They're like rebels
without a cause, except they have a
cause. Only nobody knows what it is.
LONDON GIRL
(screaming)
Their cause is each utter!
TWO JAPANESE TEENS a BOY and GIRL, dressed like the Knox's.
They speak in Japanese, which is translated in English.
TITLE CARD: 'JAPAN'
As Japanese boy and girl speak, we hear:
TRANSLATOR (V.O.)
Keep the faith, Mickey and Mallory,
keep the faith.
TWO FRENCH TEENS a BOY and GIRL, dressed like the Knox's. They
speak in French, and we hear the translation in English.
TITLE CARD: 'FRANCE'
TRANSLATOR (V.O.)
Mickey and Mallory have a love that's
L.A.M.F.
FRENCH BOY
(in English)
They are super cool!
INT. WAYNE'S STUDIO - DAY
WAYNE
And as to almost give this whole
misplaced admiration scenario a cherry
on the top, the rock band Redd Kross
entered the charts last week at number
13 with their song 'Natural Born
Killers, The Saga of Mickey and
Mallory.'
CUT TO: A CLIP from the Redd Kross video of 'Natural Born
Killers.'
BACK TO: WAYNE'S STUDIO
WAYNE
The third wicked twist to this story is
Grace Mulberry.
CUT TO:
FRONT PAGE NEWSPAPER - Headline reads: 'MICKEY AND MALLORY KILL
SIX TEENS DURING SLUMBER PARTY!' In smaller bold face under it:
'One Teen Escapes Killer's Clutches.' On the front page is a
PHOTO of the teen who escaped. It's seventeen year old GRACE
MULBERRY. CAMERA moves in CU of the photo.
WAYNE (V.O.)
Of the six teens murdered that night,
seventeen year old Grace Mulberry was
the lucky one left to tell the tale.
And this haunted young lady summoned up
the courage to take the stand, tell
what she saw that horrible night, and
then allow herself to be cross-examined
by the man who killed her brother and
girlfriends.
EXT. COURTHOUSE - DAY
All kinds of PEOPLE are gathered around. It's a real media
event.
Grace's sedan pulls up to the courthouse. The many spectators
and reporters surround the car.
Grace, HER FATHER, and BISBING emerge from the sedan, and start
walking up the courthouse steps.
Microphones and cameras are thrust at her as REPORTERS ask
questions.
Grace is afraid to face the crowd. Her head darts in the
direction of each question, but she doesn't answer.
She remains silent and scared.
FEMALE ORIENTAL REPORTER
Miss Mulberry! How does it feel to be
the only survivor of Mickey and
Mallory's reign of terror?
FAT MALE REPORTER
Miss Mulberry! Has the experience
marked you?
Some scruffy TRANSIENT sticks his head in Grace's face.
TRANSIENT
Did ya watch your brother get stabbed
up?
WAYNE
How do you feel about Mickey cross-
examining you?
Grace, her father, and Bisbing shove their way through the
crowd. After Grace and her entourage enter the courthouse, we
hear the cry of:
VOICE (O.S.)
Mickey and Mallory!
CAMERA whips toward the bottom of the steps as the car carrying
Mickey and Mallory pulls up. The reporters race down the steps
they just raced up. The Mickey and Mallory fans go apeshit.
Mickey and Mallory, handcuffed, are being led up the steps by
SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES. Wayne Gayle and other reporters film them
and shoot out questions. Microphones are thrust into their
faces.
WAYNE
Mickey, how do you feel about cross-
examining Grace Mulberry?
MICKEY
I'm keen with anticipation.
FEMALE ORIENTAL REPORTER
What do you think of this turn out,
Mallory?
MALLORY
I ain't never had so much fun.
A CUTE REPORTER, a Tawny Little type, steps forward.
CUTE REPORTER
Do you have any regrets?
MALLORY
Not a one.
MICKEY
Yeah, I always regretted we never got
around to looking up my old history
teacher, Miss Bainbridge. Now there's
a big bad bitch not good for herself or
nobody.
BLACK REPORTER
What's your favorite pastime?
MICKEY
You mean aside from what I'm being
tried for?
Mallory playfully elbows Mickey in his ribs.
MICKEY
Oh, I'd say watching TV.
All the reporters in unison:
REPORTERS
What's your favorite show?
MICKEY
'Have Gun Will Travel.'
CUTE REPORTER
Do you have anything to say to your
fans?
MICKEY
(looking in CAMERA)
You ain't seen nothin' yet.
CUT TO:
EXT. COURTHOUSE - DAY
Wayne by himself standing on the courthouse steps.
WAYNE
(to CAMERA)
No, apparently we had not seen
everything. Grace Mulberry gave her
tearful testimony. Then it became
Mickey Knox's turn for cross-
examination.
CUT TO:
COURT SKETCHES: An artist SKETCH of Mickey cross-examining
Grace on the stand.
BISBING (V.O.)
Grace was terrified of Mickey. You
have to understand most of their
victims were normal people with normal
lives that nothing out of the ordinary
ever happens to.
COURT SKETCH of Mickey looking like the devil himself.
BISBING (V.O.)
Then out of the blue, they're dealing
with the devil incarnate. It was
extremely difficult for us to find
survivors who would take the stand and
testify when they knew Mickey would be
cross-examining them.
COURT SKETCH of terrified Grace. CAMERA closes in Grace's face.
BISBING (V.O.)
Grace was every bit as terrified, every
bit as haunted. But she felt her
brother Tim and her five girlfriends
were counting on her.
CUT TO:
INT. COURTROOM - DAY
COURT SKETCH - CU of Grace staring intently. CAMERA widens to
include Bisbing standing before the bench as Mickey sits with
Mallory at the defence table. Judge Steinsma looks down at
Grace. The distinct sounds of a court in session can be heard
in the B.G.
The color of the scene FADES to Black & White as the CAMERA
cranes up to reveal the COURT ARTIST drawing while court is in
session.
OFF SCREEN: Bisbing is wrapping up her examination of Grace who
is at the witness stand. Judge Steinsma resides at his bench.
CAMERA dollies into a MED. OVERHEAD TWO-SHOT of Mickey and
Mallory who are sketching on a pad of paper. CAMERA reveals the
drawing of a man stabbing a woman. Mickey is doing the actual
drawing, but every once and a while Mallory takes to pencil and
adds some touches, as Grace finishes her tearful testimony.
BISBING (O.S.)
No further questions, your honor.
Emotional pause, the silence.
JUDGE STEINSMA (O.S.)
Would you care to cross examine the
witness, Mr. Knox?
Mickey scratches out the drawing. Still holding the pencil he
stands and leaves frame.
MICKEY (O.S)
As a matter of fact, your honor, I
would.
NOTE: The following scene is to be played with EXTREME CLOSE
UPS. Not once is the courtroom seen in detail. However
courtroom sound can be heard vividly in the B.G.
CU of Mallory, who grins at Mickey like a Cheshire cat.
CU of Grace's eyes as they look downward.
CU of Judge Steinsma as he shuffles paper on his bench.
CU of Mickey's feet crossing the court floor.
CU of Bisbing as her eyes follow Mickey across the court.
Mickey enters the frame, with a pencil pressed to his lips in
though. Mickey is looking straight into the CAMERA.
Mickey's POV of Grace sitting on the witness stand, staring into
her lap.
ECU of Grace's finger rolling a large, male-style, High School
class ring around her palm.
CU of Mickey glancing to the ring. Mickey smiles.
Mickey's POV of Grace as she pulls from a reserve of strength.
Clenching the ring tight in her fist, her eyes come up and lock
hatefully on Mickey.
CU Mickey as he walks forward towards Grace.
MICKEY
That's one helluva story, Miss
Mulberry.
CU of Grace.
GRACE
Yes it is.
At this point Mickey begins to pace from right to left, but
always remaining in CU.
MICKEY
Grace...I hope you don't mind if I
call you Grace...
BACK TO: Grace as we DOLLY from a MED CU into a ECU.
MICKEY
Grace. I'd like to talk to you about
your late brother Tim, if you feel up
to it.
CONTINUE DOLLY: Once locked onto her eyes, her head drops
forward and we...
CUT TO:
INT. GRACE'S HOME - NIGHT
ECU of Grace's eyes as her head is pulled back into frame. Her
eyes are wide with fear. The CAMERA pulls back to reveal a gag
in her mouth and a knife pressed against her throat.
She's back at the night of the murder.
Mickey's wearing a black leather jacket over a white t-shirt,
which is covered with blood. Blood is smeared on his face, and
he's holding a knife pressed to his lips, also covered with
blood. But he's walking and talking with the same manner and
poise as in the courtroom.
MICKEY
Grace...I hope you don't mind if I
call you Grace...
TWO SHOT revealing that Grace is bound and gagged with Mallory
right behind her, holding the knife and cracking gum.
MALLORY
Naw, she don't mind.
MICKEY
Grace. I'd like to talk to you about
your murdered brother Tim, if you feel
up to it.
CUT TO:
INT. COURTROOM - DAY
CU of Grace in a daze.
MICKEY (O.S.)
Did you get along?
Mickey waits for an answer that doesn't come.
MICKEY
Miss Mulberry?
Back to Grace.
GRACE
More or less.
MICKEY
More or less...
BACK TO: Mickey.
MICKEY
What do you mean by that?
BACK TO: Grace.
GRACE
Well, he's my older brother. When we
were growing up, there were times we
could of very well done without each
other. But when it counted, we were
close.
CU of Bisbing listening. Grace is doing better than she
thought.
CAMERA PANS from shadows to find Mickey, the pan continues
through his line.
MICKEY
I'd like to talk about Tim's martial
arts abilities. How long had he been
studying?
PAN CONTINUES back into the shadows, then 180 degrees to find Grace.
GRACE
He started when he was in the seventh
grade, so that would make it nine
years.
PAN CONTINUES back into shadows, then...
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. MARTIAL ARTS SCHOOL - DAY
CAMERA PANS from darkness into a well lit martial arts class
room in full session. TIM MULBERRY and expert martial artist is
competing against a lesser opponent while their master looks on.
CAMERA PANS back into shadows, then...
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. COURTROOM - DAY
CAMERA PANS from darkness and locks on a CU of Mickey.
MICKEY
When you study the martial arts, they
give out belts that come in different
colors to signify what level you're at
in your training. Am I correct on that
point?
GRACE
Yes you are.
MICKEY
What was the color of Tim's belt?
GRACE
The style of fighting that Tim studied
didn't believe in belts.
MICKEY
Is that a fact? Well then, Grace,
could you tell us what form of martial
arts it was that Tim was schooled in?
GRACE
Tim studied several styles, but his
favorite was Jeet Kune Do.
MICKEY
Jeet Kune Do...Now I did some research
on that form of fighting, and I found
out that Jeet Kune Do was a style
developed by Bruce Lee. Did you know
that?
GRACE
Yes, I did. That's why Tim studied it.
Because it was Bruce Lee's fighting
style.
CU of COURT CLERK'S HANDS typing in SLOW MOTION.
MICKEY
Now, while I freely admit total
ignorance on the subject, I have heard
of Bruce Lee. And I was under the
impression that Bruce Lee was one of
the, if not the greatest fighter in the
history of martial arts.
GRACE
That's what Tim said.
MICKEY
So, I think it would be safe to say
that anybody who studied the fighting
style that Bruce Lee, arguably the
greatest martial artist of all times,
developed for nine years, that would be
a fella who could defend himself.
Would you describe Tim that way, Grace?
GRACE
Yes, I would.
Mickey points at Grace with the pencil in his hand.
MICKEY
Point of fact, weren't Tim's hands
registered as lethal weapons?
GRACE
Yes, they were.
CU of Mickey's hand holding the pencil.
MICKEY
That means his hands are considered a
weapon like a gun or a knife. Am I
correct on that point?
GRACE
Yes, you are.
CU of Mallory cracking a slight smile.
MICKEY
Yet, in your testimony just now, you
described that Tim...
CAMERA moves into a tight CU of Grace. Her eyes widen.
MICKEY (O.S.)
...kicked me four times in the head.
CUT TO:
INT. GRACE'S HOME - NIGHT
INSERT: The night of the Murder. Tim cuts loose and hammers
Mickey with four punishing kicks to the head.
CUT TO:
INT. COURTROOM - DAY
CU of Mickey.
MICKEY
And his trained martial artists kicks
had little to no effect.
CUT TO:
INT. GRACE'S HOME - NIGHT
CAMERA is LOW ANGLE as Tim backs up after his attack. We notice
the High School Ring he wears on his right fist as he steps into
a fighting stance, ready for Mickey to drop.
Mickey, however, spits out a stream of blood, and smiles at him.
CUT TO:
INT. COURTROOM - DAY
CU of Mickey.
MICKEY
Then, after shrugging off four blows to
the head like I was Superman, I lifted
Tim-nine-years-of-Jeet-Kune-Do-Mulberry
off the ground and threw him across the
room.
Mickey, with arms raised over his head, pantomimes throwing
Tim's body.
CUT TO:
INT. GRACE'S HOME - NIGHT
WIDE SHOT as Tim flies into FRAME, CRASHING into the living room
wall.
CUT TO:
INT. COURTROOM - DAY
We quickly PAN down a number of items with white evidence tags
on them. We stop at Mickey's Buck Knife. Mickey's hand comes
into FRAME and picks up the knife.
MICKEY
Then I took...
CU of Mickey as he brings the knife into FRAME.
MICKEY
...this knife and proceeded to tear him
limb from limb. And this man, whose
hands are lethal weapons---
CU of Bisbing as she stands.
BISBING
Objection, defence is intimidating the
witness with the murder weapon.
JUDGE STEINSMA (O.S.)
Sustained. Mr. Knox, put the knife
down.
Mickey is locked on Grace.
MICKEY (cont'd)
--had little to no defence.
GRACE
(yelling)
I don't know how you did it, but you
did it!
JUDGE STEINSMA
Mr. Knox! The knife!
Mickey glances to the judge, then slowly places the knife back
on the table.
MICKEY
How do you think a human being could
possibly be capable of doing something
like that?
Mickey locks eyes with eyes.
GRACE
(yelling)
I don't know!
Mickey is on top of her.
MICKEY
Now...I don't believe that Grace. I
think you have a definite opinion on
how I was able to do those things you
described. Now, I'm going to ask you
again. And I want you to remember you
are under oath.
Grace collects herself.
MICKEY (O.S.)
In your opinion, Miss Mulberry, how was
I able to murder you brother Tim
Mulberry in the manner you described.
The Judge looks down at Grace.
Grace looks back into her open palm. CU of the ring.
BACK TO: Mickey bearing down on her, waiting for an answer.
BACK TO: Grace as we slowly DOLLY closer she looks up at Mickey
timidly.
GRACE
(softly)
You're not human.
Mickey smiles.
GRACE
I thought about it a lot. And the only
thing I could figure is that you're not
human.
Bisbing hides her disappointment by looking down.
Mickey straightens up as Grace continues.
GRACE
You're a vampire, or the devil, or a
monster, or cyborg, or something like
that. But you're not human.
Grace breaks down. Putting her hands to her head to stop the
pain.
CU of Mickey smiling down at her.
CU Mallory smiling proudly at Mickey.
CU Judge Steinsma betraying no emotion looks down at Grace.
CU of Grace sobbing, she tries to collect herself by clutching
the ring tighter.
Mickey rolls his pencil in his hand the CAMERA tilts up as he
leans into a CU.
MICKEY
(softly)
Thank you. Grace, there is one other
thing...
GRACE
(softly into her lap)
What...
Mickey smiles.
MICKEY
You're right.
Grace tearfully looks up and meets Mickey's demonic glare as he
plunges his pencil deep into her chest. Grace's eyes go wide
as Mickey's vicious attack continues.
CAMERA whips to CU of Bisbing jumping up screaming as
pandemonium breaks out behind her in SLOW MOTION.
CU pencil puncturing Grace's blood soaked chest in SLOW MOTION.
CU Judge Steinsma slams his gavel while directing the Sheriff
Deputies in SLOW MOTION.
CU of the Sheriff Deputies are running to Mickey in SLOW MOTION.
ECU of Grace a tear rolls out of her widen eye in SLOW MOTION.
CU of Mickey. His attack is unending in SLOW MOTION.
MED Grace goes limp. As the Sheriff Deputies reach Mickey from
all sides the pencil breaks off inside Grace in SLOW MOTION.
CU the bloody eraser end of the pencil in Mickey's hand in SLOW
MOTION.
SIDE ANGLE as Grace's head falls back into a CU. Her mouth
plops open and as her eyelids close, they pinch out a tear that
rolls down her cheek in SLOW MOTION.
CU of Mickey's torso as the Sheriff Deputies wrestle him away
from Grace. Mickey still has the bloody end of the pencil.
CU of Grace's hand dropping into frame and as her fist opens,
the ring falls in SLOW MOTION.
CU of the ring hitting the floor and rolling out of frame.
DOLLY along side the rolling ring on the floor until it hits a
shoe and stops.
ECU of Mickey's eyes looking down at his feet.
ECU of Mickey dropping the bloody pencil stub. CAMERA follows
it in SLOW MOTION.
CU of bloody pencil stub hitting the floor next to the ring in
SLOW MOTION.
CU of Mickey looking over to Mallory.
CU of Mallory surrounded by Sheriff Deputies. She smiles at
Mickey.
MALLORY
Show off.
Mickey smiles and glances toward Judge.
MICKEY
No further questions your honor.
Mickey turns forward still wrestling the Deputies.
Mickey's POV of a Sheriff Deputy stepping in front of him with a
riot club.
DEPUTY #1
Light's out Prick.
Deputy swings the club.
CUT TO BLACK:
EXT. COURTHOUSE REAR - DAY
Mickey, dressed in county blues, is led out of the courtroom by
sheriffs deputies. He's cuffed hand and leg. Reporters throw
out questions, photographers shoot photos, Mickey is somewhere
else, no mugging to the crowd this time.
WAYNE (V.O.)
After the deadly brewhaha in the
courtroom, the judge, honorable Burt
Steinsma, passed down a sentence that
was to make legal history.
INT. JUDGE'S DEN - DAY
Interview with Judge Steinsma in his den at home.
M.O.S. SHOT of Wayne and Judge talking.
WAYNE (V.O.)
We spoke with retired Judge Steinsma at
his home in Baltimore, Maryland.
The interview:
WAYNE
Was there any vengeance on your part
with your unique sentence?
JUDGE STEINSMA
Yes, unquestionably. After they did
what they did in my court, and judge
worth his robe will tell you the same
thing. It couldn't help but affect my
decision. That's why they have judges.
We're supposed to be fair to a fault,
but when it's showtime, we have to make
a decision. That's why we don't just
input all the facts into a computer for
the appropriate punishment. I couldn't
give them the death penalty. See,
California hops back and forth on that
issue. Mickey and Mallory went to
court when it was out of favor, which
is actually good because it leaves more
room for imagination. Anybody can give
somebody the chair. When you have
someone who deserves to die and you
can't kill them, you have to be
creative. And if the bastards had let
it stand, it would of been the perfect
sentence. It hit 'em right where they
lived. Far more punishing than the
death sentence.
WAYNE
Would you please describe for our
viewers what your sentence was?
JUDGE STEINSMA
Well, in a rogue's gallery of killers,
Mickey and Mallory are very unique.
I've seen a lot of killers in my day
and they're a very cold lot. They have
no more feelings about taking a
person's life than squashing a tiny
bug. It's all the same to them. Well,
Mickey and Mallory were that 'kill 'em
to watch their expression change'
attitude personified. Except with each
other. And, since they lived only for
each other, I wanted to attack that, at
its very root. So, in a nutshell, my
sentence was double life for each
without any possibility for parole.
That would be fairly standard in their
case. The twist I added was that the
husband and wife would have no contact
or correspondence with each other for
the rest of their lives. And they
would never receive any word or
information about the other.
So, basically once the cell door slams
shut, Mickey and Mallory will
completely disappear from each other's
life. They'll never know when the
other dies. But alas, the best laid
plans of mice and men...
CUT TO:
EXT. COURTHOUSE REAR - DAY
Mallory in tears, hysterically actually, is cuffed hand to foot,
and being dragged by sheriff's deputies into the prison bus.
Reporters throw out questions, photographers shoot photos, TV
news people capture the moment on video.
The bus pulls out onto the street.
CUT TO:
PHOTO: Mickey in prison uniform being led by guards.
PHOTO: Shot though bars of Mallory in her cell. Her back is to
the camera.
WAYNE (V.O.)
The sentence was never to reach that
point. Because after only a year,
Mickey and Mallory created so much
mayhem that it was decided...
INSERT: FRONT PAGE NEWSPAPER: 'MICKEY AND MALLORY TO BE
TRANSFERRED TO ASYLUM.'
WAYNE (V.O.)
...that they were mentally ill and
needed to be transferred to a state
mental hospital.
CAMERA move into the picture of Mickey and Mallory on the front
page of the newspaper.
CUT TO:
PHOTO: of Dewight McClusky.
WAYNE (V.O.)
We talked with Dewight McClusky,
chairman of the California State Prison
Board, about this curious turn of
events in the Mickey and Mallory case.
INT. MCCLUSKY'S OFFICE - DAY
Wayne's interviewing McClusky.
WAYNE
Why are Mickey and Mallory being moved
to an asylum? And who made the
decision?
MCCLUSKY
The prison board made the decision. A
board of which I belong. We're the
who. The why is simple. Mickey and
Mallory are mentally ill and need to be
under a doctor's care, where hopefully
they'll receive the help they need.
WAYNE
Mickey and Mallory were deemed
competent in a mental examination
before their trial. I'm confused.
What's changed?
MCCLUSKY
Well, since that time, they've killed
one person during their trail. And
since their incarceration, they've
killed one psychologist along with
several guards and inmates.
WAYNE
When they were found competent before,
they had already killed fifty people.
Other than the fact they're a
disciplinary problem, which frankly
shouldn't surprise anyone, I still
don't see where this situation is any
different then it was before. So, I
ask you again, Mr. McClusky, what's
changed?
MCCLUSKY
What's changed, Mr. Gayle, is our
minds. We felt they were competent a
year ago. A year has passed, sir, a
year where they were under close
observation, day in and day out, and
their behaviour has led us to believe we
were wrong.
WAYNE
Who is we?
MCCLUSKY
The prison board and the doctors who
examined them.
WAYNE
Were any of the doctors who made the
first evaluation on the Knoxs mental
state asked to re-examine them?
MCCLUSKY
Using the same doctors is not common
practice.
WAYNE
I take it by your answer it was a whole
new team?
MCCLUSKY
Now that you bring it up, yes. They
were different men. I hadn't really
thought that much about it. Since many
psychiatric opinions are, by a rule,
sought out for this kind of situation.
What do you think normally happens?
The Knoxs are assigned a family
psychologist that takes care of them
throughout the rest of their lives?
The state doesn't work like that.
PHOTO: of DR. ALBERT RODRIGUEZ.
WAYNE (V.O.)
The two psychiatric opinions the board
sought were those of Albert
Rodriguez...
PHOTO: of DR. FELIX VARGUS.
WAYNE (V.O.)
...and Dr. Felix Vargus. Both of the
good doctors, for whatever reason,
refused to be interviewed.
INT. DR. REINGHOLD'S OFFICE - DAY
Back with Dr. Reinghold. He's laughing.
DR. REINGHOLD
It's a funny situation actually. If
anyone besides Mickey and Mallory give
a damn, what the prison board is doing
would be considered an outrage. The
prison board is basically saying, 'We
can't handle these guys.' They've
moved 'em around twice since their
sentence started.
They were a handful everywhere they
went. Now the prisons they're at now
want them outta there. But no other
prison's gonna be stupid enough to take
'em. So the prison board is left
scratching their heads wondering what
they're gonna do. Well, what they
decided to do was to set up a kangaroo
medical court that found them crazy.
Then they get them transferred to
Nystrom Medical Asylum or Lobotomy Bay
as it's referred to in the psychiatric
circle. Put 'em on a strict dope and
electro shock diet, and Mickey and
Mallory cease to be a problem to
anybody except the orderlies who clean
out the bedpans, which if you want to
see them get theirs, that's all well
and good. But there's something being
said here. Forget the immorality for a
second. Forget the corruption and the
skulduggery involved. What the board
is saying is 'we give up.' Mickey and
Mallory ran amuck in polite society.
They were put in an alternative society
and they ran amuck there, too. All the
powers that be, can't d