JOAN
            Well if he isn't going to paint...  Tell me Andrea, why won't
            you pose for him?

                                   ANDREA
            I'm having trouble dealing with the nudity issue.

                                   JOAN
            Issue?  What issue?  Just take off your clothes and its done.

                                   ANDREA
            That simple?

                                   JOAN
            Well it is darling...
                          (JOAN walks over to the model
                           stand,sits and crosses her
                           legs and takes her blouse
                           down, revealing her
                           undergarments.)
            Voila!

                                   At that moment CHRISTOPHER walks back
                                   in to the studio and sees JOAN sitting
                                   on his model stand in her bra.

                                   CHRISTOPHER
            I'm in hell.

                                   EDEN
            Oh this will be good.

                                   JOAN
            I was just leaving.

                                   CHRISTOPHER
            What are you doing here traitor?

                                   JOAN
            I'm here to see Eden.  That's all.  She has some work for me
            to sell.

                                   CHRISTOPHER
            You've come to finish me off is that it?  Where's Cujo? 
            Drinking varnish I hope.

                                   JOAN
            Away from you.  And that suits me fine.

                                   CHRISTOPHER
            And you're still her as well?  The two of you are circling in
            for the kill.  Do your worst, I'm an easy target today.

                                   EDEN
            Come on Joan, lets go back to my studio before we're engulfed
            by "flames of death" engulf us too.

                                   JOAN
            Well Christopher, I wish you luck on your latest endeavor. 
            I'm sure it will be wonderful...if you ever do it, of course. 
            Goodbye Andrea.  Give my best to Caulfield.

                                   JOAN walks out still in only her
                                   undergarments.

                                   ANDREA
            I should go too. 

                                   CHRISTOPHER
            No!  Andrea, how about this?...at least before you go,let me
            make some sketches.  Preliminaries.  Something.  Clothed. 
            Let me do something...

                                   ANDREA
            I should go.

                                   EDEN
            Give it up Chris.  She can't do it.

                                   ANDREA
            I didn't say that I can't do it...

                                   EDEN
            Oh?

                                   CHRISTOPHER
            I just need to work, if you will help...
                          (To Eden)
            What are you still doing here?  You want to borrow some more
            paint?  I'm all out of Rose Madder.  How about some Orange
            Neon?  Oh I'm sorry, I'm out of that too.

                                   EDEN
            You know, you gave me the idea for the pink.

                                   CHRISTOPHER
            Don't blame your travesty on me, I absolve myself of you and
            your folly.  Would you please leave us?

                                   EDEN
            Gladly!  My paintings work Chris, you may not like them but
            they work.

                                   CHRISTOPHER
            (beat) You could have been much more than this. You could
            have reached higher levels...

                                   EDEN
            Who the hell are you to talk to me about higher levels?  You
            live in the dirt man.  This place is like a prison.  You've
            been underground for so long, you can't take the daylight.
            You're like a ghoul or something.  When was the last time you
            looked at a blue sky?

                                   CHRISTOPHER
            At least its not a pink sky.  

                                   EDEN
            Only because you've never seen one.

                                   CHRISTOPHER
            Sure I have?  At sunset.  Well isn't that quaint.  Let's give
            everyone a nice pink sunset to look at shall we...  Then
            we'll all feel peachy.

                                   EDEN
            What's wrong with that Christopher?  Why can't I express my
            appreciation of a sunset...?

                                   CHRISTOPHER
            I'll tell you what's wrong with it.  It's cliche idealism. 
            It's misleading and manipulative.  It's a distortion of
            reality.

                                   EDEN
            It's not idealism, its a reflection of what I believe, and
            that is very real.

                                   CHRISTOPHER
            Very literal Eden.

                                   EDEN
            Oh, Its only literal for you Christopher because you're
            afraid to look at things the way I do.  Afraid I might have a 
            valid point, and that upsets you.

                                   CHRISTOPHER
            How dare you?  Do you know how long I've studied and prepared
            for my craft?  Seventeen years formally, and I'm still
            working at it.  I have the courage to admit my weaknesses.

                                   EDEN
            You use it as an excuse not to work.

                                   CHRISTOPHER
            Here you are, how old... Twenty-three...Twenty-four, and you
            have the absolute gall to tell me how I should paint?  I was
            your teacher.

                                   EDEN
            Oh, excuse me sire, have I offended thee?

                                   CHRISTOPHER
            (embarrassed.)  I knew you were mocking me.

                                   EDEN
            I'm not mocking you Chris, I respect you more than you
            realize.  But I also have respect for myself.  I don't like
            puzzles.  I don't like bullshit.  The reason people come to
            my painting is because they respond to a quality of openness
            that is genuine.  They don't make judgements.

                                   CHRISTOPHER
            Yes they do.  The reason your paintings sell, Eden is that
            they go particularly well with Victorian styled wall-paper,
            or someone's new pink sofa.  Its a reflection of comfort and
            surface.  It sedates the masses, and caters to them.  There's
            nothing there. You aren't helping anyone.  The saddest thing
            is...your skills...your craft is so refined and embellished
            that you can't even conceive of going somewhere dark, or
            obtrusive.

                                   EDEN
            I can go wherever I please with my paintings Chris.  Its a
            choice.  I make it consciously.  I have had enough darkness
            in my life. I don't like to live like that. The world has so
            much of it already.  You're the one who's hiding.

                                   CHRISTOPHER
            Me?

                                   EDEN
            YOU'VE BEEN HIDING FOR MONTHS.  Years now.  And you're happy
            being here, because it gives you an excuse to be miserable.
            I'd rather be free with myself.  I like where I go.  Its a
            much better place to be than where you live.  Your existence
            is shallow in a cave.  You can't see in the dark, baby.  I
            feel sorry for you.  (walks away)  Somebody should take away
            your black.  Then what would you do?

                                   EDEN storms out of the studio, pausing
                                   slightly in front of Andrea.  They have
                                   an exchange.

                                   CHRISTOPHER
            I apologize.  Would you please have some coffee?

[
top
]

 

 Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.