Every month I go to this workshop and we write stuff. Plus they give us breakfast.
Today the assignment was to become a character from history or literature who you know a lot about and do a bunch of assignments with that character. There were some pretty cool assignments, but the culminating task was to write either a eulogy or a scene from your character's life. Most people in the group write in prose, but since I do scripts I wrote mine as a script.
You may remember last month's bizarre scene. This one is taken from the life of one Anne of Austria, queen of France, on the night she and her husband finally knocked boots after years of awkwardly staring at each other from a distance.
Yes, my hero is Anne of Austria. Bet you didn't see that coming.
Anyway, here's the scene I wrote today:
INT. THE ~LOUVRE - NIGHT
In its most elegant hey day, filled with busy servants and elegant tapestries.
INT. ANNE'S BEDCHAMBER - NIGHT
ANNE OF AUSTRIA, teenage queen of France, all blonde curls and smiles, laughs with her chief lady in waiting, MARIE DE ROHAN, in their bed clothes. Anne speaks her French with a thick Spanish accent, often forgetting words. Marie supplies those that are missing.
INT. LOUIS' BEDCHAMBER - NIGHT
LOUIS XIII, teenage King of France, timid and pale, tries to read while his best friend and chief advisor, DUC DE LUYNES, paces back and forth through the room.
DUC DE LUYNES
For God's sake, man, if she could climb into your lap and still maintain her considerable dignity she would. Her only job in this world is to make you a baby. Would you please go to the woman?
Louis throws down his book.
LOUIS
What do you have against literacy?
DUC DE LUYNES
The woman is your wife. She beautiful, demure-
LOUIS
Spanish.
DUC DE LUYNES
You don't need words to fuck the woman.
LOUIS
I don't... I can't...
DUC DE LUYNES
Oh for God's sake.
He grabs Louis by the arm, yanks him out of his chair.
Duc De Luynes throws open the door, pulling Louis into the
HALLWAY
Where servants start, not sure what they ought to offer the king in his bed clothes.
Luynes drags Louis down the hall.
LOUIS
I beg your pardon, sir! I am the king and I shan't-
DUC DE LUYNES
Hush!
A bodyguard moves to intervene. Duc De Luynes puts up a hand to stop him.
DUC DE LUYNES
The king of France is off to make a baby! Do not stand in his way!
The guard backs off, amused.
INT. ANNE'S BEDCHAMBER - NIGHT
Anne stares at herself in the mirror, pushing her breasts together.
ANNE
Better?
MARIE
Have you considered getting him drunk?
ANNE
Is it my nose? Perhaps my nose is too round.
MARIE
Your nose is beautiful. The man is an imbecile. My husband says-
The door flies open. Duc De Luynes SHOVES Louis into his wife's room.
DUC DE LUYNES
Your Majesty, your husband the king would like to fuck you now. Ah, my dear wife, shall we?
ANNE
What is "fuck"?
MARIE
You'll find out, my lady.
She touches Anne on the cheek, then grabs Duc De Luyne's hand, bows and they exit together. He grabs her ass on the way out.
Louis and Anne stare at one another. Or rather, Louis stares at her breasts.
ANNE
I am glad you have come.
LOUIS
I didn't... Luyne made me....
ANNE
Oh.
LOUIS
No, I mean... I find you very pretty, I just, I don't know if...
Anne stands up, glides toward him. A soft kiss on the cheek. He stands, frozen.
ANNE
Come.
She pulls him to the bed. She puts her hand around his neck and pulls him in. A gentle kiss.
He backs up, stares at her. Eyes meeting for the first time since, maybe ever.
He grabs her, pulls her into him. He possesses her. Finally.
FADE OUT.
Does it have to be France? What if they're members of a top international bowling team instead? Also... Austria. Is that in Spain? Can we get someone to check that? Because I thought it was more Sound of Music and less Almadovar.
ReplyDeleteWeird piece of trivia - Anne of Austria was actually from Spain.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes it has to be France. Damn studio notes.
Awesome scene. Very funny. You have me interested. I'd love to see a period movie like this.
ReplyDeleteYou nailed some fun, funny, charming characters. I get a sense of who they are immediately and an overall sense of what the a major problem between them is going to be.