Arturo, 35 has been in America one year. He Is an artisan from Ecatepec Mexico. Sells his wares on the Venice beach boardwalk. Lives homeless on the beach. He is part of an artisan tradition in mexico who are finding it harder to sell their wares in Mexico and decide to make it work in America.
Connie Waldman, 45, successful screenwriter, lives in pacific palisades
Bob Waldman, 45, Connie’s husband. Screenwriter also.
After Arturo saves Connie from drowning, the couple later invite him to a dinner party where there are 4 other NPR types. After letting everybody know that he lives on the beach, bob invites him to stay with them.
Arturo is very spritual and becomes close with the couple, who are having problems in their marriage. Connie becomes more and more attracted, and bob notices this. He is passive aggressive in his anger, which only makes the rift between him and Connie worse. She initiates a kiss with Arturo, and Bob comes in thinking it’s worse than it actually is. But he’s also afraid of seeming jealous. Until one day Arturo makes them corn angel artcrafts, and bob refuses the gift. Arturo finally realizes that he doesn’t want to stay in the house, and departs amicably.
Ext. Venice beach boardwalk. Show artists peddling their wares, street musicians, etc. Arturo has his set up, he is making corn dolls. He sits on a blanket and daydreams.
Ext. Ecatepec, Mexico. Arturo as a younger man being taught by his grandfather how to make the corndolls, in Spanish with engish subtitles.
oconnorm@mac.com music publisher.
Int. Malibu beachhouse. Connie Waldman is sipping tea and typing on her laptop in her bedroom. Bob is sleeping. The alarm goes off, bob yawns, hits the snooze button.
Bob- Already had your cup of coffee? (She nods) Gonna have another one?
Connie- No, but I’ll make you some if you want.
Bob- (looks up for a minute, hesitates) Um, ok. (rolls back over and goes back to sleep.)
Int. beachhouse kitchen. Connie is grinding the coffee beans. She looks out the window to see Arturo walking with his threadbare bag towards the beach bathroom.
Ext. Malibu beach bathroom. Arturo is shaving, looking through a dirty mirror.
Int. beachhouse kitchen. The coffee maker drips.
Int. bedroom. Bob has his pillow shoved over his face. Connie brings in his coffee, looks at him a minute, puts the coffee on the nightstand.
Ext. beachhouse. Connie kicks off her shoes and begins running toward the beach. She runs past the bathroom, and all the way to the waves where she jumps in and begins to swim.
Ext. Malibu bathroom. Arturo is showering in the outdoor showers, shampooing his hair. He looks out to the waves and notices Connie swimming.
Ext. The ocean. Connie appears to be struggling against the tide.
Ext. bathroom. Arturo is toweling his hair. Looks out and sees Connie- pays closer attention.
Ext. Now it looks like she’s in trouble. Arturo runs to her rescue, jumps in and swims, pulls her out. She is breathless on the shore.
Arturo- Are you OK?
Connie- (hyperventilating) This…..never happens. ……I think you just saved my life.
Arturo- But are you alright?
Connie- I just got swept up in that tide, I’ve been swimming here every day for three years, I can’t believe-
Arturo-(sh signal) (He reaches into his pocket and gives her a corn doll.) This, for good luck. For you.
Connie- What is it?
Arturo- I made it. I sell them. But it’s free for you. Don’t go swim alone no more.
Connie- (Taking the doll) thanks for the doll.
Arturo- It’s a corn angel.
Connie This doesn’t usually happen. I will try swim closer to the shore next time..
Arturo- No. Promise me no more swim alone. Mother Nature very strong.
Connie- OK, I won’t….swim alone. Thanks.
Int. beachhouse bedroom. Bob sits at the laptop with his cup of coffee. Connie walks in with her corn doll. Bob notices it.
Bob- What’s that?
Connie- Some guy just gave it to me. After he saved me from drowning.
Bob- (stands up, very seriously) What?
Connie- I got caught up in this horrible tide, and this man comes out of nowhere. I don’t know if I would have made it out without him.
Bob- What? But you’re like a female mark spitz.
Connie- The tide was really strong. He made me promise not to go out alone any more.
I kind of feel like I should heed his caution. Maybe he’s some kind of shaman or something.
Bob- I’m sure you were alright. Sometimes you just have to go with the tide. You were probably in a panic. You would have gone with it and been alright.
Connie- I don’t know, bob. (bob motions her to come over. She comes and sits by him, they embrace.)
Ext. Venice Beach Boardwalk. Arturo has his artwork set up on a Mexican blanket. A young woman comes by and picks one out, gives him 5 dollars.
Young woman- very nice, I like this one.
Arturo- Thanks, thank you very much. (She walks off.) (Guy with a boom box walks by)
Guy w/boombox- Hey, you know that’s my spot?
Arturo- Wha?
Guy – that’s right hombre. We got rules here. And every day at 1 PM I do my thing over here, and you gots to scram.
Arturo- No comprende!
Guy- Hey, I no speakie no Spanish. (Calls to a guy down the road) Enrique get yo crustie ass over and explain something for me.
Enrique- (running over) Que paso?
Guy- tell him about the rules of this place, that he just can’t come here and run roughshod over MY business.
Enrique- (to Arturo in Spanish) Hey, these guys are real assholes man. You need to leave here while he plays, but you can come back here in a few hours. Try going down a few blocks. (He points North)
Arturo- But I was here first!
Enrique- Come back later!
Ext. Malibu. Arturo walks by under Malibu house kitchen window.
Int. Malibu kitchen. Connie is peeling carrots, Bob is typing. She sees Arturo through the window.
Connie- Bob- come here, that’s him. (She points out the window) (Arturo sits down on the sand.) Should we invite him in?
Bob- No. No.
Connie- but he just saved my life- could it hurt to have him over for dinner?
Bob- It’s risky. He could try to come over every night.
Connie- So what. (She opens the window) Hi! (She waves to Arturo, who waves back.)
Bob- What…….are you doing……
Connie- Are you hungry? (He doesn’t understand.) Hambre? Hambre hombre?
Arturo- Pequito hambre.
Connie- You come inside for dinner?
Arturo- Is okay.
Connie- tu comer en mi casa?
Arturo- No, is okay.
Connie- Why not? (Arturo shrugs.)
Int. Malibu beachhouse dining table. Bob, connie, and Arturo are eating.
Bob- So you make a lot of money selling those dolls?
Arturo- Hmmm?
Connie- Mucho deniro?
Arturo- No mucho. But I can buy food with them. In mexico, I make almost no money. Here, I make some.
Connie- Your dolls are beautiful. Maybe you could sell some of them at the flea market- maybe you’d make more money.
Arturo- Is Ok, I don’t need more than I already make-
Bob- More money is always good to have man, you never know when you might need more.
Connie- So are you in love with anyone?
Arturo- Yes. But she is in Mexico City- she will be out here soon. (shows her a picture from his wallet.) Her name is Sonja. She is from argentina, and she is a dancer.
Connie- wow! Beautiful.
Int. Connie and Bob’s bedroom. They are sitting at desks separate from each other working on computers, writing on the same project.
Bob- no no no. that’s way too soon. They have not known each other long enough to move in together.
Connie- well how about us? We moved in together 2 weeks after meeting each other!\
Bob- Yeah, but that never happens any more. And it could be part of the reason why we now are in therapy.
Connie- bob, every body needs a therapist. Whoever thinks they don’t soon will. Problems are always waiting to happen. Therapy is a process of prevention against that king of thing.
Bob- whatever happened to talking things over with people you know and love?
Connie- Friends and family already have enough problems. Vomit in one spot, it’s easier to clean up the mess.
Bob- I guess you have a point. (A beat) Writing with you used to be so much more productive. Now every line we write seems to come with an adjoining argument. Why is that?
Connie- Could be that you’re stubborn as a mule?
Bob- And you’re not? (they laugh.)
Ext. Venice beach boardwalk. We see street acts and artists, basketball games and rollerbladers. Arturo sets up his artwork and a can for money. He gazes at the sun.
Ext. Mexico small town. Arturo as a boy sitting next to an old man who smokes a cigarette.
Viejo- (in Spanish) If you stare long enough at the setting sun, soon enough you will meet god.
Int. Mexico, arturo’s grandmother. She is teaching him how to make corn dolls.
Grandmother- (in Spanish) You must first find your angel in your heart. And than you will be ready to make him or her out of these leaves of corn. And the person who you give this angel to will in turn give you money as a token of his or her appreciation. It is these coins that are your livelihood from the sweat of your brow, from the heights of your spirit. The bread upon which you buy from the money you earn will taste sweeter than the cakes of the most prosperous kingdoms. If you put your heart and soul into this craft it will take you to many foreign lands.
Ext. Venice beach boardwalk. Arturo halts staring at the sun and looks at a family of 4 who are looking at the corndolls. They are European.
Young girl- you made these yourself?
Arturo- Yes.
Young girl- (to the guy) Daddy, I want one.
Daddy- well pick one out than.
Younger brother- (Looking scarily at the angels) They look scary!
Young girl- I’m not sure if I want this one or that one. Daddy can I just have both?
Daddy- (to Arturo) How much for 2?
Arturo- $10. (daddy slaps down a ten spot and the girl takes off with the two dolls, thrusting one of them in the face of her little brother who yelps and runs behind his dad’s legs.
Ext. Venice Arturo walks down the street, counting his money. He stops in a shop and buys a Mexican phone card.
INT. MEXICO CITY. Sonja sits on a chair smoking a cigarette. Her back is to us, we cannot see her face. We see a Close up of an ancient telephone. It rings. The following conversation is all in Spanish.
Sonja- hello? Arturo my love! How are you doing?
Arturo- When are you coming to the U.S. I miss you like crazy.
Sonja- darling, you know I haven’t the money for that sort of trip.
Arturo- I don’t care. I am making money selling my dolls now. Soon I will send you enough money for a ticket.
Sonja- that would be beautiful, my love.
Arturo- How is the dancing going?
Sonja- Handsome, that is like asking me how my breathing going. It is steady and passionate.
Arturo- Maybe you can come out here and teach some day?
Sonja- that would be wonderful. Wire me the money and I will be there immediately.
Arturo- yes darling.
Ext. mexico city outside of sabrina’s window is a male flamenco dancer.
Dancer- Sonja!
Sonja- (Looks out the window at him, blows him a kiss and waves him to come upstairs.) I must go now my lover! I shall meet you soon on foreign soil. Kisses!
Arturo- Kisses!
Sonja hangs up the phone and flings open the door, takes the flamenco dancer in her hand, passionately kissing him and throwing her arms around her. There is flamenco music coming on stronger and stronger during this scene.
Ext. Connie and bob’s home. Their Mexican gardener is trimming hedges on the front lawn.
Int. Connie and bob’s home. We see a computer screen with the words THE END.
Connie- I really can’t believe we did it!
Bob- we’re going to have to celebrate! Call everyone. We’re having a party next Friday.
Connie- don’t you want to see if Jem’s happy with it first?
Bob- doesn’t matter. The hard part’s done. Rewrites are easy.
Connie- we really are opposites if you think that. Maybe I should haul off to St. tropez while you work. Now THAT would be easy.
Bob- Come here. (she goes and sits on his lap and they kiss.)
Ext. Venice mission, evening. Arturo walks in. He goes into the back area where there are several homeless people sleeping on dorm style beds. He falls on one of the beds, flings his bag to the ground and closes his eyes. Than he opens them again, stares at the ceiling, and closes his eyes again.
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