Intolerable Cruelty

"INTOLERABLE CRUELTY" Screenplay by Robert Ramsey, Matthew Stone Ethan Coen & Joel Coen Based on a story by Robert Ramsey, Matthew Stone and John Romano FIRST DRAFT 3/25/97 BEVERLY HILLS STREET - NIGHT It is late night, and deserted. Engine noise approaches; headlights appear; as the car draws closer we hear singing. It is a Mercedes convertible and as it roars by, the singing -- a sloppy baritone and a giggling soprano -- whooshes by with it. We hold as another car approaches. This one is a conservative sedan, whose occupant does not sing. INSIDE THE CONVERTIBLE The middle-aged driver is in a tuxedo with a rumpled shirt and cocked bow tie. He is flushed, a Rogue forelock bouncing over his forehead, and he merrily sings "Casey Jones" along with the passenger, a young woman in a party dress who squeals, rocks with the motion of the car, and enthusiastically pipes in on the chorus. ANOTHER EMPTY STREET The convertible makes a hot turn onto the street and approaches with its singing. REVERSE The car enters and roars away. After a beat of quiet, the conservative sedan enters and recedes. BEACH We are at the Malibu Guest Quarters Motel. The singing, squealing Mercedes screeches into the lot and rocks to a halt. The young woman staggers out still giggling, and holding a half-empty bottle of champagne. The man tosses her a key with a large plastic tag. MAN Number Seven. She trots away. The man twists his rear-view mirror to look at himself. He straightens his bow tie.