Meet Joe Black

M E E TJ O EB L A C K Screenplay by Bo Goldman -------------------------------------------------------------- EXT. ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. - 4:00 AM A patch of water. PULL BACK TO REVEAL more water.BACK FARTHER TO REVEAL an expanse of river, up the bank to massive lawn running up to a great, classic Hudson River manor house; the country estate of William Parrish. INT. PARRISH COUNTRY ESTATE - 4:00 AM MOVE THROUGH French doors that lead from a wide terrace into an expansive living room, DOWN wide corridors lined with Bierstadt and Cole paintings, the Hudson River School, mists and trees and small boats and distant humans. INT. PARRISH BEDROOM - 4:00 AM MOVE THROUGH the doorway to reveal a master bedroom furnish- ed with exquisite simplicity, revelatory of its sleeping occupant, WILLIAM PARRISH, 64, a warm but commanding face, a man of maturity yet who exudes a glow of enthusiasm. Although asleep, there is an uncommon restlessness to him. Parrish grips his upper arm as if in pain.Now the severity of the pain wakes him, he squeezes his arm.The wind comes up, through the wind a VOICE is heard distantly, or is it the wind itself: VOICE (V.O.) ... Yes. Parrish blinks, has he heard something, has he not, he is not sure, he releases his arm, his grimace of pain fades, the discomfort seems momentarily to have subsided. He rises now, crosses to the bathroom.As he pees, a breeze outside the window, the wind again, but then the Voice comes up: VOICE (V.O.) Yes...