“Swiss Family Robinson” Stripped from “Paint”

Just finishing the third draft of Paint, the second part of a trilogy of coming-of-age screenplays, and this scene had to be switched out: DAVIS, coming down off a bad mushroom trip, is sitting with his crush, ELLEN.

DAVIS: Let’s watch Swiss Family Robinson.

ELLEN: Really? It’s the Disney film, right?

DAVIS: I love that film.

ELLEN: You watch it with your father?

DAVIS: No. (Pause) I don’t know. He read us the book. I remember that. He sat in his old rocking chair. It creaked as he stretched back, the light over his shoulder.

ELLEN inserts the tape and sits on the other side of the couch.

DAVIS: He had a deep voice. It was good for the book.

Dramatic orchestral music plays on the television. A ship drifts across the screen in a hurricane winds and high seas."Swiss Family Robinson" Stripped from "Paint"

DAVIS: (Watching the film intently) I had my first existential moment watching this film.

ELLEN: (Sleepy) Yeah?

DAVIS: When they finish the tree house and they take the mother upstairs. (Pause) It was so amazing, so perfect. It looked like a perfect place. "Swiss Family Robinson" Stripped from "Paint"DAVIS: (Looking at ELLEN, who sleepily looks back) And then it wasn’t. It was the opposite. It was fake or something. I don’t know. I had to the leave the room. My step-mother made me go to bed because she thought I was sick.

The Swiss Family Robinson is revealed trapped below decks, yelling for help but still looking orderly and respectable. The ship grounds out on a rock.

DAVIS: (Pause, sighing deeply) You don’t remember doing something amazing as a kid – your absolute favorite thing in the world – and then feeling like it was pointless? You thought it was this thing. And then it isn’t.

DAVIS continues to watch the film.

MR. ROBINSON (On Television): Hans, help your mother!

HANS: If I had been captain, I would have fought the pirates instead of running into storm. "Swiss Family Robinson" Stripped from "Paint"The Swiss Family Robinson climbs to the top of the ship’s decks and sees that the ship is grounded near an island.

Close up on DAVIS as he watches intently.

MR. ROBINSON (On Television): At least we’re not too far from land.

MRS. ROBINSON: Then there’s hope.

 FRITZ: Maybe we could build a raft. There’s enough wood.

DAVIS: Of course they can build a raft! Of course they can.

Smiling, DAVIS looks over at ELLEN and sees that she is asleep. He stares at her naked shoulder, moves forward and looks as if he is about to kiss it when she opens her eyes.

ELLEN: Just watch your movie.

DAVIS awkwardly looks back at the television screen.

KEVIN ROBINSON: Look what I found! The captain’s dogs! Are they glad to see me!

The Robinson Family begins to cut barrels and wood and construct a raft to go to shore.

DAVIS looks around at ELLEN again, who looks angelic in her sleep, and considers touching her shoulder again, but pulls the blanket over her instead. He turns back to the film and watches as a raft is built and lowered into the ocean from the ship. DAVIS falls asleep.

“Paint” Screenplay: Fang Conflict Expunged

DAVIS lies half conscious on the porch of the frat house and stares up into the tree branches above. KATHRYN beside him, stroking his head."Paint" Screenplay: Fang Conflict ExpungedThe front door swings open. MAX, FANG, (KATHRYN’s ex-boyfriend), others behind come outside.

MAX (Seeing DAVIS and KATHRYN): Jesus, Davis.

FANG: What the fuck?

DAVIS struggles to get up but is too light-headed.

FANG (To KATHRYN): What is this?

KATHRYN (To FANG): What do you care?

DAVIS (Struggling to sit up) It’s not like…(Giving up) Shit.

FANG: (To DAVIS): You are such an asshole, such an asshole. (Pause) You’re a complete fucking failure, you know that?

DAVIS (Muttering): Hey, I just blacked out, man.

FANG (Jutting his jaw out, spittle forming at the corners of his mouth): There is no one more worthy of scorn than you. No one!

DAVIS notices the gathering crowd and sees ELLEN in the back. "Paint" Screenplay: Fang Conflict ExpungedFANG: (Turning, seeing ELLEN as well) You like her? Yeah?! You want to know something, man? You will never have her. You will never have anyone. You don’t deserve anyone! You will die alone.

DAVIS (To ELLEN): She’s not my girlfriend.

FANG: Why are you talking?! Why the fuck are you speaking?

DAVIS sees ELLEN leave as FANG steps toward him and slaps him in the face.

FANG: You are a stupid irrelevant fuck!

DAVIS: Holy shit, man. Calm down.

DAVIS tries to laugh but fails miserably as he feels the nausea well up again and falls back to stare up into the branches.