The Beach

Directed by Dorthe Scheffmann, written by Frances Edmond

Post production screenplay reconstructed by Richard Raskin

Rightward panning shot along the seaside landscape, followed by a tracking shot along the beach, past a white umbrella, DAVID playing cricket with the boys, and others walking in the sand.

DAVID coaches SIMON, who readies his cricket bat and connects with the ball that DAVID pitches. Excitedly, the players chase the ball, DAVID giving instructions.

The girls are sitting in the sand, whispering to one another and giggling, as JEFF sits nearby.

ANNE and MARGIE are lying down under the white umbrella. ANNE, wearing sun glasses, sits up.

MARGIE
(off camera) What's everyone else doing?

ANNE
DAVID's playing something... cricket, with
SIMON and the boys, and JEFF's with the girls by the water. (She removes her glasses.)

MARGIE
(sitting up and entering the frame, also removing her glasses) You look as hot as I feel.

MARGIE leans her forehead
momentarily on ANNE's shoulder,
then runs her hand down ANNE's back,
noticing a bruise, and pulling the edge of ANNE's
bathing suit aside to get a better look.

MARGIE
How did you do that?
ANNE
What?
MARGIE
That.
ANNE
Oh... I slipped on the back steps.
MARGIE
How come?
ANNE
What, how come what?
MARGIE
That you fell down the steps.
ANNE
Oh, I don't know. I just did.
MARGIE
Are you okay?
ANNE
Yeah.
MARGIE
Anne, what happened?
ANNE
Look.
MARGIE
Yeah.
ANNE
Oh, fuck it...
MARGIE
Anne, what's going on?
ANNE
Nothing.
MARGIE (placing her hand on ANNE's shoulder)
Anne, I'm your friend. I see it's not nothing.
Why are you so uptight?

ANNE
If you must know, David kicked me.

MARGIE
What?

ANNE
(Speaking louder) I said: David kicked me.

MARGIE
I heard you, but why?

ANNE
David hits me.

MARGIE
What the fuck do you mean, he hits you?

ANNE
I mean just what I said: he hits me.

MARGIE
How long has this been going on?

ANNE turns away. The two women
now sit silently beside one another,
as DAVID cheerfully comes
running over to them.

MARGIE
David, you fucking prick. Don't you
ever hurt her again.

DAVID
(Innocently) What? What are you
talking about?

MARGIE
You heard me. I said don't you
ever hit her again.

DAVID
Hey, Margie.

MARGIE
What?

DAVID
(Angrily) Mind your own fucking business.

MARGIE jumps to her feet, rushes over to DAVID
and kicks him in the groin. He doubles over and falls
to the ground, moaning.

MARGIE notices that SIMON is standing
nearby and realizes that he has apparently
observed everything that has just happened.
She rushes over to him, whirls him around
in her arms, then runs with him into the water,
as ANNE remains seated under the umbrella.

SIMON splashes in the water as MARGIE piles
seaweed on her head, laughing and gently splashing
toward SIMON. MARGIE and SIMON playfully toss
seaweed at one another.

Then SIMON stops, and looks toward his mother,
still sitting by herself and looking miserable. In
the final shot (lasting 21 seconds), SIMON continues
looking at his mother.

	Rightward panning shot along the seaside landscape, followed by a tracking shot along the beach, past a white umbrella, DAVID playing cricket with the boys, and others walking in the sand.
	DAVID coaches SIMON, who readies his cricket bat and connects with the ball that DAVID pitches. Excitedly, the players chase the ball, DAVID giving instructions.
	The girls are sitting in the sand, whispering to one another and giggling, as JEFF sits nearby.
	ANNE and MARGIE are lying down under the white umbrella. ANNE, wearing sun glasses, sits up. MARGIE (off camera) What's everyone else doing?
	ANNE DAVID's playing something... cricket, with SIMON and the boys, and JEFF's with the girls by the water. (She removes her glasses.) MARGIE (sitting up and entering the frame, also removing her glasses) You look as hot as I feel.
	MARGIE leans her forehead momentarily on ANNE's shoulder, then runs her hand down ANNE's back, noticing a bruise, and pulling the edge of ANNE's bathing suit aside to get a better look. MARGIE How did you do that? ANNE What? MARGIE That. ANNE Oh... I slipped on the back steps. MARGIE How come? ANNE What, how come what? MARGIE That you fell down the steps. ANNE Oh, I don't know. I just did. MARGIE Are you okay? ANNE Yeah. MARGIE Anne, what happened? ANNE Look. MARGIE Yeah. ANNE Oh, fuck it... MARGIE Anne, what's going on? ANNE Nothing. MARGIE (placing her hand on ANNE's shoulder) Anne, I'm your friend. I see it's not nothing. Why are you so uptight? ANNE If you must know, David kicked me. MARGIE What? ANNE (Speaking louder) I said: David kicked me. MARGIE I heard you, but why? ANNE David hits me. MARGIE What the fuck do you mean, he hits you? ANNE I mean just what I said: he hits me. MARGIE How long has this been going on?
	ANNE turns away. The two women now sit silently beside one another, as DAVID cheerfully comes running over to them. MARGIE David, you fucking prick. Don't you ever hurt her again. DAVID (Innocently) What? What are you talking about? MARGIE You heard me. I said don't you ever hit her again. DAVID Hey, Margie. MARGIE What? DAVID (Angrily) Mind your own fucking business.
	MARGIE jumps to her feet, rushes over to DAVID and kicks him in the groin. He doubles over and falls to the ground, moaning.
	MARGIE notices that SIMON is standing nearby and realizes that he has apparently observed everything that has just happened. She rushes over to him, whirls him around in her arms, then runs with him into the water, as ANNE remains seated under the umbrella.
	SIMON splashes in the water as MARGIE piles seaweed on her head, laughing and gently splashing toward SIMON. MARGIE and SIMON playfully toss seaweed at one another.

	Then SIMON stops, and looks toward his mother, still sitting by herself and looking miserable. In the final shot (lasting 21 seconds), SIMON continues looking at his mother.