THE JOURNEY OF NATTY GANN
by
Jeanne Rosenberg
Part 3
EXT ST. RITZ MORNING
Natty catches Sol just outside the St. Ritz and they walk down the stoop together.
NATTY
She’s disgusting.
Sol shrugs his shoulders philosophically.
SOL
No worse than some.
They nod their heads at the MEN sitting on the stoop. The men nod back at them and stare with vacant, hopeless eyes from empty unshaven faces…faces that reflect the times…the Great Depression.
EXT MADISON STREET MORNING
Sol and Natty walk down Madison Street with its dilapidated tenant houses and pawn shops and saloons.
They pass a soup kitchen with a long line of TATTERED PEOPLE waiting too patiently for their only meal of the day. Natty sniffs hungrily. But Sol shakes his head.
They don’t need it…yet.
EXT ANOTHER STREET MORNING
Natty and Sol turn down another street which has also seen better days.
There’s a pile of tattered household goods piled next to the curb ahead. And an evicted FAMILY, a MOTHER and DAUGHTER sitting pathetically next to their belongings.
A dark cloud seems to cross Sol’s face as they approach this forlorn pair.
Natty stares at them wide-eyed then turns straight ahead and kicks a can in the street.
NATTY
It’s not fair, damn it.
SOL
I know.
NATTY
What’ll they do?
Sol shrugs. There’s a hurt look in his eye. A hurt that comes from seeing his daughter having to face these things.
SOL
Get by.
Sol looks at Natty who stares back at him.
SOL
At least they’re together.
Natty nods. She understands, sort of…
EXT SLAVE MARKET DAY
Sol ritualistically checks the blackboard at the slave market. There are a few jobs listed in faded letters and a ragged line of MEN waiting hopefully.
MAN
Same old story.
SOL
Something’s going to break.
It’s got to.
Sol turns to Natty.
SOL
Right ?
NATTY
Right!
Sol turns back to the man.
SOL
See?
Then again to Natty
SOL
You want to stay here, try your
luck?
NATTY
0h sure , Dad.
He winks at her and they smile together.
SOL
See you tonight. And stay out
of trouble.
NATTY
Okay.
She waves then takes off running down the street.
Sol watches her proudly as she disappears around a corner, then he joins the other men and pulls a pack of Luckies from his pocket.
The man with the toothpick nods after her.
MAN
It’s hard with a kid, huh?
SOL
I’ll tell you mister, it’d be a
lot harder without her.
Sol lights a half smoked butt from the Luckies pack and inhales deeply. The man can barely mask his envy. Sol senses it. He takes one more deep drag then hands the cigarette over.
The man’s face cracks into a surprised, grateful smile and Sol nods.
INT/EXT MOVIE THEATER DAY
A partially obscured CARTOON makes its way across a movie screen while Natty and some FRIENDS hover outside the theater, their heads squeezed through the narrow opening of the rear door sneaking a free look.
Natty sways along with the MUSIC but flinches suddenly, stopping dead still as she hears a NOISE behind her.
NATTY
Oh shit….
She turns apprehensively, thinking they’ve been caught. But there’s no policeman behind them.
Instead, there’s a skinny, flea bitten PUPPY who lunges at Natty and grabs the cuff of her trousers. He shakes his head back and forth playfully, GROWLING in mock ferociousness.
Natty LAUGHS and shakes her leg free.
NATTY
Let go, dog. Beat it.
EXT DOWNTOWN DAY
Natty and her friends pass a fancy department store. Natty pauses.
Through the window she sees several SALESLADIES fawning over a WEALTHY WOMAN, trying to sell her clothes. Natty turns away, disgusted, and continues down the street, catching up with her friends.
Behind her trails the puppy, following her every footstep as if tied to her with a leash.
EXT MAXWELL STREET DAY
Natty threads her way through the jumble of pushcarts, SHOPPERS and VEND0RS clogging Maxwell Street. There’s an exciting energy here, a barage of sights and sounds as an ethnic mix of people barter and trade together.
Natty approaches LEFTY KENOSHA, a thin, older man with a tough exterior who sells pots and pans from his cart. He argues with a CUSTOMER, banging on the bottom of the pot in his hand.
LEFTY
This is quality merchandise.
I can’t get no more…15 cents.
That’s as low as I go.
The customer shakes her head and starts to walk away.
NATTY
I’1l give 15 for it, mister.
The customer turns back quickly, shoving 15 cents into Lefty’s hand.
CUSTOMER
Now wait a minute, that’s my
pot, right?
Lefty shrugs at Natty and hands the pot to the woman who struts off feeling very smug.
Then he winks and smiles appreciatively at Natty.
LEFTY
Nice move, kid.
She crawls under the cart to join him on the inside.
His smile falls quickly as he sees the puppy squirm it’s head out of her jacket.
LEFTY
Aww no.
Natty pulls the puppy from her jacket and holds him up to a less than enthusiastic Lefty.
LEFTY
What do I look like? The animal
shelter?
Natty shrugs, feigning innocence.
NATTY
I’ll keep this one. Dad’ll let
me.
Lefty mumbles to himself, not believing her for a minute.
LEFTY
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
He shakes his head, trying to resist, but reaches out in spite of himself and scratches the puppy’s ears.
END PART 3
Part 4 Monday, 11/12/12
A script analysis of her favorite childhood novel – written as a USC class assignment – led Jeanne Rosenberg to her first Hollywood writing assignment on The Black Stallion. Switching from documentary filmmaker to narrative screenwriter, Jeanne studied her craft while working as a script supervisor on numerous films before completing her first original screenplay, The Journey of Natty Gann. She has been writing as well as producing and directing ever since. In addition, Jeanne has taught graduate screenwriting at USC and National University.
