THE JOURNEY OF NATTY GANN
by
Jeanne Rosenberg
EXT MIDWEST FARM COUNTRY DAWN
The freight train out of Chicago RUMBLES down the tracks, past the broad, flat fields of corn and soybeans waving in the breeze.
The yellow beam of the freight’s headlight cuts a streak through the soft glow of the approaching day.
INT BOXCAR MORNING
A WHISTLE BLOWS several times.
Natty’s eyes blink open.
She looks around the boxcar. The three tough looking hobos are gone. There’s only Harry at the far end, playing a TUNE on his harmonica. She stares at him, listening to his song.
Finally Harry notices Natty’s stare and he stops playing, abruptly, as if caught in a wrongdoing.
Natty tries to smile at him but his look to her is hard.
NATTY
That was nice.
Harry’s look softens. He shrugs modestly then bangs the harmonica on his knee and stuffs it deep in his pocket.
Natty looks around the car again, questions in her eyes.
NATTY
Where’d they go?
HARRY
Nowhere. Anywhere.
Natty nods, trying to act like she understands.
NATTY
Where are you going?
Harry shrugs again, as if the question had such little meaning he hadn’t thought of it before.
HARRY
West.
NATTY
Me too. My Dad’s out West.
HARRY
Yeah?
HARRY
What part?
NATTY
Uhhh…The middle.
Harry doesn’t express his doubt verbally but it’s all in his eyes. His next, question is more a statement of fact than anything.
HARRY
You’re running away, huh? On
the lam?
Natty looks anxious. There’s a defensive edge in her voice.
NATTY
What makes you say that? I
didn’t say that.
HARRY
You didn’t have to.
Natty folds her arms over her chest and turns away.
HARRY
You better wise up if you expect
to make it.
NATTY
I’ll do alright, Mr. Know It
All.
Harry smiles to himself.
The WHISTLE BLOWS. The train begins to slow.
Harry walks to the edge of the boxcar and stares out through the open door. He talks to Natty without looking at her.
HARRY
Don’t let the Bulls get you.
NATTY
What!?
HARRY
Railroad cops.
NATTY
You think I don’t know that?
Natty gets to her feet and walks confidently up to Harry at the open door of the boxcar. She looks down at the fast moving ground below and her confidence falters. Harry senses it.
HARRY
Bend your knees. Roll with it.
NATTY (defensively)
Natch.
The WHISTLE BLOWS again.
Harry jumps. Natty takes a deep, anxious breath and follows. She hits the ground and rolls down the embankment end over end.
She gets to her feet and brushes the dust from her clothes. She turns to Harry with a broad smile, very proud of herself. But he’s not there.
She looks up and down the tracks. She bends to look under the slow moving train. But there’s no trace of him. Harry’s gone.
Natty’s face reflects her disappointment. She looks up and down the tracks wondering what to do now.
EXT BASE CAMP LATE DAY
Base Camp is an elaborate tent city high in the mountains of Washington State.
It’s crowded with MEN and machinery. Dirt roads crisscross the area and each tent has a sign on it…MESS HALL, MAIL ROOM, etc.
It feels like an army field camp.
INT TENT LATE DAY
Sol sits at a makeshift desk in a small, army-styled tent at Base Camp. There are several cots in here and tables with kerosene lamps.
Sol is deep in thought as he hunkers over a piece of paper, drafting a letter.
He puts down his pen and re-reads the letter, an anxious, troubled look in his eye.
Then he shrugs off his doubts, smiles and stuffs the letter in an envelop addressed to Natty Gann, St. Ritz Hotel, Madison Street, Chicago.
EXT DES MOINES DEPOT DUSK
Natty wanders the backside of the Des Moines train station, alone.
She rummages through the garbage behind the Depot Grill and finds the remains of a slightly moldy, half eaten salami.
She looks at it distastefully then closes her eyes and forces herself to take three quick bites, wrinkling her face and holding her nose as she chews. She swallows and shrugs. It’s not so bad once you get used to it.
She stuffs the rest of the salami in her pocket and turns toward the hobo fires just beginning to flicker in the darkening twilight of the rail yard ahead. She notices a CROWD gathering in the shadows of the Roundhouse.
END PART 8
Part 9 Monday, 1/14/12
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.
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