The Valley
? Copyright Warren Matthews 2003 - 2004. All rights reserved No part of this work may be used in any form without the express written consent of the author All information and publishing rights write to warren4@iname.com
Screenplay about a family living in New Zealand in the 1960's.

The Valley is small town New Zealand 1960's. Where the Topp family live - a middle class family of four. Comprising of:

The Father:
Eric Topp

The Mother:
Jean Topp

The Son:
Jack Topp

The Daughter:
Emma Topp - the youngest

MUSIC UP: BENNY GOODMAN `IN THE MOOD'

EXT: ALICE STREET, THE VALLEY
We roll past the houses in the street, lights in the houses come on one by one as we pass by. We stop the Topp family home and move in through the front door, down the passageway to the kitchen.
We see a middle class family home of the era, where formica dominates, the Vietnam war is the big news and Jimmy Hendrix music swamps the air waves.

Fade out music

INT: KITCHEN
It's 6:30am. Jack sits at the breakfast table getting ready to leave for his first job as an apprentice typewriter mechanic.
Jean is at the stove preparing breakfasts for the family. Eric paces around the room with his pants braces hanging down. Emma is still in bed.

JEAN
Emma! Time to get up.
Jack, your bus leaves in half an hour.

JACK
Okay.

Eric is pacing up and down like a caged lion.
He is a little overweight and balding, small beads of sweat appear on his forehead when he gets anxious. He pulls a hankie out and mops his brow

ERIC
Where's my cuff links gone.

JEAN
You should've had them ready last night. I don't know.

Jack puts the last of the toast in his mouth, the end of his tie accidentally drops onto the jam

JACK
Ahhhhhhhh!
I'll be late now, shit!

JEAN
(in a loud voice)
Jack!

JACK
Sorry mum.

(Jean rushes off and comes back with a new tie)

Thank's mum.

ERIC
(in a sarcastic tone)
Help him, but you wont help me.

JEAN
It's his first day, he can't go untidy. What would they think.

Eric slowly moves out of the kitchen, shuffling his feet as he goes, mumbling to himself

JEAN
What?

ERIC
Nothing love.

(Eric places the hankie back onto his pocket and feels something there, it's the cufflinks)

(quietly)
Shit, Shit, Shit.
(loud voice)
Found them dear, they were on the floor.

JEAN
Wonder how they got there.

ERIC
Maybe the kids have been playing with them, or the stupid dog.

JEAN
(despairingly)
Yes dear.....probably.

The dog runs past

ERIC
Bloody mongrel thing.

CUT TO

EXT: WINSTON OFFICE EQUIPMENT
A big building, a large national company that takes on dozens of apprentices every year.
We see the owner Bruce Winston talking to the manager Ken Morris. Bruce a hard taskmaster, watches every penny and keeps employees at arms length. Preferring all contact to be made via his managers
Ken Morris is ex British army, a stickler for tidiness and being neat - the stiff regimental sergeant major type

BRUCE WINSTON
Ready for the day Ken

KEN
Yes, we have the new lad starting today

BRUCE
Ensure he knows straight off that I expect blood from him

KEN
Will do

Bruce exits while Ken rummages around some papers on his untidy desk

KEN
(picking up some papers and folding them under his arm)
Ahh! Here it is

It's 8:30am, we see the clock at the bus stop, then the clock in Ken's office. Ken gets up and stands by the front door waiting for the arrival of his new boy.
Jack looks at the clock, hurries off the bus and runs down the road to work.
Arrives at work with tie on an angle and out of breath

KEN
(waiting patiently, standing ram rod straight, arm thrust outward)
Morning Jack.

JACK
(shakes Ken's hand)
(breathless)
Good morning Mr Morris.

KEN
Now none of this Mr Morris stuff, call me Ken from now on.

JACK
Yes. Thank you Mr Morris, I mean Ken.

KEN
Lets get you started then.

Ken shows Jack to the workshop

KEN
I'll arrange for a set of dust coats for you, what size are you.

JACK
Don't know.

KEN
I'd say you were a medium, here these will do.

Ken gives Jack a grey dust coat about two sizes too big. It hangs on him like a loose fitting tent

KEN
Come and meet the rest of the lads.

We see three employees, one is trying to get a kerosene heater lit, they are:

Graham Murphy, nick name Spud

Andrew Shaw, nick name Andy

Mark Turtle, nick name Speed


KEN
This is Jack.

GRAHAM, ANDREW.MARK
(all three speak together)
Hello Jack.

GRAHAM
(Shakes Jack's hand)
I'm Spud.

ANDREW
(shakes Jack's hand)
Andy.

MARK
(shakes Jack's hand)
Speed.

JACK
Hi Spud, Andy, Speed.

KEN
I'll leave you with Spud to look after you for the day, he's our head mechanic.

Spud shows Jack to the bench he will work from

JACK
I see you also repair kerosene heaters.

SPUD
Yeah.
(while walking away)
(says to himself)
What an idiot.

CUT TO

INT: KITCHEN ALICE STREET
The house is empty, except for Jean Topp. She hurriedly removes her apron, moving away from the sink and out the door. Closing it with a resounding bang

CUT TO

INT: MRS LUTTON'S ALICE STREET
Jean is sitting having a cup of tea with the neighbour Mrs Edna Lutton. Mrs Lutton is a real nosy one, the local gossip

MRS LUTTON
Tell me more Jean.

JEAN
Well as I was saying it was Jack's first day at work today, and that husband of mine, all he could think of was about himself. No consideration for the boy.

(sipping from the tea cup)

It's not as though I don't give that man all the attention he needs, as a man I mean.

MRS LUTTON
(leaning forward towards Jean)
I tend to all of my Haurice's needs, he's always grateful you know Jean. Gives me a kiss on the cheek every day before leaving for work, and when he comes home.

JEAN
That's more than I get.

MRS LUTTON
Men need to be comforted, they are so fragile.
(speaks softly and slowly)
Specially where their captain morgan is involved.

JEAN
Oh!... what?

MRS LUTTON
(leans towards Jean's ear and whispers)
Penis...
(by now she almost has her lips in Jean's ear)
Haurice calls his... captain morgan.

Jean shows a distinct look of horror - changes the conversation

How's your Alan.

MRS LUTTON
Doing well, very well in fact. Passed all his exams and is well on his way to becoming a doctor. It's so reassuring that one of the family will be a professional. Not like a lot of families stuck in the lower ranks of society.

JEAN
You're very lucky to have such a smart boy.

MRS LUTTON
He gets it from Haurice's side of the family. you know that Gregory, Hazel's boy is a physician.

JEAN
Yes.

MRS LUTTON
He just flew through university. Hazel is so proud of him. Unfortunate how the other boy ended up in a lunatic asylum.

JEAN
The pressure on him to keep up with his brother was too much. When he was at our place and started to make brmmmm brmmmm sounds, and moving his legs like changing gears in a car, I knew he was not far from being admitted.

MRS LUTTON
(head right back, lips pouting, holding the tea cup little finger out)
Oh yes Jean.

CUT TO

MUSIC UP: JIMMY HENDRIX

We see a calendar flipping the months over. Two years pass by, and we see black and white photos superimposed over the calendar showing what Jack has done over the last two years.
Jack is now 19, has bought himself an old car and has a girlfriend, Sandy Miller

MUSIC UP: BEACH BOYS `FUN FUN FUN'

EXT: HIGHWAY TO BEACH.
Jack and Sandy are driving to the beach. It's a hot summer day. the heat shimmers off the road. from a long shot we see the car shimmering in the heat as they drive along

Close up of Jack and Sandy

Fade to background music

SANDY
This is great Jack, I feel so free

JACK
(smiles)
It's you and me babe, and the waves.

SANDY
(shouts)
Yeah!

Sandy leans over and turns up the radio

MUSIC UP: BEACH BOYS `FUN FUN FUN'

EXT:
We see the back of the car heading along the highway toward the beach. The car gets smaller until it disappears in the distance

CUT TO

MUSIC UP: BEACH BOYS `SURFER GIRL'

EXT: THE BEACH
We see Jack and Sandy running along the sand, surfing, frolicking in the waves and generally having a good time.

FADE TO

MUSIC UP: BEACH BOYS `THE WARMTH OF THE SUN'

EXT: DUSK AT THE BEACH.
The sun is setting, a golden orb slowly sinking into sea. Jack and Sandy are sitting in the car, they are close with Jack's arm over the shoulders of Sandy.

Fade to background music

SANDY
Gee what a great day, everything is so perfect. Look at the sea, it's so calm now. I could look at it forever...
(giggles)
Look Jack can you see mermaids.
(she looks at Jack and pokes him in the ribs playfully)
I must belong to the sea, I never want to leave it.
(staring into Jack's eyes)
Jack... don't ever let me leave it.

Jack gazes into Sandy's eyes, the sun seems to sparkle inside them like a million little jewels. Jack leans over and kisses her. The camera moves back to a wide shot of the car in the middle of an ending sunset. Darkness approaches

MUSIC UP: BEACH BOYS `THE WARMTH OF THE SUN'

FADE TO

INT: TOPP FAMILY HOME
We see all the Topp family at the dinner table. It's roast beef, Eric Topp's favourite.
He eagerly awaits to be served with a knife and fork held at the ready.
We hear the television in the background, news from the Vietnam War is being broadcast

TELEVISION
(gunfire over the news commentary)
Charlie's on the run, as US troops move closer to their objective.

ERIC
Damn commies, we've got to stop the yellow herd.

EMMA
Will they get here dad.

ERIC
No never, they will have to climb over my dead body first.

JEAN
Stop that sort of talk.
(looking at Emma)
No one here is going to die honey

JACK
Yeah, we'll stop `em. Blow the shit out of them.

JEAN
Jack!

JACK
Sorry mum.

ERIC
The Yanks will put an end to them. Not long before they nuke `em.

JEAN
Oh God I hope it never comes to that.
(she lowers her head and speaks softly to herself)
Please lord help to stop this terrible war.

MUSIC UP: JIMMY HENDRIX

We see them all eating

FADE TO

EXT: NIGHT
Jack's car is parked off the road up a hill

SANDY
Just as well you missed out on the draft.

JACK
I would have been proud to go if I was called.

SANDY
Yes I know...Touch me.

(we see Jack's hand move up her leg then the camera moves to her face)

Ahhh, I've never had a boy play with me like you do.

(the camera moves to a wide shot, shows the car silhouetted against the moon)

Oh Jack... don't stop... Oh, Oh, Oh... Ahhhhhhhh.

MUSIC UP: BEACH BOYS `DO IT AGAIN'

CUT TO

EXT: A BUILDING IN THE CITY
Jack is called there to repair a typewriter. We see him walk towards the building and enter the door

Looks at the listing of tenants, heads up the stairs.

Enters the room and gazes around for a contact. There are about 20 typists all typing at the same time. Clackity clackity clack we hear the noise of the typewriters. He sees a matronly looking woman, she must be in charge

JACK
Excuse me, I'm from Winston's.

WOMAN
This way.

(she leads him to a desk where a woman in her 40's sits)

Caroline will tell you what's wrong.

JACK
Hello I'm Jack from Winston's.

CAROLINE
The paper jams all the time.

JACK
Ahh that must be the feed rollers.

(opens his bag, gets out a screwdriver and proceeds to twirl it baton style. It slips off his fingers and rolls along the floor under the next desk)

Woops!

(he has to climb under the desk to retrieve it)

Excuse me, sorry

(gets his bottom stuck under the desk and has to wriggle to get out. Caroline looks embarrassed for him)

(red faced)
Slippery little thing

(bangs his head while getting up)

(hurriedly puts the screwdriver back in his bag. and removes the rollers from the typewriter)

There are some sticky labels stuck on the rollers, that's the problem. I'll clean them and that will fix it.

Caroline leaves Jack to fix the typewriter

Caroline returns

JACK
Okay that's all fixed now, can you please sign here.

(gives her his call out sheet to sign)

Better put down your phone number in case there's a problem.

(Caroline scribbles X365)

That's a short number is the X for mystery

CAROLINE
That's for you to find out

Jack leaves the room, heading down the stairs he suddenly needs to have a pee. He looks for a mens toilet and goes to open the door. It's locked

JACK
Shit! I'll piss my pants soon

We see Jack crossing his legs and eyeing the womens toilet next door. He looks around to see if the coast is clear then tries the handle. It opens, we see his head appear around the door as he scouts for anyone being there. No one, the coast is clear. He rushes into a cubicle.

While standing having a pee he hears the door open.
We see him terrified suddenly realising he will be found out - what woman stands up? He turns around and sits down. Horrified, the door to the next cubicle opens and a female sits down. He can see her shoes and looks at his, they are definitely male shoes. He raises his legs to tippy toes so only the tips of his shoes can be seen. We hear the woman pee, Jack holds his hands against his ears and shakes his head from side to side. We hear the rustle of toilet paper and the flushing of the toilet. Thinking it is all clear he takes his hands away from his ears and relaxes putting his feet on the ground.

FEMALE
Jack is that you

JACK
(screams)
No... yes... no!

FEMALE
It's Caroline here, I recognised your shoes. I always remember what shoes a man wears. I can tell a lot from their shoes. Never thought you to be a perv though.

JACK
No! I'm not. The mens is locked and I was busting.

FEMALE
Ring me Jack. I find you fascinating.
(she throws a piece of toilet paper with her phone number on it over the top of the cubicle to Jack)

We hear the cubicle door open and the toilet door slam closed
We see Jack peer out from behind the toilet door and disappear down the stairs.

TO BE CONTINUED