Obedience

The following is a script for a short film, written by myself, and
submitted as my final piece for my degree. This film is due to be shot
in May 2003

Obedience - Final Draft

1. INT. HOUSE DAY

It is midday, in a small, immaculately tidy house. We see HAZEL a woman
in her early thirties sat at a desk, slowly working her way through a
pile of essays. She is reading through them, and marking them with a
red pen. At first glance she appears to be talking to herself, but
every so often she glances to her right, and it becomes apparent that
she is talking to a goldfish.

Hazel
I'm sure I don't know what
they are doing with themselves
during my lessons, but it's
certainly not literature. Poor
Charlotte Bronte will be stirring
in her burial chamber!

She moves on to the next essay in the pile, and begins reading through
it.

Hazel
(crossly)
HONESTLY! See Me

She speaks the words slowly and emphatically as she scrawls them across
the bottom of the essay in big red letters. She drops the pen, and
begins to rub her eyes wearily. She then looks over at her
goldfish.

Hazel
It must be time for refreshment,
Mr Darcy, shall I boil The
kettle?

She gets up and goes over to the counter. A box from her book club
catches her eye, and she goes over to it. She tears open the box, and
excitedly pulls out a selection of self help manuals; 'How to find
love', 'Making men want you', and then one entitled 'Obedience.'

Hazel
I didn't order this one,
it must be the Editor's
preference.

She turns it over and reads the back cover

Hazel
Sounds appealing?????

She opens the book and begins scanning the pages

Hazel
What an innovative piece of
literature Mr Darcy! It instructs
in the art of training a man! What
do you think? Not that you ever
needed any instruction my aquatic,
angel, for you are, indeed an
absolute gentleman.

She lets the book drop in her hand, and look out of the window
distractedly

Hazel
Alas and alack! I lament the lack
of chivalry in the men folk of
today. Such an uncouth gender. So
discourteous, and ill mannered.
How would it be to be able to train
one to do my bidding? To teach him to
behave in an appropriate fashion? To
mould him?

A smile slowly creeps across her face.

2. EXT. STREET NIGHT

It is ten o'clock at night. We see a couple in their early thirties
hobble slowly up the street. The MAN is well dressed, but slightly
stuffy looking. He has his arm around the back of Hazel holding her
under her arm and leaning to his left slightly as he supports her
weight. The couple advance slowly up the street, and stop outside
Hazel's house.

Hazel
It's most awfully thoughtful of you
to escort me home Sebastian, I do
hope I haven't put you to too
much trouble?

Sebastian
Not at all. I've never been
one to desert a damsel in distress. Shall I see you
to the door?

They resume their hobbling up the front path towards Hazel's front
door. She looks up at him adoringly.

Hazel
It's so refreshing for a lady
to be in the presence of a respectable
gentleman. Such an uncommon breed
these days.

Sebastian
(modestly, but visibly preening)
Well. A chap has to do his bit
doesn't he? Important to demonstrate
that the age of chivalry isn't dead!

Hazel continues to simper at him. Sebastion dithers awkwardly on the
doorstep, unsure of what to say next. There is a brief silence.

Sebastian
(Clearing his throat nervously)
Well, erm, hopefully you will allow
me the pleasure of escorting you
out again sometime?

Hazel
That would be most agreeable
Once my ankle is healed, obviously.

Hazel winces for effect.

Sebastian
Oh yes, absolutely. Dreadfully sorry
about that. Rather remiss of me,
letting you slip off the pavement.

He shuffles his feet awkwardly. Hazel continues to grin at him,
although her fa?ade is beginning to slip, and we see her grit her
teeth.
Sebastian goes to leave, and as he turns his head away, Hazel pulls her
handkerchief from her pocket, and drops it at her feet.

Hazel
Oh! My handkerchief!

She makes a show of bending to pick it up, wincing, and clutching at
her leg dramatically.

Sebastian
Goodness, let me get that for you.

He bends to retrieve her hankie. Hazel whips her foot up and grabs her
shoe. Swiftly checking for any passers by,
she raises the shoe above her head, and bangs him over the back of the
head.
Sebastion groans, and falls to the floor, unconscious.
Hazel puts her shoe back on. Standing up straight on her supposedly bad
ankle, she brushes herself down, tucks a few stray hairs behind her
ears, and unlocks her door.
Checking once again for witnesses, Hazel delivers a couple of swift
kicks to the unconscious Sebastion, nudging him over the threshold. She
then steps daintily over him, then turns around, bending to his level.
She puts her arms under his shoulders, and straightens up, preparing to
drag him inside. We see her stop, and look at him. She then drops his
arms, and bends back down to his level, where she puts out her hand,
and straightens his tie. She then resumes her position with her arms
under his shoulders, and drags him inside.
The door closes.

3. INT. KITCHEN DAY

Hazel has laid out six double dished cat food bowls on her kitchen
worktop, and is carefully forking meat out of a cat food tin into each
one, checking they are even. She opens up plastic capsules, and pours
the contents into each dish, carefully stirring it in.
She then pours water into the other dish in each bowl. She takes one in
each hand, and leaves the room

4. INT. ROOM DAY

We see a row of six cupboards with Polaroid pictures stuck on the
doors. As we get closer we can see they are facial shots of different
men, some with a panicked, fairly threatened look on their face, a
couple fast asleep. There is shouting and banging coming from inside
the cupboard nearest the door.

Sebastian
Err HELLO? Anyone there? Look
this really isn't on you know.
Hello? HELLLLOOOO? Can anyone
hear me?

He is interrupted by another disembodied voice

Man1
(groggily)
I hear you! Do you want to
keep it down a bit? My head is
rattling

Sebastian
What the devil is going on
around here? Who might you
be? Why am I here? I'm a busy
man, a very busy man, and I
don't have time for such tomfoolery!

(shouting)

I simply must insist you let
me out immediately. I will
not have it, I tell you!

Man1
It won't do any good shouting at her.
She just ignores us. Or gets really
annoyed.

Man2
(subdued, northerner)
And trust us, you don't want
that to happen. She's mean.

Sebastian
How long have you been here? Why
are you here? What in the name of
bloody hell is going on?

Man1
I've been here for a couple of days,
but poor Jim over there has been
stuck here for over a week now????
Hey Jim - You awake?

Jim
Snore

Man2
Jim needed more drugs than us
he must be a big bloke. Knocked
out most of the time. Poor bugger.
Probably for the best.

There are mumbles of agreement.

5. INT. KITCHEN DAY

Hazel has a kitty litter tray on the counter in front of her. She
scoops something out of it with a long handled poop scoop, and, holding
it at arm's length, leaves the room.

O.S. we hear the toilet flush. She comes back into the room, and tops
up the litter in the tray from a big bag, takes the tray and leaves the
room.

6. INT. CHURCH EVENING

Hazel is in a slow moving queue of people leaving the church. The queue
is moving slowly because each person is stopping to speak to the vicar
on their way out. As she reaches the door, the vicar smiles at her
warmly. AUDREY, the vicar's wife is hovering in the background making a
big display of stacking hymn books, but blatantly listening in on the
conversations between the vicar and his parishioners. She is short,
fat, and supremely unattractive, with an enormous nose. Audrey is never
seen without her bright fuschia pink lipstick.

Vicar
Ms Hawkes, how lovely to see you this
evening! We missed you at even
song last week.

Hazel
Yes, sincere apologies Vicar, one
of my boys was in poor health
you see, and I had to wait at home with
him.
Vicar
Nothing serious I hope? Did you have
to get the vet out? These call outs can
be expensive can't they!

Hazel
The veterinary? Why on earth would I?
(swiftly correcting herself)
endanger the well-being of my poor
boy by not summoning the veterinary?

Vicar (looking confused)
Of course! Well?.. all on the mend now
I trust?

Hazel
(Ignoring him)
Terrifically sorry to hear about our
organist passing on so unexpectedly.
Goodnight Vicar.

(Speaking loudly, over her shoulder to where Audrey is lingering)

Send my regards to Mrs Vicar.

Hazel struts out of the church with her head held high.

7. INT. HOUSE EVENING

Hazel is standing in her house, reading an extract from 'Obedience,'
out loud to Mr Darcy. O.S. we can hear loud shouts and protests, which
Hazel is studiously ignoring.

Hazel
It states here that it is crucial
not to respond if any objection
should occur during the initial
training process.
So be it!

She crosses the room to her stereo, and rifles through a neat stack of
tapes, selecting a talking book - 'Jane Eyre'. She mouths the words as
they are read, adopting an overtly feminine pose for Jane, then
stepping over to her other side, and adopting an overtly masculine pose
for Mr Rochester. The shouting and banging reaches a crescendo, as she
turns the volume on the stereo up higher.

8. INT. CUPBOARD ROOM EVENING

Sebastian is still shouting and crashing around. The others are getting
annoyed.

Man1
Shut up! Shut up!
For the love of God shut up!

Man2
It won't do no good son.
You'd best get used to it.
Could be here a while.
Food's not much cop neither

9. EXT. CHURCHYARD DAY

Hazel is striding purposefully up through the churchyard. She is
carrying a basket of cleaning paraphernalia. The vicar and his wife are
walking out of the church and down the path towards her.

Vicar
Ms Hawkes! A delight, as always.

He acknowledges her basket

Vicar
Your turn this week? If you wouldn't
do it for God, who would you do it
for eh?

Hazel
Absolutely. Important to do one's bit
I always think.

Audrey
(she speaks quietly, her lips moving exaggeratedly in order to
emphasise each word)

We couldn't help hearing shouting
coming from your house last night.
Everything ok I hope?

She looks at Hazel expectantly, eyebrows raised, waiting to be confided
in.

Hazel
(smiling at Audrey through gritted teeth)

Everything is just dandy, thankyou for
your concern!

Audrey perseveres, her voice gets louder, with more emphasis.

Audrey
Such a terrible racket! We thought
something dreadful was happening.

Hazel
My nephew is vacationing with
me for a time, and we were
playing a noisy game.
I'm sorry you were disturbed.

Vicar
How lovely for you. Children can be a handful
though can't they! Still, it's nice for the pair of you that you
can?????????..

Audrey
(Interrupting her husband)

Your nephew? I thought you were an only
child?

All pretence of confidentiality has flown out of the window by this
point, and she is standing hands on hips, determined to find out what
is going on.

Hazel
Well. Anyway. Must get on Vicar.
She rattles her basket
Cleanliness is next to Godliness after all.
Good day to you both.

Hazel walks off up the path towards the church, hearing Audrey
muttering as she goes.

Audrey
There is a story there.
I'm absolutely certain of it.

Audrey nods knowingly at her husband.

10. INT. CUPBOARD ROOM DAY

Hazel is pacing up and down the floor in front of the cupboards. She is
carrying a clipboard with a pen attached in one hand, and 'Obedience,'
in the other. The clipboard has a score sheet on it with six names
going down the page, and boxes next to each with various ticks, crosses
and marks out of 10. Attached to her belt and hanging by her side is a
long, sharp stick. There are also a couple of scary looking implements
propped beside the door. It is not apparent what they are, or what they
are used for.

Hazel
Right, first things first, as
I'm sure you are all aware by now,
we have an additional student
I hope you have been making him feel
at ease? Now, lets all say a big
'hello,' to Sebastian shall we?

There is a rather subdued hello from within the cupboards.

Hazel
Good. Now, today we are going
to become skilled in the art of
generosity. It's a comparatively
straightforward notion, but one which
you men folk appear to have inordinate
difficulties grasping, so we are going
to go through it at a leisurely pace,
and see if we can't derive some sense
from it. The two kinds of generosity
we will be looking at today are material
generosity and generosity of spirit.
Are there any queries?

11. INT. CUPBOARD ROOM LATER SAME DAY

Hazel has stopped pacing the floor, and is now focusing on one
particular cupboard. She is still reading from her book.

Hazel
Ok, Jim, your turn. Your lady friend
returns home from a taxing day in her
profession, entirely exhausted. Should you:
A. Surprise her with a bottle of her favourite
beverage/ box of confectionery?
B. Bestow upon her a massage to help unwind?
C. Offer to prepare the evening repast?
D. All of the above?

There is silence. Hazel taps her foot and coughs impatiently.

Hazel
AHERRRRRM

Further silence

Hazel
Jim? We have already studied
this twice, come now!

No response. Hazel presses her ear to the door. We hear a little
snore.

Hazel
JAMES!!

She thrusts her stick through the flap in the bottom of the door, and
we hear a pained yelp.

Hazel
You are without doubt my most fruitless
scholar James! It isn't that you don't
have aptitude, it's just that you are
idle and inattentive during lessons.
What am I to make of you?!

She sighs, and walks over to the next cupboard.

Hazel
Sebastian. Same question for you
please.
Sebastian
I should think all of the above.

Hazel
Most impressive! You are my
star pupil!

There are vague mutterings of 'creep' and 'arse kisser'.
Hazel beats the ground with her stick and they all fall silent.
She looks around her.

Hazel
Now, I see no evidence of gift
purchase or meal preparation, so we
will just have to hone the massage
proficiency wont we?

She kicks her shoe off, and peels of her flesh coloured stocking,
revealing a gnarled, bunioned foot with ageing yellow toenails. She
thrusts it through the cat flap at the bottom of Sebastian's
door.

Hazel
Let us commence shall we?

12. INT. VICARAGE KITCHEN

Audrey is sat at the table, conveniently positioned in front of the
window, studying what we presume is a flower arranging book with great
interest. She is turning her head at different angles, and moving her
hands, as if to poke flowers in at different points. Something catches
her eye, and she drops the book on the table, moving over to peer out
of the window towards Hazel's house. We see that it is in fact a book
about the joys of marital sex.

From her p.o.v. we can see Hazel striding purposefully up and down the
room talking, apparently, to herself, in an animated fashion. Every so
often she waves her stick around menacingly, and Audrey is sure she can
hear grunts of pain.
Audrey looks around the kitchen, desperately searching for an excuse to
go outside for a better look. She grabs a half empty rubbish bag
excitedly from the kitchen bin, and waddles out of the kitchen door
with it, to get a closer look.

13. EXT. VICARAGE DAY

From outside, the cries of pain are more audible, and Audrey can see
Hazel moving around more theatrically, waving her stick around like a
fencing enthusiast. Audrey has now abandoned any pretence she had of
discarding the rubbish, and is now clutching the bag tightly,
shamelessly gawping across the road into Hazel's window.

14. INT. CUPBOARD ROOM DAY

Hazel has now changed tactics, and is conducting a quiz, firing
questions at the cupboard doors willy nilly. To the side of her is the
open curtained window, and we can see the advancing form of Audrey,
open mouthedly staring. She gets closer and closer until she disappears
under the height of the window. There is a scraping of metal, like
somebody dragging an aluminium dustbin across the ground, and a
grunting noise of someone unused to exerting themselves. Audrey pops up
into view again, puffing and panting, her hair awry. Her face is
pressed up to the window, her large nose flattened at a strange angle
against the glass. Hazel is unaware of her.

Hazel
SEBASTIAN. Having procured a
lady's telephone number, what
is a reasonable time frame
within which to utilise it?

Sebastian
The following morning at the earliest
or the following evening at the latest
never longer than 2 days

Hazel
That is precise. PHILLIP. At
what time is it appropriate
to remark upon your lady's
appearance?

Phillip manages to get one word out before he is interrupted by
Sebastian, who, despite his uncomfortable situation, appears to be
getting very involved in the lesson, and very competitive with his
fellow captives.

Sebastian
Only when asked, and only to
compliment, never to advise.

15. EXT. HAZEL'S HOUSE

Audrey is perched at an awkward angle, atop a metal dustbin, gripping
on to Hazel's windowsill for dear life, her stout backside wobbling
with indignation. In her

haste to see what is going on, she hasn't taken reasonable care in
placing the dustbin, which is consequently balanced half in Hazel's
flower bed, with the larger half rocking dangerously out over the edge,
unsupported.

16. INT. HAZEL'S HOUSE

Hazel
Now, reiterate after me.
(theatrically)
I worship, admire, respect and adore you.
You are the most stunning mortal in
the cosmos, always have been, always will be.

They repeat it in parrot fashion, with considerably less enthusiasm.
One well spoken voice soars above the rest. It is Sebastian the
swot.

17. EXT. HAZEL'S HOUSE

As Audrey shifts, to get a better view, we see the dustbin tip
backwards, over the edge of the flower bed.

18. INT. CUPBOARD ROOM

As the dustbin falls out from underneath her, we see Audrey's face
lurch quickly towards the window pane, its look of horror quickly
turning to pain as it hits the window with a sickening thud. As she
falls, Audrey's face is dragged down the window, and we see it contort
against the glass, her nose and lips flattened and pushed upwards as
she slides down the window. She disappears, and we hear a crash,
followed by a thud, and a yelp.
Hazel stops what she is doing, and looks towards the window, confused.
There is a greasy pink smear running down the pane.

19. EXT. HAZEL'S HOUSE

Audrey is lying in the flower bed staring up at the sky. A big pink
smear runs over her nose, and up the middle of her forehead. The Vicar
comes running over, having witnessed her fall on his way down through
the churchyard. Hazel opens her window, and looks out bemusedly from
left to right, then down, where she sees Audrey. She raises her
eyebrows questioningly.

Vicar
Good Lord, are you alright?
Have you hit your head?

Hazel
Might I be so bold as to enquire
about your reasons for lying
amongst my poyanthus?

Vicar
Can you move your legs?
Does anything feel broken?

Hazel
Why has my dustbin been placed
in the middle of the public
thoroughfare?

Audrey is lying there wide eyed and gesticulating wildly.

Audrey
(shocked, confused and out of breath)

She was? there is? big stick

Hazel
I'm afraid I have absolutely
no idea what you are trying to
convey to me.

Vicar
(kindly)
Slow down. Start again

Audrey takes a few breaths, and flaps at her face dramatically as her
husband picks her up under the arms and gets her to her feet.

Vicar
Now. Tell us what happened.

Audrey
(indignantly)
I told you there was something
going on there. I told you. She's
been dancing around performing satanic rituals. I saw her through the
window!

Hazel
I beg your pardon? What utter nonsense!
this woman is clearly confused
Audrey
I know what I saw. Satanism I tell
you.

She nods emphatically at her husband, glaring balefully at Hazel.

Hazel and the Vicar exchange a look. Hazel looks at Audrey, then back
at the Vicar, a doubtful expression on her face.

Hazel
This really does beggar
belief vicar!

The Vicar looks at Hazel, then at Audrey, then back at Hazel. His
expression matches hers.

Vicar
I think we had better call the
doctor my love, you must have
hit your head harder than we
thought.

Audrey
(Furiously)
There is NOTHING wrong with me. I
know what I saw. The woman was
performing some kind of unspeakable
ritual in there.

Vicar (soothingly)
Yes dear shhhhhhhh. Lets get you
in for a nice hot cup of tea shall
we? You have had a nasty fall.

He leads her gently away, throwing an apologetic look over his shoulder
at Hazel, who smiles benevolently back at him, and shuts the
window.

Audrey
Don't patronise me! I'm telling
you the truth. I KNOW what I saw
I WILL be believed!

20. Ext. CHURCHYARD EVENING

Hazel is walking up through the churchyard with her basket of cleaning
equipment. The Vicar comes down the path towards her with A MAN. they
stop and exchange pleasantries.

Vicar
Ms Hawkes, how lovely to see you.

Hazel
Good evening Vicar. How is Mrs
Vicar bearing up?

Vicar
Not too well, she has been confined
to her bed with a sprained foot, and
her head injury. Nothing serious
apparently, but I'm a bit worried
about her seeing things. Imagine her
accusing you of Satanism!

Hazel chuckles along with the vicar.

Hazel
Ludicrous! Absolute Bunkum!

Vicar
Do allow me to introduce you
to our new organist. This is
Mr Rochester. Please excuse me
though won't you, I must dash
back to my wife.

The vicar dashes off out of the churchyard. Hazel's eyes have become
very wide at the mention of the name Rochester. She stands and stares
at him, unable to speak.

Rochester
Delighted to meet you Ms Hawkes.
I see you must be in responsible
for the cleanliness of our church.

Hazel
(breathlessly)
Yes, Yes. Indeed I am.

They stand and look at each other for a while, Hazel besotted,
Rochester looking slightly uncomfortable with the situation. He turns
to leave.

Rochester
Yes? well?. it was lovely
meeting you.

Hazel stares at him as he smiles politely, and turns his back on her,
walking off down the path. She is desperate for something to say, and
so blurts out the first thing that enters her head.

Hazel
Well, I had best get on myself.
Have to go and give your organ a
thorough polishing.

Rochester spins around, a look of horror on his face. Hazel has gone
very red in the face, and dares not say anything else, for fear of
worsening the situation. Rochester gives an embarrassed cough.

Rochester
Aherm? Indeed Ms err Hawkes.

He looks at her strangely for a while, then leaves. Hazel stays where
she is on the path, a horrified look on her face as the realization of
what she has said sinks in.

21. INT. HAZEL'S FLAT LATE EVENING

Hazel bursts in, throwing her basket of cleaning equipment down, and
running over to her goldfish.

Hazel
(theatrically)
It has happened Mr Darcy, just
as we suspected it might! Charlotte
Bronte has answered my prayers!
My very own Rochester has been
delivered. Oh joyous occasion!
Blessed be. Oh Happy Day!

She stops suddenly, and looks towards the cupboard room.

Hazel
My work here is clearly concluded!
It's time to liberate them.

22. INT. VICARAGE BEDROOM

Audrey is laid up in bed, a bandage around her head, and her foot
supported by a pile of pillows. She is reading. Every so often she
reaches out a pudgy hand and takes a chocolate from a nearly empty box
beside the bed. There is also a small bell there. She is obviously
enjoying the attention being lavished upon her whilst she is sick.
Suddenly she is distracted by noises coming from outside. She struggles
out of bed, and hops across the floor, dragging her injured foot behind
her, to the window, where she peers out of the curtains.

23. EXT. HAZEL'S BACK DOOR.

Hazel is standing in her door way. In front of her, six very confused
men are stumbling around in their underpants, crashing into each other
dazedly. Hazel is waving her hands at them in a shooing motion, but
they are so dis-orientated, they simply crash into each other in their
haste to leave. Eventually, one gathers his wits and heads for the
road, the others slowly following like sheep. Hazel looks up at Audrey
standing open mouthed in her window, and waves.

24. INT. VICARAGE BEDROOM.

Audrey struggles back to the bed, and sits on the edge of it, reaching
for the telephone on her bedside table. She grabs the receiver,
dialling feverishly.

Audrey
Hello? Police Please. Yes,
I'd like you to send someone
immediately, my next door
neighbour appears to be harbouring
illegal immigrants. Yes, yes I'm
perfectly sure. My address is??.

During this conversation, the Vicar has entered the room. He grabs the
phone from Audrey.

Vicar
Hello? Yes, I'm terribly sorry
to waste your time, my wife has
recently suffered a head trauma
and isn't responsible for her actions.
I'm most awfully sorry. Thankyou,
goodbye.

He hangs up. Audrey is speechless with rage. She has gone purple, and
is waving her arms around and pointing furiously at the window.

Vicar
Yes, I know, yes. Back into
bed with you. You need to rest that
poorly head of yours.

FADE OUT

26. EXT. VILLAGE NIGHT

The released hostages are roaming around the village, in their
underpants, lost. Sebastian appears to have appointed himself the
leader, and is waving his arms around, and barking orders
ineffectually. The others are ignoring him. Two of the men are lagging
behind, supporting a semi-conscious man we can presume to be the still
heavily sedated Jim.

Ending credits to roll over this sequence.