The Unlikely
Apprentice
By
Joshua Mims
Locked Script
1/28/09
FADE IN:
1 INT. WALTER’S
STUDIO ROOM - NIGHT
A blank white canvas
fills the screen. A brush touches the
canvas and begins
painting a red streak across the canvas.
The brush moves and a
gnarled hand becomes visible.
The hand is followed
up to reveal WALTER, an older man in
his late sixties. He
is balding, and his remaining hair is
solid white, horn
rimmed glasses frame his face. He moves
the brush with such
fluidity that it’s almost an extension
of his arm, dabbing
it with paint and resuming painting.
The room is filled
with paintings, all of extraordinary
beauty. They are
marked with a small "W". Walter reaches
out, pauses, and
leans in to the canvas, staring. He fixes
his glasses, squints
and tears well in his eyes.
WALTER
Please, God. No.
2 EXT. ROADSIDE GRILL
- NIGHT
There are only a
couple of old cars parked by the run down
roadside grill. The
fading neon sign name declares it has
seen better times.
The trashcans by the
back door are overflowing. A shadow
moves across them,
and a small dirty hand reaches out to
open the lid.
A nattily clad figure
rustles through the contents. The
figure pulls
something out and begins eating on it, but
continues the search.
The figure finds a
spray paint can and drops the food. He
shakes it and begins
to paint on the side of the trashcan.
He does some straight
lines. He does some curve lines. He
tries to make
figures.
A CAR MOTOR is heard
in the background, and the figure
rushes to hide behind
the trashcans.
A police car
approaches. The figure peers over the trashcans
and for a moment the
light illuminates the face of CHARLIE,
a young street urchin
with curly black hair, caramel skin,
and terrified puppy
dog eyes.
Though Charlie is
ten, malnutrition makes him look tiny.
Fear exudes from him
like a stench. Charlie runs away. The
police search light
scans by the trashcans and pauses for an
instant on the
graffiti.
3 EXT. WALTER’S HOME
-NIGHT
A police car pulls up
to the entrance of Walter’s home.
The house is a
beautiful cottage, surrounded by a hideous
and gnarled wrought
iron fence.
The car drives
through the gate and up to the house.
The car stops and the
driver, SHERIFF SALLY (30’s), wearing
her uniform jacket,
hat and badge, gets out. She also wears
an easy smile and the
type of disposition that makes you
trust her instantly.
Sally walks up to the
door, and rings the intercom. After a
moment, a harsh voice
is heard through the intercom box.
WALTER
(filtered)
What do you want?
The driver, SHERIFF
SALLY, smiles.
SALLY
I needed to talk to
you about
something.
WALTER
(filtered)
Go away.
SALLY
Now listen, I
wouldn’t be bothering
if it wasn’t
important...
WALTER
(filtered)
I don’t care.
Sally shakes her
head.
SALLY
I got all night,
Walter.
The box is silent.
A buzz is heard,
Sally pushes the door and enters.
4 INT. WALTER’S
STUDIO ROOM - NIGHT
Paintings fill the
room. Some are hanging on the wall, some
on easels, some on
the floor leaning against each other.
Shelves and painting
materials complete the rest of the
empty space.
Walter is focus in
only one thing: painting a picture of his
late wife from a
black and white photo.
SALLY
How you doing?
WALTER
Busy.
Sally sighs.
SALLY
There have been some
reports of
break-ins lately. We
think it might
be some teenagers
messing around.
WALTER
Addicts.
Walter states this as
fact. Sally stares at the ground and
shakes her head. It’s
a familiar argument.
SALLY
So I thought since
you lived out
here by yourself...
WALTER
That’s the way I like
it. Anything
else?
SALLY
Would you at least
consider getting
a security system?
WALTER
I got all the
security I need with
a Smith and Wesson.
If a man can’t
take care of himself,
what use is
he? Good day,
Sheriff.
Walter turns his back
on Sally and she begins to leave.
SALLY
The girls send their
best Pop. I
put some flowers on
Mama’s grave
for you.
Walter stops for a
moment. He lowers his head but doesn’t
turn around.
WALTER
Thank you Sally. Good
evening to
you.
Walter resumes his
painting. Sally leaves.
Walter tries to paint
the portrait of his wife, but doesn’t
seem to work. He
squints but can’t see well.
He fixes his glasses
and turns the brushes to see the number
on their handles and
doesn’t know which one to use. He picks
one, gets paint.
He looks up at the
black and white photograph of his wife
he’s trying to paint
and executes a few strokes. He stares
hard at it.
WALTER
Oh Maggie-May, what
am I going to
do?
Walter shakes the
canvas. He grabs a mat knife and slashes
the canvas. He picks
it up and throws it on the floor,
lamenting in
frustration.
Slight noise is heard
of CABINET DOORS OPENING and THINGS
FALLING. Walter stops
to listen.
5 INT. WALTER’S
KITCHEN - NIGHT
A figure fumbles
through the cabinets of Walter’s kitchen.
6 INT. WALTER’S
STUDIO ROOM - NIGHT
Walter quietly walks
to his bedroom.
7 INT. WALTER’S
KITCHEN - NIGHT
The figure arrives at
the pantry and starts pulling things
out.
8 INT. WALTER’S
BEDROOM - NIGHT
Walter stumbles into
his bedroom. He opens the drawer of his
night stand and pulls
out a pistol from a shoe box.
9 INT. WALTER’S
KITCHEN - NIGHT
The figure is on his
knees holding an unidentified object (a
box of crackers and
begins biting into them hungrily.)
Walter comes in
pointing the gun. As he turns on the lights,
he shouts:
WALTER
Alright freeze ya
hood!
There are fallen food
boxes on the floor. The figure whips
around to reveal
Charlie, who tries to make a move to the
door until he sees
the gun.
WALTER (CONT’D)
Stay where you are
before...
(looking for a line)
before I fill ya with
lead.
Walter is standing by
the light switch pointing the gun
menacingly, and
squinting. He pulls out his glasses from his
pocket, puts them on
but can’t see any better.
Charlie freezes and
stares wide eyed at Walter.
WALTER (CONT’D)
Oh, for heaven’s
sake, how old are
you, anyway!
Charlie shrinks.
Walter moves towards the phone. He dials,
always looking at
Charlie.
SALLY
(filtered, alarmed by
the late
call)
Hello?
WALTER
Officer, I got one of
your
subjects.
SALLY
(filtered)
Dad, are you OK?
WALTER
Come and get him
before I take care
of him.
SALLY
(filtered)
I’ll be right over.
Walter hangs up the
phone and now approaches the thief.
WALTER
What were you after?
Crack money?
What’s in your hands?
Charlie stares at
Walter motionless.
WALTER (CONT’D)
I’m talking to you
boy. Speak when
spoken to.
Tears begin welling
in Charlie’s eyes.
WALTER (CONT’D)
Those don’t work with
me.
Walter grabs
Charlie’s hands and pulls them up. Charlie
slowly raises his
hands and opens them to reveal a fistful
of broken crackers.
Walter stares at the
crackers, then up at Charlie. Though
his face doesn’t
change, his eyes seem to soften.
WALTER
Crackers?
He looks away and
sees his wallet on the counter, untouched,
next to his car keys
and the pile of mail. Charlie sees the
wallet too and looks
at Walter.
CHARLIE
It’s only crackers...
Walter stares. He
looks at the box of crackers. Hesitates.
He hands the box back
to Charlie.
WALTER
Here, have some
more...
Charlie extends his
hand to grab the box of crackers and
begins to eat,
fiercely. Walter is dumbfounded.
10 EXT. WALTER’S
STREET - NIGHT
A police car
screeches to a halt in front of Walter’s house.
Sally leaps out of
her car, rushing to the front door, which is open.
11 INT. WALTER’S
KITCHEN - NIGHT
Sally rushes into
the
kitchen pointing her gun, but stops
herself at the site.
Walter, still holding
his gun, is watching Charlie eat a
sandwich and drink a
glass of milk, incredulously.
Walter looks at Sally
somewhat embarrassed and
uncomfortable.
Sally doesn’t know
how to react either and doesn’t want
Walter to be even
more uncomfortable. She looks away. She
sees the gun.
SALLY
Sir, you know this is
a very
dangerous weapon in
the presence of
...
WALTER
...Children?
Sally nods.
SALLY
Everything seems to
be alright.
WALTER
Except that you might
need to do a
run for more lunch
meat.
SALLY
(to Charlie)
What’s your name?
WALTER
His name is Charlie.
Charlie is glad he
didn’t have to answer because his mouth
is full and too busy
ingesting as much food as time allows.
Sally looks for the
next question to ask when Walter pulls
her aside.
WALTER
Hungry. Homeless. No
parents.
Escaped the beatings
of his aunt.
SALLY
How did he get in?
WALTER
(walking away)
Back door was open.
(to Charlie)
Here, take some fruit
for the trip,
and off you go!
Walter offers him a
banana, but Charlie is too busy eating
and doesn’t have a
chance to take it, when:
SALLY
Charlie, I’m going to
take you to a
group home.
CHARLIE
Oh, no! Please,
ma’am! I promise I
won’t break in again,
ever!
WALTER
Well, that would be
of no use,
there’s no food left
in the house.
CHARLIE
Sorry, sir. I’ll
re-pay for the
food, if I can.
Somehow.
Sally gets a great
idea.
SALLY
Well... I’m sure my
dad can find
some chores for you
to do.
Walter is alarmed by
the proposal.
CHARLIE
Your dad?
Sally walks to
Charlie and leans over, making the deal.
SALLY
He doesn’t pay well,
but is all you
got right now.
WALTER
(rebuking)
Sally?!
SALLY
(to Charlie)
I can pick you up at
the group home
and bring you over.
You can pay for
your dinner and then
earn extra
cash. Start tomorrow?
CHARLIE
Yes, ma’am.
WALTER
(walking away with
banana)
I knew I should have
checked if the
door was locked!
Sally grins, and then
winks at Charlie. Charlie picks up a
banana from the table
and gets up to leave with Sally. Walter
turns to watch
Charlie. Their eyes meet. Walter tosses
Charlie the banana.
12 INT. WALTER’S
STUDIO ROOM - DAY
Walter is fully
focused on painting a portrait of his wife.
Sally sits on the
chair holding a book she’s supposedly
reading, but mostly
is enjoying seeing her father paint,
just like in her
younger years.
13 EXT./INT. WALTER’S
SHED - DAY
Charlie is at the
shed with some garden tools in his hand.
He finds a bucket.
Picks it up and gets paint on his hand.
He looks at the paint
in his fingers and doodles on the
shed’s inside wall.
14 INT. WALTER’S
STUDIO ROOM - DAY
Walter is now getting
more paint on the palette. Sally
pretends she’s
reading.
WALTER
So... what do you
have him doing?
SALLY
Weeding the
flowerbeds.
Walter stops painting
for a moment.
SALLY (CONT’D)
I know they’ll never
look as good
as when mom took care
of
them...(CONT.)
15 EXT. WALTER’S
FLOWER BED - DAY
Charlie picks weeds
and puts them in the bucket.
16 INT. WALTER’S
STUDIO ROOM - DAY
SALLY (CONT’D)
...but they could use
a little
help.
Walter continues
painting. Sally stands up.
SALLY (CONT’D)
I’ll go fix lunch.
17 INT. WALTER’S
KITCHEN - DAY
Sally has prepared
three plates of food.
Charlie peeks through
the door.
SALLY
Come in, Charlie.
(louder)
Dad, you coming?!
Charlie comes in the
kitchen.
SALLY (CONT’D)
How did it go?
Walter comes in the
kitchen.
CHARLIE
I’m done with the one
by the
door... (pause) And
this is for
you...
Charlie hands her a
flower he picked from the flowerbed.
CHARLIE
It used to be my
mom’s favorite.
Sally seems moved.
She takes the flower. She smells it.
SALLY
(finally, with teary
eyes)
It used to be my
mom’s favorite,
too.
Sally and Charlie
embrace.
The flower is ripped
from Sally’s hand by Walter. He throws
it on the floor and
yells, bursting in anger.
WALTER
Don’t you even get
close to those
flowers, mister!
SALLY
Dad!
WALTER
And don’t you come in
my house
again!
Charlie runs out.
Sally gives a disapproval look at her dad,
picks up a plate of
food and goes after Charlie.
Walter goes back to
his studio.
18 INT./EXT. WALTER’S
GARDEN - DAY
Through the window we
see Walter and Sally arguing while
Walter paints. The
conversation is over. Sally exits.
Charlie is weeding.
Sally walks in.
SALLY
Charlie, I gotta
respond to a call.
I’ll be back very
shortly. Promise
me you won’t get into
trouble.
Charlie nods.
SALLY (CONT’D)
When you finish here,
you can
continue with the
flower beds by
the shed. That should
give you some
extra cash to keep.
CHARLIE
Thanks, sheriff.
SALLY
I’m counting on you.
Sally walks away.
Charlie follows her with his eyes. Picks
up the bucket and
brings them to the garbage.
19 EXT. WALTER’S
GARBAGE - DAY
Charlie throws away
the weeds in the garbage. He sees the
slashed canvas of
Walter’s wife.
He picks it up and
observes how the material is ripped.
20 EXT. WALTER’S HOME
- DAY
Another day. Sally
comes out of the house. Charlie stands
waiting for her
outside.
SALLY
I got you a few more
chores.
Charlie smiles and
raises his arms in celebration.
21 EXT. WALTER’S
GARDEN - DAY
Sally leaves on her
car and waves at Charlie. Charlie is
pushing a
wheelbarrow.
22 INT./EXT. WALTER’S
STUDIO ROOM/WALTER’S GARDEN - DAY
Through the window we
see Walter painting.
Charlie enters frame
and observes from outside.
Walter gets
frustrated and holds his head.
Charlie observes.
23 EXT. WALTER’S SHED
- DAY
Another day. Charlie
takes a rake from the shed.
24 EXT. WALTER’S
GARBAGE - DAY
Charlie brings a bag
of leaves to the garbage. He finds more
canvas that
has been
destroyed. The paint is fresh.
25 EXT. WALTER’S HOME
- DAY
Another day. Charlie
is holding a broom, sweeping the
sidewalk by the
studio window.
He stops by the
window and stares at the paintings. Walter
is not in the room.
Charlie’s eyes scan the room. He then
looks around him. He
sets down the broom and cautiously
walks forward.
26 INT. WALTER’S
STUDIO ROOM - DAY
Charlie peeks in at
the door. Walter is still not there.
He quietly walks in
amazed at what he sees.
He sees a painting of
the flower. He observes it, wants to
touch it but
hesitates.
He decides to touch
it when:
WALTER
What do you think you
are doing?!
Walter grabs his
shoulder and drags him out.
WALTER (CONT’D)
I told you not to
come in my house!
Walter drags him out
of the room.
27 EXT. WALTER’S
GARDEN - DAY
Walter drags Charlie
out of the house.
WALTER
You need to know your
place!
27A INT. SHED
- DAY
Walter drags Charlie
into the shed.
WALTER (CONT’D)
You’ll stay locked up
until the
police comes for you.
Walter throws Charlie
on the floor of the shed when he
notices the walls.
The entire shed walls
are covered by paintings of the flower
and flowers crafted
with pieces of canvas.
The beauty of it all
makes Walter enter another dimension of
amazement. He walks
to one of the walls. He sees scraps on
the corner, also some
old paintbrushes and empty tubes of
paint.
He approaches one of
the flowers on the wall, as if he wants
to touch them, but
stops himself.
Walter looks at
Charlie who is still on the floor, bursts
and leaves.
28 INT. WALTER’S
STUDIO ROOM - DAY
The studio room never
looked so bright. On a table, there’s
a flower vase with
the flower.
A white canvas.
A brush approaches,
and we see it’s being held by a young
hand. The brush
doesn’t touch the canvas.
Pull out to reveal
Walter standing behind Charlie. Walter
encourages Charlie to
touch the canvas but he hesitates.
Walter pushes
Charlie’s elbow. The contact has been made.
Charlie begins to
paint.
Walter guides
Charlie’s hand in dipping the brush into the
paint and gets him
started on doing a stroke.
Charlie takes a deep
breath and smiles. Behind Charlie, a
smile slowly creeps
onto Walter’s face.
Walter nods.
Pan from Charlie
painting to the flower vase with the
flower.
FADE TO:
A painting of the
flower vase with the flower. The signature
reads "Charlie."
FADE OUT
