Friendship a la King

The upcoming film “Hearts in Atlantis,” written by Academy Award-winning veteran William Goldman and directed by Scott Hicks, is Goldman’s second adaptation of a Stephen King story to reach the screen--he wrote the script for the 1990 film “Misery.”

“Hearts in Atlantis” takes place in 1960, and deals with the relationship between a fatherless boy and a telepathic drifter. Young Bobby Garfield (Anton Yelchin) befriends Ted (Anthony Hopkins), who’s just moved into the apartment upstairs. Unknown to Bobby, he’s on the run from J. Edgar Hoover’s G-men, who want to use his special powers of perception to root out Communists. Bobby’s single mother (Hope Davis), a cynical secretary financially unable to give her son more than a library card for his birthday, disapproves of Ted, but in this scene, Bobby agrees to help the older man in several ways.

*

INTERIOR, TED’S APARTMENT--

ENTRYWAY--DAY

BOBBY, a couple of afternoons later, going up the stairs to TED’s floor. He carries a copy of “Lost Horizon” with him. He knocks. TED opens the door.

TED

Thanks for making the skyward journey-- an icy root beer awaits you as reward. (he gestures toward his place)

BOBBY

(he does not and never will like root beer) Colder the better.

INT. TED’S APARTMENT--DAY

(TED’S place as they enter. Small, neat. A living room-kitchen, a bedroom beyond. BOBBY sits at the kitchen table while TED moves to the fridge, pulls it open, leans in, speaks in a normal manner.)

TED

One feels them first at the back of one’s eyes.

BOBBY

Feels what?

TED

(not moving at all, still staring in) One feels them first at the back of one’s eyes.

(BOBBY registers this, turns toward the older man as TED pulls out two bottles of Hires root beer, opens them, hands one over, like nothing happened.

BOBBY

decides not to comment.

TED notices BOBBY’S BOOK.)

BOBBY

(about the book)

I did like you said. Gave him a couple of hours.

TED

And?

BOBBY

Better than the Hardy Boys! (They each take a drink.)

TED

Would you like to make a dollar a week?

BOBBY

Would I ever!

TED

(smile)

The truth is this: My eyes are beginning to fail me, and if you will read me the Harwich Journal every day--headline stuff, sports, comics, want ads--I will give you said dollar.

CUT TO:

(BOBBY AND TED as they look at each other now.)

BOBBY (beat)

What else?

TED

What do you mean?

BOBBY

I mean there’s got to be more to it than that.

TED

(beat)

There is. (He pats his pockets, looking for something.)

BOBBY

What’s the real job?

TED

I want you to keep your eyes open, that’s all.

BOBBY

For what?

TED

(beat)

Low men.

CUT TO:

(BOBBY’S puzzled face. TED gets up and wanders out of the kitchen. BOBBY mouths to himself incredulously --)

BOBBY

(silently)

Low men?

TED (OVER)

That’s right, Bobby.

CUT TO:

(BOBBY: Did he see me? TED’S voice drifts down the hall.)

TED (CONT’D)

I use “low” in the Dickensian sense. Fellows who look stupid, dangerous.

(He returns with tobacco and rolling papers, sits down.)

Your real job will simply be to walk around the area, and if you see them, or find evidence that they have been here, you will alert me immediately.

(TED starts rolling a cigarette.)

BOBBY

And why are they hot on your trail?

TED

A certain something I happen to have. Let’s leave it at that.

BOBBY

(trying hard to stay serious)

What do they look like?

TED

They’re faceless, Bobby, under their hats. But loud and flashy. Like the cars they drive. When they move, they move in packs, like animals closing in on a kill. And they cast long shadows.

(almost sad)

Ah, what a world.

BOBBY

They’re not cops, are they? Or secret agents?

TED

Are you asking if I’m a bad guy? A Commie spy?

(BOBBY shakes his head embarrassed.)

TED (CONT’D)

It’s true I’ve scamped my share of fines--if there were Library Police, I’d be one of their Ten Most Wanted. But I never robbed a bank or stole a military secret.

BOBBY

So who are they?

TED

(deep breath, then with speed)

They are thugs, bullies, call them what you will--they are bulldogs, relentless when they’re after something--

BOBBY

--like this--this “something” you have--

TED

Yes. And what they want is me, back under their control--

(BOBBY’S having a hard time believing all this. The old guy’s obviously crazy. And yet --)

TED

(CONT’D)

--be on the lookout for them--when they’re closing in, they leave strange signs in code. In obvious places. Lost pet posters on telephone poles and the like.

(shakes his head)

If I knew everything they might do, they’d never catch me, but I don’t.

(stops)

BOBBY

What do I do if I see them?

TED

Run like hell was after you. And tell me what you’ve seen.

(takes a breath)

Remember when we met a week ago and I asked if you knew what was going on here? --that’s why you’re my man.

CUT TO:

(BOBBY. A strange last few minutes. He sips his root beer, studies the older man. TED looks exhausted now.)

(BOBBY does a sweet thing--leans across the table toward TED, whispers.)

BOBBY

Now don’t you worry, Ted--I won’t let the boogeymen get you--

LIZ

(off-screen)

Bobby? Are you up there?

(BOBBY pulls back, almost guiltily. Glances at the door.)

TED

Don’t worry. She can’t know what you’re thinking. That’s her power over you--that you believe it. It’s a mother’s power.

(BOBBY stares at him, amazed. Did TED just read his mind?)

END *