Screenplay production

“A Single Man”
Screenplay by Tom Ford and David Scearce

Based on the novel by Christopher Isherwood

BLACK SCREEN: EXT. UNDERWATER Our black screen slowly fades to a murky blue-grey as it becomes apparent that we are underwater. From the top of our screen drifts the nude body of a man, arms outstretched, sinking slowly. He moves his legs in a slight struggle as he is pulled deeper anddeeper into the water. His hand lashes out in a final sudden movement as his body becomes still. We are now close in on the manʼs face to reveal GEORGE, 52, as he begins to toss and turn violently in the water searching for air. A title appears over our image in simple bold type: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1962. CUT TO: EXT. SNOW COVERED ROAD. DUSK George is walking in the snow. He is on a quiet stretch ofroad and the snow is falling gently. All is silent. Ahead of George and in our line of sight is a crushed car that has flipped over on itʼs top. There is broken glass everywhere and the skid marks of the car are visible on the icy road. The taillights are still on and there is steam coming from the hood. A body is hanging out of a smashed window on the driverʼs side of the car. CUT TO: EXT.UNDERWATER. George continues to toss and turn underwater even more violently as he struggles to find air. CUT TO: EXT. SNOWY ROAD. DUSK Arriving at the wreck, George looks at the bloody face of the dead driver - it is a handsome man in his mid thirties, JIM. There is a lifeless and bloody black and white dog on the dashboard against the broken windshield.

2. George slowly lies down in the snow nextto Jim. He stares at Jimʼs bloody face and then leans over and kisses Jim on the mouth. George pulls back. Jimʼs open eyes and blood covered face fill our screen as we push in tighter. His eyes have a cold gelatinous feel about them. We continue to push in until his eyes fill our screen. There is a faint, repetitive banging sound, like a drum beat, in the background that becomes increasingly louder.CUT TO: INT. GEORGEʼS HOUSE - BEDROOM. MORNING 1962 George bolts up in a panic. He canʼt breathe. He is sweating. The drumbeat sound is loud and constant. In the distance we hear a female voice. MRS. STRUNK (O.S.) Jennifer stop it! Stop that banging now! The banging sound stops. We hear the white noise hum of waves crashing in the distance and the faint sound of seagulls. Georgeʼs face fills ourscreen as he recovers from the dream. GEORGE V.O. Waking up begins with saying am and now. We gradually pull back from above to reveal a full length George. He does not look his age - a slim, tan, Englishman who has clearly taken care of himself. He has a full head of salt and pepper hair. He is handsome. QUICK CUTS OF A COMPLETELY STILL GEORGE FROM ALL SIDES AND ANGLES. He is nude, lying on abed, partially covered in wrinkled

3. white cotton sheets. There is a large black stain and an ink pen on the sheets next to him. FROM THE CEILING WE PUSH IN SLOWLY UNTIL WE ARE JUST OVER GEORGE. WE SETTLE IN ON HIS FACE. WE ARE INTIMATE WITH HIM AND CAN HEAR HIM BREATHING SOFTLY. A twitch of his left hand. A worn gold signet ring on the little finger. George reaches over to the other side of thebed as if searching for someone. There is an open fountain pen on this side of the bed with a small stack of stationery. The ink pen has left an enormous black stain on the sheets. Some of the ink comes off on his fingers. He gains his bearings and catches his breath. He lifts his fingers to his lips. The ink leaves a slight mark on his mouth. He lies still for a moment. CUT TO: FLASHBACK OF GEORGEKISSING JIM IN THE SNOW CUT TO: INT: GEORGEʼS HOUSE - BEDROOM. MORNING 1962 -- CONTINUOUS GEORGE V.O. For the past eight months waking up has actually hurt. The cold realization that I am still here slowly sets in. George, with bed hair, still sweating, untangles himself from the sheets and sits up. He holds onto his head as if in pain. A pile of clothes is in the chair next to the bed. Books...