INT. CARTHRIGHT FAMILY CAR - MORNING
HENRY CARTHRIGHT SENIOR: Now Henry, you are lucky to be getting this opportunity. My good friend Ronald Hoppermayer has been kind enough to offer you this job. You’ll be starting on the bottom rung. If you are smart enough you can work yourself all the way to the top. Don’t waste it son.
HENRY CARTHRIGHT III: Father it isn’t what I really want to do. I want to be a magician. I want to entertain and to amaze.
HENRY CARTHRIGHT SENIOR: Now Henry, there is better job prospects in becoming the worlds most amazing photo copier technician than being a third rate magician. Do you understand.
HENRY CARTHRIGHT III: But Father I can be the best
HENRY CARTHRIGHT SENIOR: Get that nonsense out of your head son. It’s no life for anyone.
INT. HOPPERMAYER & BROWN OFFICE - MORNING
MR PEPPARD: My name is Mr Peppard, but you can call me god. This is a REGSON T820 photocopier. It is a valuable piece of equipment. If anything happens to this copier Carthright, I will hold you personally responsible. This pile of paper has to be scanned and filed away. Ms Gregson will show you how to operate it. Mrs Gregson is married to your Father’s boss. Get the picture. This pile will be added to during the day. Get to work
Mr Peppard leaves.
MRS GREGSON: 45, Relatively attractive, Five Feet Eight Inches, Blue eyes, long brown hair, Dressed in a suit.
MRS GREGSON: Why Henry I do look forward to working with you. (In a seductive voice)
HENRY CARTHRIGHT III: Likewise Mrs Gregson
MRS GREGSON: Please, call me Hilda
HENRY CARTHRIGHT III: Ok Hilda. Em, can you show me what you want me to do?
MRS GREGSON: Well first of all, I’d like you to move closer
Henry inches closer
MRS GREGSON: Thats not close enough
Henry moves fractionally closer
MRS GREGSON: Oh Henry there will just be the two of us all alone in this room for the rest of the day.
Mrs Gregson places her hand on Henry’s upper arm
What’s a girl to do?
CUT TO:
INT. OFFICE OUTSIDE THE COPIER ROOM - MORNING
Henry leaves the copier room and sprints through the main office.
INT. CAFE IN BUNGLEVILLE - MORNING
Henry is in deep contemplation as he looks down at his coffee cup
A young woman of African origin puts her hand on a chair at the opposite end of the table
FALLULAH: Five Feet nine inches, 18, BROWN EYES, SLIM, ATTRACTIVE, WEARING A BLOUSE AND JEANS
FALLULAH: May I sit here
HENRY CARTHRIGHT III: Yes of course
The waiter approaches
FALLULAH: May I have a coffee and a croissant and ... would you like another coffee?
HENRY CARTHRIGHT III: No thanks. I’ve had as much coffee as I can manage.
FALLULAH: You look quite down. The world isn’t about to end, the last time I checked.
HENRY CARTHRIGHT III: Did you ever just want to follow your dream no matter what anyone else says
FALLULAH: And what would that dream be? Does it include walking on the heads of crocodiles or juggling fully charged electric chainsaws?
HENRY CARTHRIGHT III: I want to be a magician. Not just any magician. I want to be the greatest.
FALLULAH: You must be very talented. What is your greatest trick
HENRY CARTHRIGHT III: I can move things with my mind
FALLULAH: Show me. Nobody in here is too bothered. Show me.
HENRY CARTHRIGHT III: You see this fork? I can bend it with my mind
FALLULAH: Ok Go Ahead
Henry concentrates on the fork for a number of seconds.
HENRY CARTHRIGHT III: Oh it’s not working. It must be the pressure
FALLULAH: The most important attributes of any magician are enthusiasm and effort
HENRY CARTHRIGHT III: Did you just make that up?
FALLULAH: No, I got it with a fortune cookie.
HENRY CARTHRIGHT III: Well it does make me feel better. What’s your life story?
FALLULAH: I was born in the country, but I have come here to seek fame and fortune.
HENRY CARTHRIGHT III: You’re not giving much away.
FALLULAH: I hardly know you.
HENRY CARTHRIGHT III: I have all day.
INT. HOME OF ATWAL BURUNDI - MORNING
ANISA BURUNDI: Atwal, Atwal. Cherokee isn’t here
ATWAL BURUNDI: He’s probably outside
ANISA BURUNDI: He never gets up this early. You know how hard it is to get him out of bed. He might have left a note.
Anisa, leaves the bedroom to search for a note. A short while later she returns to Atwal in the bedroom who is getting dressed. She hands Atwal the note.
ATWAL BURUNDI: Dear Mom and Dad. I have gone to Bungleville. Please don’t follow me and don’t worry I will be fine. I hope to return and see you again soon. Cherokee
ANISA BURUNDI: You have to find him before he does something stupid. You know how much I love him. How I could ring his little neck.
ATWAL BURUNDI: The sooner I go the better. I will go now and I will find him. I promise.
EXT. POLITICAL RALLY AT URBAN PARK - DAY
President Bungle is greeting a crowd of about three thousand supporters at a political rally. There are a number of security guards and secret service agents occupying the entrance and exit points. Cherokee approaches an entrance. He is stopped by a secret service agent
SECRET SERVICE AGENT: SIX FEET FOUR INCHES TALL, BROAD, WEARING A SUIT, TIGHT HAIR CUT, LIGHT BLUE EYES, CAUCASIAN, 32.
SECRET SERVICE AGENT: Where do you think you’re going boy
CHEROKEE BURUNDI: I was hoping to see President Bungle
SECRET SERVICE AGENT: We don’t let in just anyone. Come back tomorrow.
CHEROKEE BURUNDI: President Bungle won’t be here tomorrow. I need to speak with him.
SECRET SERVICE AGENT: Don’t waste my time. Beat it.
Cherokee makes a run for it but is caught and thrown to the ground. The teenager raises his hand to his cut lip.
SECRET SERVICE AGENT: People have been executed for less. Don’t test my patience
CHEROKEE BURUNDI: You’re a bad man
SECRET SERVICE AGENT: Get used to it kid. Welcome to Bungleville.
EXT. MARKET STALL IN BUNGLEVILLE - DAY
Cherokee approaches a market stall owner.
HOWARD SMITH: CAUCASIAN, SIX FEET TALL, 42, LONGISH DARK HAIR, WEARING A RED POLO SHIRT AND BROWN TROUSERS, SLIM
CHEROKEE BURUNDI: Please sir, can I have some food? I’m very hungry.
HOWARD SMITH: Please don’t bother me. I’m busy.
Cherokee turns in disappointment and walks away
Howard Smith calls after him.
HOWARD SMITH: Hey Boy
CHEROKEE BURUNDI : Yes sir
HOWARD SMITH: If you look after my stall for an hour, I will give you ten Bungles to buy food.
CHEROKEE BURUNDI: Ok sir
HOWARD SMITH: Each item on my stall costs one Bungle. I will give you an apple for free. You look like you need it.
EXT. MARKET STALL IN BUNGLEVILLE - TWO WEEKS LATER
HOWARD SMITH: Cherokee, I’ve been checking my stock for each of the last four days. Each day, two apples go missing. I need you to own up or else I’m going to have to fire you.
CHEROKEE BURUNDI: it wasn’t me, sir. Honest.
HOWARD SMITH: This can’t continue. You’re running out of chances. I have the mouths of me and my family to feed.
CHEROKEE BURUNDI: I will show you. I will catch the culprit Sir.
EXT. MARKET STALL IN BUNGLEVILLE - LATER THAT DAY DURING LUNCH
Cherokee is serving a customer when out of the corner of his eye he notices an apple disappear from the stall. He looks around but sees nobody.
Howard Smith returns
CHEROKEE BURUNDI: Sir, an apple disappeared when I was serving a customer. I think it must be an invisible being.
HOWARD SMITH: Don’t talk nonsense. There is no such thing as an invisible being. What will you think of next? It was you. There is no other alternative. I’m cutting your wages to eight Bungle’s until you own up.
EXT. MARKET STALL IN BUNGLEVILLE - A DAY LATER
Cherokee is again serving a customer when he notices an apple disappear. He reaches for a paint spray can and quickly sprays what he believes is an invisible man. An arm is visible, illuminated by the paint but it quickly disappears. Cherokee quickly attempts to pursue the individual but quickly realises it is futile.
EXT. MARKET STALL IN BUNGLEVILLE - AFTER LUNCHTIME
Mr Smith returns to his stall
CHEROKEE BURUNDI: Mr Smith, I saw him. I sprayed him with paint from this can and I could see his arm, but then it disappeared. It’s an invisible man, Mr Smith.
HOWARD SMITH: I’m tired of your tall tales Cherokee. I can’t have you working for me any longer. I need someone I can trust.
CHEROKEE BURUNDI: But Mr Smith
HOWARD SMITH: I have to run a business here, Cherokee. I need to put food on my table. I can’t have this.
Cherokee hangs his head in shame and walks away
INT. PRESIDENTIAL PALACE - DAY
President Bungle’s phone on his desk beeps
PRESIDENT BUNGLE: FIVE FEET TEN INCHES TALL, 64, OVERWEIGHT, THIN GREY HAIR, CAUCASIAN, WEARING A NAVY SUIT WITH WHITE SHIRT AND RED TIE, BROWN EYES
PRESIDENTIAL SECRETARY: Mr President, your daughter in law and her two children are here.
PRESIDENT BUNGLE: Send them in
KATHLEEN BUNGLE, 34, blonde hair, five feet seven inches, attractive, blue eyes, slim, wearing a red cardigan, white blouse and pink mini skirt with pink boots
AARON BUNGLE, 8, FOUR FEET TALL, DARK HAIR, BLUE EYES, SHY, SLIM, WEARING A GREEN JUMPER, BLACK SHOES AND JEANS
MADELINE BUNGLE, 6, THREE FEET TALL, SLIM, LIGHT BLUE EYES, FAIR HAIR, WEARING A RED FLORAL DRESS AND RED SHOES.
KATHLEEN BUNGLE: Good afternoon Mr President. I hope we aren’t disturbing you too much. We know you’re busy.
PRESIDENT BUNGLE: Oh, you know how it is. Weighing up the pros and cons of nuking Umpa Lumpa Land.
KATHLEEN BUNGLE: Those Umpa Lumpa’s can get quite feisty.
PRESIDENT BUNGLE: Tell me about it.
KATHLEEN BUNGLE: Anyway the kids just wanted to pop in to say “Hi”
AARON BUNGLE: Hi, Grandpa Bungle.
PRESIDENT DJUMBA: Well Aaron, this must be your first time inside the Presidential Office. One day this will be your office. You will get to make very important decisions, like ordering breakfast, meeting foreign leaders and threatening powerful nations that refuse to play ball.
AARON BUNGLE: My dad says you’re rich too.
PRESIDENT BUNGLE: Your grandfather has a lot of power, a lot of money... it’s the stuff of dreams. With great power comes the possibility of attaining great wealth. I have several palaces scattered around the country and around the world and one day it will all be yours. I only hope I’ll be around to see it. It will be the proudest day of my life after of course me becoming President or the time I sent troops to Quasimodoland. We sure bashed the socks of them or the time..
AARON BUNGLE: Dirk Matheson is the school bully. If I was President, could I have him taken care of?
PRESIDENT BUNGLE: Consider it done. How do you spell Matheson.
AARON BUNGLE: M-A-T...
PRESIDENT BUNGLE: I tell you what - why don’t we just round up all the Matheson’s to be sure.
AARON BUNGLE: Thanks Grandpa. You’re the best
PRESIDENT BUNGLE: So is there any country you’d like to nuke today Aaron?
EXT. END OF MARKET STREET - DAY
Cherokee sits down on the ground with his back to a wall in despondent mood. After a few minutes a nineteen year old sits down beside him.
ALEXANDER HOPSCOP: You look very blue. What happened?
CHEROKEE BURUNDI: I lost my job.
ALEXANDER HOPSCOP: Don’t worry. I’m sure that the next one is only around the corner.
CHEROKEE BURUNDI: I had hoped to meet President Bungle and to persuade him to listen to reason. Our world is slowly falling apart and he is the main obstacle. If I could persuade him to take action to heal the environment then I would be happy but that seems to be a world away. Instead, I spend all night on the street. I smell and I’ve been wearing the same clothes for over a week,
ALEXANDER HOPSCOP: I think I know someone who might help. Come on.
They both stand up and start walking
She’s a terrible cook, but food is food.
CHEROKEE BURUNDI: Is that why you steal apples?
ALEXANDER HOPSCOP: What makes you think I steal apples?
CHEROKEE BURUNDI: Your sleeve still has traces of white paint
ALEXANDER HOPSCOP: Well look, I’m sorry about you losing your job and that’s why I want to help.
INT. MA BEANFIELD’S HOUSE - DAY
When Alexander and Cherokee enter, they can see Ma Beanfield hand washing some clothes in a large basin.
MA BEANFIELD: 49, Longish Grey Hair, Caucasian, Overweight, Five Feet Seven Inches, Wearing an old floral blouse and well worn red trousers.
ALEXANDER HOPSCOP: Ma, this is Cherokee. He doesn’t have a place to stay and...
MA BEANFIELD: You don’t have to tell me his entire sob story. You know we have an empty bed when young Larkin left. Happy to meet you Cherokee.
She holds out a wet outstretched hand and Cherokee accepts it
CHEROKEE BURUNDI: I’m sorry Mrs Beanfield, I haven’t washed in a while
MA BEANFIELD: Call me Ma. Everyone calls me Ma. Don’t worry Cherokee we’ll have you scrubbed up in no time. Your about the same height as young Larkin. He’s bound to have left some old clothes behind him.