Kevin Sullivan - Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning Screenplay

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES A New Beginning Screenplay Adapted By: Kevin Sullivan A screenplay based in part on Anne ofGreen Gables ~A New Beginning SMASHWORDS EDITION ***** PUBLISHED BY: Davenport Press Copyright 2013 Sullivan Entertainment, Inc. Image copyright 2013 Sullivan Entertainment, Inc. All rightsreserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any formor by electronic or mechanical means, including information storageand retrieval systems, without permission in writing from thepublisher, except for reviewers who may quote brief passages. The word markANNE OF GREEN GABLES is an official mark of the Anne of GreenGables Licensing Authority, Inc., used under licence. * * * * * FADE IN: EXT.

A FIELD, NEW BRUNSWICK -- AFTERNOON1 A voice calls into the wind blowing across avast field of daisies at the edge of a pond. Children leave aschoolhouse. The camera pans down to reveal 10 year old ANNESHIRLEY reading under a willow and hidden amongst the tall flowers.A young teacher, BERTHA SHIRLEY, with the fiery-red hair of apre-Raphaelite, calls anxiously for her daughter. BERTHA Anne! Anne! Anne Shirley! YOUNG ANNE blinks, trying to tear herself outof her literary daydream. EXT. WHITE SANDS BEACH -- AFTERNOON2 A 57 year old ANNE is nestled under ablanket, in a chaise, on the beach next to the old Hotel.

Lulled bythe soft ocean waves she tries to wake herself, but the daydream istoo delicious. A voice calls to her from the sand dunes. GENEARMSTRONG, an athletic 50 year old, strides through the tall grassin khakis. He finds Anne sequestered in the tall grass. EXT. A FIELD, NEW BRUNSWICK -- AFTERNOON3 Bertha lifts up Young Anne, kisses her, andtakes her by the hand and they run across the hill through the tallflowers.

BERTHA Anne, you've been out here since lunch! Younever remember to tell me where you're going and you missed ourentire history class. The Fall of Rome! Young Anne looks disappointed. Bertha looksat the watch on her blouse. YOUNG ANNE It's one of the privileges of having a motheras a schoolteacher. What a relief to be rescued! The book is aperfect tragedy. BERTHA It'll be a tragedy indeed if I miss my train!Your father's home from the logging camp, remember? Young Anne's head is still in her book.

BERTHA (CONT'D) We have to go! Young Anne chatters away as she struggles tokeep up. YOUNG ANNE My but that book gave me a thrill. It's thestory about a daughter of a belted Earl - stolen away from herparents in infancy by a cruel nurse, who died before she canconfess. Young Anne keeps talking to herself, behindher mother. Her hand slips from Bertha's. Bertha dissolves away inthe tall grass.

YOUNG ANNE (CONT'D) There's nothing lovelier than to have amother to gather me up... Young Anne stops. Bertha is nowhere to beseen. Anne runs. Anne murmurs to herself. She is jolted awake.

BERTHA Cmon Anne. YOUNG ANNE Mother?! Mother..! EXT. WHITE SANDS BEACH / AVONLEA --AFTERNOON4 ANNE Where are you? Gene picks up the copy of her play scribbledwith her notes, that is lying beside a June 1945 newspaper lying inthe sand whose headline reads: "Allies Divide Europe". He flips thepages. GENE Hi. ANNE Hi.

GENE I figured you were out here writing. Theresa read-through with the cast. I had some notes they wanted to sharewith you before we get started. Gene puts his arm around her as Anne pullsthe blanket up. He puts the play away in his bag. ANNE Im a novelist, Im not used to notes fromall these people.

Could you go and just fill me in? 4CONTINUED:4 Gene extends his hand to help her up. Annesenses something by the look on his face. GENE Well just tell the cast that youre gonnahold off on it for now. I mean its not a disaster. You obviouslyhave a different concept. Anne shrinks down.

The wind is knocked out ofher sails. GENE (CONT'D) Its not stageworthy Anne. Not yet anyway. Myconcern is that I dont think its going to be ready to performthis summer. I could put in another play and theyll just keepworking on it. Ahum this came for you.

Anne closes her eyes. Gene gives her areassuring squeeze. He removes a letter from his back pocket andpasses it over to Anne. The name "Dominic Blythe" and address arestamped with "Renvoyez a l'origine". Anne is disturbed. She puts itin her bag and nods, without looking at it.

GENE (CONT'D) The boys are all off celebrating. This is ahuge victory. Youll hear from em. Dont worry. See ya later. INT. INT.

WHITE SANDS HOTEL -- AFTERNOON5 Gene is rehearsing a group of ACTORS in theHotel ballroom. Anne is in a phone-booth on a landing outside. Thecalendar behind her reads June 1945; a poster "The Straw HatEnsemble - 4 Exciting New Plays through July and August at theWhite Sands Theatre". Anne has a lump in her throat. ANNE I know I sound like a typical mother, but youknow what your brother could be like. Frankly I'm terrified Frannie.

Dominic saidhed be on the first boat back from England. I know, I know... I'msorry to bother you just now. Is the baby better? Don't besilly...you come all the way here when Timmy has the mumps? ANNE (CONTD) I just need someone to talk to. Why wouldn'tDominic get in touch with me? (she stifles herself) No, I hear thebaby crying. You better go.

Alright, give him a big kiss for me. Ilove you...ok, bye. Anne hangs up the phone. She leans her headon the phone. EXT. BARRY'S POND -- EVENING6 Anne walks the bridge that she and GilbertBlythe courted on.

She pauses, feeling isolated. She gazes into thesun setting across the estuary. Mist drifts over the river. EXT. CEMETERY -- EVENING7 The shadows grow long among the tiltingheadstones. Anne stops at a new upright stone.

She encounters itearnestly, then kneels on the ground. She proceeds to lie on thegrassy mound. An inscription is revealed: "Doctor Gilbert JohnBlythe 1890-1942. Killed in action at Dieppe, France. Gratefullyremembered by his community for defending the faith and hiscountry. Cherished for eternity by his beloved wife, Anne" ANNE (whispering) It isn't right to cry...I never expected thislife Gil.

Send Dominic home. Get him back to me. Maybe hes alrightand just doesnt want to get in touch with me. You cant let go ofthe people who raise you. Though never knowing who your realparents are can always haunt you. EXT. EXT.

WHITE SANDS BEACH -- NIGHT8 A fire burns. Anne and Gene sit on the beach;a couple of the Actors finish hamming up a version of Noel Coward'ssong "A Fine Romance". Gene claps. Anne tries to. GENE Well done! ANNE Bravo! GENE Well done everybody. Time to pack itin...before I decide to recast.

Thanks for coming out. CONTINUED:8 A FEMALE ACTOR gives Anne a hug. FEMALE ACTOR Good night, Anne. Sorry about all the changesto the play. Anne shakes her head and kisses her back Thetwo MALE ACTORS saunter off ahead like collegians, singing andhorsing around. GENE Ten oclock tomorrow morning.

Learn yourlines. Any word yet on Dominic yet? Come on, Anne. Hell be back.Dominics a big boy. So, you going to start the re-write and makeme a big-time producer or what? Anne shakes her head. ANNE Oh, great American impresario is about as faraway from Broadway as he can get! GENE (CONT'D) You know, I dont get it. What are you doinghere? You called me and you say you had a great idea for a play,that you want to challenge yourself.

What did you come here for?What did you come here for? Anne stands with her arms folded. ANNE (blurting out) I came here to sell Green Gables! Doing a play with you was an excuse to gethere. Gene folds his arms, in imitation of her. Shecrossly unfolds her arms . GENE Dont waste my time. Anne suddenly crumbles.

ANNE Just go away. Just leave me alone! Gene gets up and walks into the Hotel. Musicis playing. People are dancing in silhouette. Anne is in close upin the dark, frightened and without a solution. ANNE (V.O.) (CONT'D) I've always needed to write.