Basquiat
Screenplay by Julian
Schnabel
Produced by John Kilik
Randy
Ostrow
Joni Sighvatsson
Directed by Julian Schnabel
Cast List:
Jeffrey Wright Jean-Michel
Basquiat
David Bowie Andy Warhol
Dennis Hopper Bruno Bischofberger
Gary Oldman Albert Milo
Michael Wincott Rene Richard
Parker Posey Mary Boone
Elina Lowensohn Annina Nosei
Willem Dafoe The Electrician
BLACK
We HEAR "Waltzing Matilde," by Tom Waits.
INT. MUSEUM OF MODERN ART – DAY (DREAM SEQUENCE IN GRAINY BLACK AND
WHITE)
Fade out music.
Silence.
A well-dressed black BOY and his MOTHER walk through several galleries.
They stand before Picasso's "Guernica," holding hands.
The mother is disturbed. Crying.
The boy looks up, confused and frightened, concerned to see his
mother crying in public. She looks at him tenderly.
Her brow furrows. She stops crying. She stares just above his eyes.
Something's happening: she looks with wonder at the top of his
head... his eyes roll upward, trying to see – it's a crown!
He raises his hands. He touches it.
A beam of light illuminates the crown, casting its glow on his
mother's face.
The beam gets whiter, the rest of the screen gets black.
INT. CARDBOARD BOX
Silence. In darkness, we hear a VOICE – imbued with a sense of its own history:
VOICE (O.S.)
Everybody wants to get on the Van Gogh boat. There's
no trip so horrible that someone won't take it. The idea of the unrecognized
genius slaving away in a garret is a deliciously foolish one. We must credit
the life of Vincent Van Gogh for really sending this myth into orbit. How many
pictures did he sell? One? He couldn't give them away. We are so ashamed of his
life that the rest of art history will be retribution for Van Gogh's neglect.
No one wants to be part of a generation that ignores another Van Gogh.
The beam of light shines through a small hole. It falls upon a
sleeping, dreaming, delighted face. It belongs to JEAN
MICHEL BASQUIAT.
OUTDOOR, DAYTIME
SOUNDS filter in.
Hearing the voice, Jean frowns at being woken up.
EXT. TOMPKINS SQUARE PARK – DAY
A long, rectangular cardboard box.
SUPER: "NEW YORK CITY"
ANGLE ON:
RENE RICARD (early 30's), seated at a park bench,
hunched over a notebook. He's a raggedy dandy: A poet in a hooded sweatshirt
and white hightops.
As he writes, he reads aloud, as if addressing Posterity.
RENE (CONT'D)
(sighing theatrically)
In this town one is at the mercy of the recognition
factor. One's public appearance is
absolute.
Beyond him, a HAND gropes its way out of the box. It tosses a can of YOOHOO chocolate drink.
RENE (CONT'D)
I consider myself a metaphor of the public. I am a
public eye. I am a witness.
A HEAD appears from the box. It's Jean's.
Jean sees the start of a crisp, colorful autumn day. The urban park around him is alive with a typically full range of the good and bad in life. He eases himself out of the oversize box in which he has spent the night. There's something about the way that he stands while waking up that suggests he's almost surprised at his own body, the adultness of his limbs – just a subtle hint of him coming out of a dream.
He squints in the sunlight. He has a soft, gentle, Haitian face. His
hair is pulled tight to his head. He wears two pairs of blue jeans (one cut
like chaps over the other) a paint-covered Wesleyan University T-shirt, and the
inside lining of an overcoat. His appearance is unruly, but it's deliberate.
He's stylish.
He shakes himself off and collects his stuff, which includes: a
small book of Pontormo drawings, a can of black spray paint. and a cigar box
made into a loudspeaker with pencil holes and masking tape.
Jean walks out of the park and looks up past the buildings at the
sky:
Jean sees the surfer, 'riding the nose' in glistening, shimmering sunlight.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. TOMPKINS SQUARE PARK – DAY
Rene grabs the box for use as a desk and continues to speak out loud as he writes.
RENE (CONT'D, O.S.)
Part of the artist's job is to get the work where I
will see it.
EXT. LOWER EAST SIDE ST. – DAY
As he speaks, we see Jean pass the wall of a funeral parlor. He spraypaints: "SAMO AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO GOD"
RENE (CONT'D, O.S.)
When you first see a new picture, you don't want to
miss the boat. You have to be very careful because you may be staring at Van
Gogh's ear.
Jean signs his words with his 'logo', a triple pointed crown.
As he presses the spray can, we HEAR the roar of a breaker.
CUT TO:
INSERT: CLOSEUP OF SIDEWALK
Pressed into the concrete is a pair of EYEGLASSES. A light-colored piece of rock completes
the picture to make a face.
EXT. LESHKO'S RESTAURANT – DAY
JEAN'S POV: His shoes pause next to the face in the concrete.
CUT TO:
IN FRONT OF THE RESTAURANT
Is a METAL BILLBOARD with red plastic magnetized LETTERS that reads: "TODAY'S SPECIAL: CLAM CHOWDER $1.50. TRY IT!!!"
CUT TO:
INT. LESHKO'S – DAY
Jean enters.
CUT TO:
EXT. LESHKO'S RESTAURANT – DAY
CUT TO:
INT. LESHKO'S RESTAURANT – DAY
Bending over a countertop, we see GINA
CARDINALE, 22. He fixates on her.
She looks up and notices his stare. She continues to work.
Still staring at her, he sits down at a table. He pours maple syrup
onto the table. He draws in the syrup with his fingers.
CLOSE ON Syrup on table
ANOTHER WAITRESS arrives at his table. She's put off by the
syrup.
WAITRESS
What'll it be?
Jean thinks about it, eyes still following Gina.
BASQUIAT
Ummm. It'll be great. We'll live together in peace.
What's her name?
(indicates Gina)
He looks up at the waitress.
WAITRESS
Gina. What'll it be?
BASQUIAT
Pancakes.
She leaves and whispers something to Gina. Gina turns and glances
over at Jean.
Jean pours more syrup and starts writing his name.
At the grill, LESHKO, the burly Owner/Cook, has his watchful eye on Jean. He doesn't like
what he sees.
Jean smears the syrup thinly, so it doesn't erase itself. He draws a
picture of Gina, using his fingers and the silverware, rendering her last expression
strikingly with a few quick lines.
A GAUNT YOUNG MAN saunters up to Jean's table. He's sort of a tall Puerto Rican Alain Delon with sleepy eyes. He is BENNY.
BENNY
Hey – Willie Mays.
BASQUIAT
Willie Mays.
Suddenly, Rene Ricard enters – a one-man parade. He beckons to Gina, snapping his fingers.
RENE
Nurse!!! Oh!!! Nurse!!! Carrot juice. Tofu burger.
Rapido!
GINA
We don't serve that – amigo.
RENE
Fine... A greasy cheeseburger. Fries – and a vodka.
BASQUIAT
(under his breath)
Who's that?
BENNY
The Devil, man. Rene Ricard. Art critic – writes for
Artforum. People read him. Tell him who you are..
BASQUIAT
Who am I?
BENNY
SAMO.
BASQUIAT
Oh yeah..
Rene lands at the counter.
Jean's gaze is still on Gina.
She waits on a MAN at a nearby table.
CUSTOMER
How's the special today?
GINA
It's your stomach.
She hurries past Jean.
BASQUIAT
Hey.
She slows down, not wanting to.
BASQUIAT (CONT'D)
What do you think?
She looks at her portrait in the syrup... She can't resist smiling.
GINA
It's me. I've never been done in maple syrup. Here's a
rag.
Gina smiles. She offers him one. As she holds it out, their eyes lock. She tries to resist his smile.
BASQUIAT
(gently)
Gina?
She puts her finger in the syrup and licks it off.
Benny takes it all in.
Leshko is upon them.
LESHKO
Alright. Look at you, staring at this girl, making a mess.
He waves Jean toward the door.
Jean takes Gina's rag and begins cleaning his mess, seemingly
compliant.
How about those pancakes?
He brings out a roll of dimes to the tabletop and splits it open. Dimes roll all over the table and stick in the syrupy parts. The manager explodes.
LESHKO
OK! Goodbye!
GINA
Pipe down, Lech. Let him order.
LESHKO
You nuts? Let him order? You on his side? You're not
such a good waitress. You get out, too.
GINA
I just don't think you're being fair.
LESHKO
I need this?
GINA
I need this?
Gina quietly removes her apron in disbelief.
Benny gets up to leave very casually.
(waving g'bye to Jean)
Willie Mays.
LESHKO
(to Gina)
That's right. You go with them. Make babies the
government has to pay for.
CUT TO:
GINA AND JEAN
Leave the restaurant.
Behind them, we see Rene, absorbed in his writing.
EXT. AVE. A – DAY
They stand outside, not knowing quite what comes next.
Jean gives Benny a look (i.e. 'scram').
Catch you later.
Benny leaves.
A CHILLY WIND picks up.
Jean's mood is suddenly downcast.
They button up their overcoats, about to leave.
GINA
What's a job, anyway?
(pause)
What's wrong with you?
The truth is, he feels awful for causing Gina's trouble, but shows it by moping like a child.
GINA (CONT'D)
No, don't tell me – you just got fired by your crazy
boss.
BASQUIAT
I guess you did.
GINA
Guess I just got sick of him.
BASQUIAT
Can I walk you home?
GINA
I think I could do that alone.
Gina walks away.
He runs after her.
Wait, I'm in a band....We're at the Mudd Club on
Halloween. I'll put you on the list.
Gina turns and looks back at Jean.
GINA
I hate the Mudd Club.
He catches up to her.
Gina notices a dead leaf in his hair and picks it out.
GINA (CONT'D)
Have you been camping? You could use a scrub.
BASQUIAT
I'm clean. Smell me. I always smell good. I don't know
why, I just do!
He leans forward, offering his neck.
GINA
(smelling)
You do! You definitely do.
BASQUIAT
Just come to the Mudd Club on Friday.
GINA
I don't go there. Too many party girls.
BASQUIAT
Party girls? Can I call you?
GINA
(teasing him)
Yeah, if you have any dimes left. 477-0496.
He writes her number on his pant cuff with a big fat magic marker.
BASQUIAT
Here, this is for you. I made this.
He hands her the small speaker.
She takes it.
GINA
Thanks.
She admires the speaker watches him walk off.
EXT. MENTAL HOSPITAL (OUTSIDE THE CITY)
We see Jean crossing a lawn outside a mental hospital.
INT. MENTAL HOSPITAL – RECREATION / VISITING ROOM – DAY
PSYCH. PATIENTS fill a cavernous day-room engaged in arts
and crafts. Some of the sadder patients stare off into space as Jean crosses
the room. He carries a plate of cookies and a full glass of milk.
He approaches a sad, nice-looking, middle-aged black woman – the
same one from the dream, earlier. She sits alone fondling a pillow in her lap.
It's his mother, MATILDE. She doesn't see him coming.
As he sets the plate in front of her, she notices him. She
recognizes him and seems pleased, even in her isolation. He kisses her on the
cheek.
BASQUIAT
Hey, mom.
She smiles slightly.
Jean takes a cookie. She does likewise.
They eat in silence, looking at each other, communicating what they
can.
Time passes. In between cookies her fingers find and break the stems
of the pillow feathers.
BASQUIAT (CONT'D)
I met the girl I'm gonna marry.
His mother brightens. She drinks the milk. They finish the cookies.
MATILDE
Do you like it here?
BASQUIAT
I'd like it better in Hawaii.
INT. CARDBOARD BOX – NIGHT
Jean tries to sleep in the box. RAIN falls heavily onto it.
Drops of water hit his face.
He wills it to stop. It doesn't.
Finally, he can't stand it. Rain forces his blinking eyes open.
INT. BENNY'S APARTMENT –
NIGHT
A door opens to reveal Jean's wet face.
Benny lets him in.
Jean enters a rundown railroad flat crammed with musical
instruments, beer cans, and homemade art. There's a couch with a sheet over it.
Junk is piled in a corner – mostly art books and drawings.
Benny sits down at an electric piano, which he's evidently playing.
He sings along, softly, working out the words, concentrating, absorbed.
Jean sets his belongings on the couch, walks to a mic stand and
starts making up his own words.
BASQUIAT
"She loves me.