Act Out: True Romance

BY: PROVOKR Staff

At the time True Romance was made in 1993, Quentin Tarantino was not yet well known, and Tony Scott, the director (Top Gun, The Hunger), was promoted as the creative force behind it. But once you’ve read any scene in its screenplay, the authorial voice of Tarantino becomes immediately apparent. And the youthful romance at its center, between a comic-book store clerk, Clarence (Christian Slater), and a platinum blonde prostitute, Alabama (Patricia Arquette), begins with an unmistakable Tarantino seduction. Though the movie is peppered with Hong Kong style ultra-violence and a dazzling array of characters—Christopher Walken as a gangster, Dennis Hopper as Clarence’s dad, Brad Pitt as a stoner, James Gandolfini as a hit man, and Gary Oldman as a wannabe-black pimp with dreads—all of it done with signature Tarantino flair, the heart of the action lies in the charismatic chemistry between Slater and Arquette.

INT. LYRIC THEATER — NIGHT
Sonny Chiba, as “Streetfighter” Terry Surki, dives into a group of guys, fists and feet flying and whips ass on the silver screen. Clarence sits, legs over the back of the chair in front of him, nibbling on popcorn, eyes big as saucers, and a big smile on his face.

EXT. LYRIC THEATER — NIGHT
A cab pulls up to the outside of the Lyric. The marquee carries the names of the triple feature: THE STREETFIGHTER, RETURN OF THE STREETFIGHTER, and SISTER STREETFIGHTER. ALABAMA steps out of the taxi cab and walks up to the box office. A BOX OFFICE GIRL reading an Iron Man comic looks at her.

ALABAMA
One, please.

BOX OFFICE GIRL
Ninety-nine cents.

ALABAMA
Which one is on now?

BOX OFFICE GIRL
Return of the Streetfighter. It’s been on about forty-five minutes.

INT. LYRIC THEATER — LOBBY — NIGHT
Alabama walks into the lobby and goes over to the concession stand. A young Usher takes care of her.

ALABAMA
Can I have a medium popcorn? A super large Mr. Pibb, and a box of Goobers.

INT. LYRIC THEATER
It’s still assholes and elbows on the screen with Sonny Chiba taking on all comers. Alabama walks through the doors with her bounty of food. She makes a quick scan of the theater. Not many people are there. She makes a beeline for the front, which just so happens to be Clarence’s area of choice. She picks the row of seats just behind Clarence and starts making her way down it. Clarence turns and sees this beautiful girl all alone moving towards him. He turns his attention back to the screen, trying not to be so obvious. When Alabama gets right behind Clarence, her foot thunks a discarded wine bottle, causing her to trip and spill her popcorn all over Clarence.

ALABAMA
Oh, look what happened. Oh, God, I’m so sorry. Are you okay?

CLARENCE
Yeah, I’m fine. It didn’t hurt.

ALABAMA
I’m the clumsiest person in the world.

CLARENCE
(picking popcorn out of his hair)
It’s okay. Don’t worry about it. Accidents happen.

ALABAMA
(picking popcorn out of his hair)
What a wonderful philosophy. Thanks for being such a sweetheart. You could have been a real dick.

Alabama sits back in her seat to watch the movie. Clarence tries to wipe her out of his mind, which isn’t easy, and get back into the movie. They both watch the screen for a moment. Then, Alabama leans forward and taps Clarence on the shoulder.

ALABAMA
Excuse me. I hate to bother you again. Would you mind too terribly on filling me in on what I missed? Jumping at this opportunity.

CLARENCE
Not at all. Okay, this guy here, he’s Sonny Chiba.

ALABAMA
The Oriental.

CLARENCE
The Oriental in black. He’s an assassin. Now, at the beginning he was hired to kill this guy the cops had. So he got himself arrested. They take him into the police station. And he starts kickin’ all the cops asses. Now, while keeping them at bay, he finds the guy he was supposed to kill. Does a number on him. Kicks the cops’ asses some more. Kicks the bars out of the window. And jumps out into a get away car that was waiting for him.

ALABAMA
Want some Goobers?

CLARENCE
Thanks a lot.

ALABAMA
I thought Sonny was the good guy.

CLARENCE
He ain’t so much a good guy as he is just a bad motherfucker. Sonny don’t be bullshittin’. He fucks dudes up for life. Hold on, a fight scene’s comin’ up. They both watch, eyes wide, as Sonny Chiba kicks ass.

TIME CUT:
THEATER — LATER
On the screen, Sonny Chiba’s all jacked up. Dead bodies lay all around him. “THE END” (in Japanese) flashes on the screen. The theater lights go up. Alabama’s now sitting in the seat next to Clarence. They’re both applauding.

ALABAMA
Great movie. Action packed!

CLARENCE
Does Sonny kick ass or does Sonny kick ass?

ALABAMA
Sonny kicks ass.

CLARENCE
You shouldda saw the first original uncut version of The Streetfigher. It was the only movie up to that time rated X for violence. But we just saw the R.

ALABAMA
If that was the R, I’d love to see the X.

CLARENCE
My name is Clarence, and what is yours?

ALABAMA
Alabama Whitman. Pleased to meet ya.

CLARENCE
Is that your real name? Really?

ALABAMA
That’s my real name, really. I got proof. See. She shows Clarence her driver’s license.

CLARENCE
Well, cut my legs off and call me shorty. There’s a pretty original moniker there, Alabama. Sounds like a Pam Grier movie.
(announcer voice)
She’s a sixteen calibre kitten, equally equiped for killin’ an lovin’. She carried a sawed-off shotgun in her purse, a black belt around her waist, and the white hot fire of hate in her eyes. Pam Grier is Alabama Whitman. Pray for Forgiveness. Rated R… for Ruthless Revenge.

EXT. LYRIC THEATRE
Clarence and Alabama are outside the theatre. With the marquee lit up in the b.g. they both perform unskilled martial arts moves. Clarence and Alabama break up laughing.

CLARENCE
Where’s your car? I’ll walk you to it.

ALABAMA
I took a cab.

CLARENCE
You took a cab to see three Kung Fu movies?

ALABAMA
Sure. Why not?

CLARENCE
Nothing. It’s just you’re a girl after my own heart.

ALABAMA
What time is it?

CLARENCE
‘Bout twelve.

ALABAMA
I suppose you gotta get up early, huh?

CLARENCE
No. Not particularly.
(pause)
How come?

ALABAMA
Well, it’s just when I see a really good movie I really like to go out and get some pie, and talk about it. It’s sort of a tradition. Do you like to eat pie after you’ve seen a good movie?

CLARENCE
I love to get pie after a movie.

ALABAMA
Would you like to get some pie?

CLARENCE
I’d love some pie.

INT. DENNY’S RESTAURANT — NIGHT
Clarence and Alabama are sitting in a booth at an all night Denny’s. It’s about 12:30 AM. Clarence is having a piece of chocolate cream pie and a Coke. Alabama’s nibbling on a piece of heated apple pie and sipping a large Tab.

CLARENCE
Well, enough about the king. How about you?

ALABAMA
How ’bout me what?

CLARENCE
Tell me about yourself.

ALABAMA
There’s nothing to tell.

CLARENCE
C’mon. What’re ya tryin’ to be? The phantom lady?

ALABAMA
What do you want to know?

CLARENCE
Well, for starters, what do you do? Where’re ya from? What’s your favorite color? Who’s your favorite movie star? What kinda music do you like? What are your turn-ons and turn-offs? Do you have a fella? What’s the story behind you takin’ a cab to the most dangerous part of town alone? And, in a theatre full of empty seats, why did you sit by me?

Alabama takes a bite of pie, puts down her fork, and looks at Clarence.

ALABAMA
Ask me them again. One by one.

CLARENCE
What do you do?

ALABAMA
I don’t remember.

CLARENCE
Where are you from?

ALABAMA
I might be from Tallahassee. But I’m not sure yet.

CLARENCE
What’s you favorite color?

ALABAMA
I don’t remember. But off the top of my head, I’d say black.

CLARENCE
Who’s you favorite movie star?

ALABAMA
Burt Reynolds.

CLARENCE
Would you like a bite of my pie?

ALABAMA
Yes, I would.

Clarence scoops up a piece on his fork and Alabama bites it off.

CLARENCE
Like it?

ALABAMA
Very much. Now, where were we?

CLARENCE
What kinda music do you like?

ALABAMA
Phil Spector. Girl group stuff. You know, like “He’s a Rebel.”

CLARENCE
What are your turn-ons?

ALABAMA
Mickey Rourke, somebody who can appreciate the finer things in life, like Elvis’ voice, good Kung Fu, and a tasty piece of pie.

CLARENCE
Turn-offs?

ALABAMA
I’m sure there must be something, but I don’t really remember. The only thing that comes to mind are Persians.

CLARENCE
Do you have a fella?

She looks at Clarence and smiles.

ALABAMA
I’m not sure yet. Ask me again later.

CLARENCE
What’s the story behind you takin’ a cab to the most dangerous part of town alone?

ALABAMA
Apparently, I was hit on the head with something really heavy, giving me a form of amnesia. When I came to, I didn’t know who I was, where I was, or where I came from. Luckily, I had my driver’s license or I wouldn’t even know my name. I hoped it would tell me where I lived, but it had a Tallahassee address on it, and I stopped someone on the street and they told me I was in Detroit. So that was no help. But I did have some money on me, so I hopped in a cab until I saw somethin’ that looked familiar. For some reason, and don’t ask me why, that theater looked familiar. So I told him to stop and I got out.

CLARENCE
And in a theater full of empty seats, why did you sit by me?

ALABAMA
Because you looked like a nice guy, and I was a little scared. And I sure couldda used a nice guy about that time, so I spilled my popcorn on you.

Clarence looks at her closely. He picks up his soda and sucks on the straw until it makes that slurping sound. He puts it aside and stares into her soul.

A smile cracks on her face and develops into a big wide grin.

ALABAMA
Aren’t you just dazzled by my imagination, lover boy?
(eats her last piece of pie)
Where to next?

INT. COMIC BOOK STORE — NIGHT
It’s about 1:30 AM. Clarence has taken Alabama to where he works. It’s a comic book store called “Heros For Sale.” Alabama thinks this place is super cool.

ALABAMA
Wow. Whatta swell place to work.

CLARENCE
Yeah, I got the key, so I come here at night, hang out, read comic books, play music.

ALABAMA
How long have you worked here?

CLARENCE
Almost four years.

ALABAMA
That’s a long time.

CLARENCE
I’m hip. But you know, I’m comfortable here. It’s easy work. I know what I’m doing. Everybody who works here is my buddy. I’m friendly with most of the customers. I just hang around and talk about comic books all day.

ALABAMA
Do you get paid a lot?

CLARENCE
That’s where the trouble comes into paradise. But the boss lets you borrow money if you need it. Wanna see what Spiderman number one looks like?

ALABAMA
You bet. How much is that worth?

Clarence gets a box off the shelf.

CLARENCE
Four hundred bucks.

ALABAMA
I didn’t even know they had stores that just sold comic books.

CLARENCE
Well, we sell other things too. Cool stuff. Man From U.N.C.L.E. lunch boxes. Green Hornet board games. Shit like that. But comic books are our main business. There’s a lot of collectors around here.

She holds up a little G.I. Joe–size action figure of a black policeman.

ALABAMA
What’s this?

CLARENCE
That’s a Rookies doll. George Stanford Brown. We gotta lotta dolls. They’re real cool. Did you know they came out with dolls for all the actors in The Black Hole? I always found it funny that somewhere there’s a kid playin’ with a little figure of Ernest Borgnine.

He pulls out a plastic-encased Spiderman comic from the box.

CLARENCE (CONT’D)
Spiderman, number one. The one that started it all.

Clarence shows the comic book to Alabama.

ALABAMA
God, Spiderman looks different.

CLARENCE
He was just born, remember? This is the first one. You know that guy, Dr. Gene Scott? He said that the story of Spiderman is the story of Christ, just disguised. Well, I thought about that even before I heard him say it. Hold on, let me show you my favorite comic book cover of all time.
(pulls out another comic)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandoes. One of the coolest series known to man. They’re completely worthless. You can get number one for about four bucks. But that’s one of the cool things about them, they’re so cheap.
(opens one up)
Just look at that artwork, will ya. Great stories. Great characters. Look at this one.

We see the Sgt. Fury panels.

CLARENCE (CONT’D)
Nick’s gotten a ring for his sweetheart and he wears it around his neck on a chain. Okay, later in the story he gets into a fight with a Nazi bastard on a ship. He knocks the guy overboard, but the kraut grabs a hold of his chain and the ring goes overboard too. So Nick dives into the ocean to get it. Isn’t that cool?

She’s looking into Clarence’s eyes. He turns and meets her gaze.

CLARENCE (CONT’D)
Alabama, I’d like you to have this.

Clarence hands her the Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commadoes comic book he loves so much.

INT. CLARENCE’S APARTMENT — BEDROOM — NIGHT (LATER)
Clarence and Alabama make love in his bed. However, while they’re not missing a beat during intercourse, Clarence can’t shut up. The following dialogue sounds exactly like what it is, a man and woman in the throes of passion trying to carry on a conversation.

CLARENCE
You know when you sat behind me?

ALABAMA
At the movies?

CLARENCE
Uh-huh. I was tryin’ to think of somethin’ to say to you. Then I thought, ‘She doesn’t want me bothering her.’

ALABAMA
What would make you think that?

CLARENCE
I dunno. I guess I’m just stupid.

ALABAMA
You’re not stupid. Just wrong.

Their lips envelop each other.