Alice in Wonderland
INT. THE COURTYARD
The Rabbit approaches the Chesire Cat, the Hatter and the
Dormouse with the Tweedles.
WHITE PABBIT
Well done, Chessur. Well done!
MAD HATTER
Congratulations. You’ve just
commited your first noble act.
CHESIRE CAT
It was just this one time.
And I got to wear the Hat.
The Hatter holds out his hand. Chessur reluctantly gives up
the Hat. There’s a bloodcurdling SCREECH overhead as the
JubJub Bird swoops down on the onlookers below. He strafes the
screaming crowd indiscriminatly. Snatching fleeing onlookers
in his beak, he flies up, then opens his mouth to let them
fall to the ground. He rakes others with his razor sharp
claws. He stabs and bites and tears.
The Queen watches the blood-letting with a vengeful smile.
Stayn stands at her side.
RED QUEEN
You’re right, Stayn. It is far
better to be feared than loved.
Prepare the Jabberwocky for
battle. We’re going to visit my
little sister.
ON THE HATTER ET AL.
The Hatter, the Dormouse, the White Rabbit, the Tweedles and
the Platypus gather to escape.
MAD HATTER
Wait for me at the drawbridge.
There’s something I want to do.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. THE WHITE QUEEN’S CASTLE – LATE AFTERNOON
She stands on the parapet searching the horizen. Alice, the
Dodo and the Bloodhound stand nearby. All is silence.
WHITE QUEEN
I would have thought I’d have
a champion by now.
BLOODHOUND
Look there!
The Dodo lifts his spyglass.
THE HORIZON – HIS POV
The group of escapees approach.
DODO
It’s the Hatter!
Alce grabs the spyglass and looks.
ON THE GROUP – HER POV
The Hatter, the Dormouse, the White Rabbit and the Platypus
approach, plus…
THE PARAPET
Alice hands the spyglass to the Bloodhound.
ALICE
Bayard, have a look.
The Bloodhound looks through and sees…
ON THE GROUP – HIS POV
…his wife and pups running with the others.
BLOODHOUND
(overwhelmed)
Bielle.
CUT TO:
EXT. WHITE QUEEN’S CASTLE – LATER
The group enters the castle. Alice and Bayard can’t hold
themselves back. They run.
ALICE
Tarrant!
Alice throws herself into Tarrant’s arms. She clings to him
with profound relief and happiness. The Dormouse looks on with
jealous eyes. Bayand, his wife and theirpups leap, jump,
whine and nuzzle each another with pure joy. The Bloodhound
stops to look at the Hatter.
BLOODHOUND
Forgive me.
MAD HATTER
Nothing to forgive.
A disembodied cat’s head appears.
ALICE
Is that Chessur?
He materializes and kisses her hand.
CHESIRE CAT
Lovely to see you again.
How’s the arm?
ALICE
All healed.
But the White Queen has no one to greet.
WHITE QUEEN
I don’t believe anyone is coming.
ALICE
I am sorry. But why don’t you
kill the Jabberwocky yourself?
You must have the power.
WHITE QUEEN
In the healing arts. It is against
my vows to bring harm to any
living thing.
The Hatter steps forward.
MAD HATTER
I will slay the Jabberwocky.
CHESIRE CAT
You would hardly last a minute.
You have very poor evaporating
skills. I should be the one.
TWEEDLEDUN
No. I should.
Dee pushes Dum behind him.
TWEEDLEDEE
No, I!
Dum pushes Dee behind him.
TWEEDLEDUM
Contrariwise!
TWEEDLEDEE
Not now! Nohow!
TWEEDLEDUN
Leave of f!
TWEEDLEDEE
Let go!
Alice is warmed by her friends’ willingness to take her place.
The White Rabbit holds up the Oraculum and the illustration of
Alice slaying the Jabberwocky. Everyone goes quiet. Finally,
the Tweedles speak.
TWEEDLEDUN
No other slayer, nohow.
TWEEDLEDEE
If it ain’t Alice, he ain’t dead.
All eyes turn to Alice. The feeling is not unlike that
uncomfortable moment under the gazebo. Overwhelmed, she runs…
EXT. A TOPIARY GARDEN – LATER
…and runs until she falls onto a garden bench and weeps.
THE CATERPILLAR
Stupid girl. Nothing was ever
accomplished with tears.
ALICE
Absolem?
THE CATERPILLAR
On the leaf.
She sees him on a leaf hanging upside down, spinning a
chrysalis. He’s small to her now that she’s her own size.
ALICE
Why are you upside down?
THE CATERPILLAR
I’ve come to the end of this
life.
ALICE
You’re going to die?
THE CATERPILLAR
Transform. The Frabjous Day
is upon us. And brillig is
approaching.
ALICE
What does “brilJig” mean?
THE CATERPILLAR
Evening, when it’s time to
begin broiling things for dinner.
The chrysalis begins to cover his body.
ALICE
Please don’t leave. I don’t know
how to get home.
THE CATERPILLAR
What does it matter if you
don’t know who you are?
AL I CE
But I do know who I am! I’m
Alice Kingsley, daughter of
Charles Kingsley, the visionary
and entrepreneur.
THE CATERPILLAR
Exactly. Remember, the Vorpal Sword
knows what it wants. All you
have to do is take it there.
Farewell, Alice. Perhaps I will
see you in another life.
He disappears inside the green chrysalis.
INT. THE ARMORY – LATER
Alice stands, silently gazing on the White Knight’s armor. The
White Queen joins her.
WHITE QUEEN
If you take up the sword against
the Jabberwocky, you must do so
not because it has been foretold,
or because it is the only way to
get home. You must do so because
you believe it is just. And under-
stand, there is no certainty to
the outcome.
The Queen leaves her to make her decision alone.
