The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
EXT DESERT DAY
… a dust storm. The wind is howling. The swirling dust thins to reveal DR.PARNASSUS, alone, exhausted, trudging across a vast desert.
He’s tormented by his thoughts.
DR. PARNASSUS What else could I do, Valentina? What else could I have done… What other choice could I have made?… Damn!… It was the right choice… Of course it was… Of course… But where are you?
DR. PARNASSUS (CONT’D) Where’s my beautiful daughter? Where’s my darling? How long must I suffer?
There is no proper road, only endless sand, but nevertheless DR. PARNASSUS reaches a signpost which indicates two distinct paths.
One leads to a tidy little suburban home, the other up an dramatic mountain pass via a painfully steep staircase cut into the rock (the same one that MARTIN THE DRUNK chose not to climb days earlier.
DR. PARNASSUS (CONT’D) No, no, no… No more choices, please… No more choices…!!!
Enraged, he tries to push the sign over, but is too feeble. Exhausted, he subsides onto a smooth protruding stone.
VOICE (V.O.) (angry) Hey!
DR. PARNASSUS, alarmed, rolls quickly off the stone.
Now on his knees he finds himself looking at the top half of PERCY’S head and face. What he’d thought was a stone was, in fact, his old companion buried in the sand.
DR. PARNASSUS Percy!
DR. PARNASSUS, overjoyed, begins to dig PERCY out.
PERCY About bloody time!
DR. PARNASSUS Where have you been?
PERCY (irritated) Here!
DR. PARNASSUS How long have you been here?
PERCY How long’s a piece of string? Don’t ask daft questions.
DR. PARNASSUS Thank God I found you. I need your advice. (indicating sign) I’ve got a problematical choice to make.
PERCY Problematical my arse! Come on… I know it’s against the grain…
PERCY grabs DR. PARNASSUS’S cloak and begins to pull him across the sand in the direction of the bungalow. We can now see the sign reads `Easy’…
DR. PARNASSUS (on his dignity) No! Suburban bungalows and all that they evoke are anathema to me. Dammit Percy! Stop! I’ve got my pride!
PERCY Yeah, it goes just before the fall.
PERCY grabs DR. PARNASSUS’S cloak and begins to pull him across the sand in the direction indicated by the sign which we can now see reads ‘Easy’..
PERCY (CONT’D) Come on… I know it’s against the grain…
EXT SUBURBAN BUNGALOW
PERCY pulls the reluctant DR. PARNASSUS up the drive of a suburban bungalow, past a perfect lawn and double garage, to the front door.
PERCY rings the bell.
DR. PARNASSUS tries to make a run for it but PERCY holds him fast.
The door is opened by VALENTINA. She’s older and is carrying a BABY in her arms.
Both DR. PARNASSUS and VALENTINA are astonished. Neither knows what to say.
DR. PARNASSUS Valentina…?
VALENTINA Father…? (recovering) Where have you been?… All these years… I thought you were dead.
DR. PARNASSUS So did I. But you… I…
VALENTINA Come in.
VALENTINA steps back and ushers her father in.
PERCY (aside) So far, so good.
PERCY is about to follow, but VALENTINA, focussing on her father, closes the door in his face.
INT SUBURBAN BUNGALOW
VALENTINA shows DR. PARNASSUS into the sitting-room. He sits on the sofa.
KID’S VOICE (V.O.) Mummy? Can I have some ice-cream?
A SMALL BOY enters from the kitchen.
KID Mummy?
VALENTINA Billy, this is your grandad. Say hello to your grandad. (to Parnassus) I think he looks a little like you.
BILLY takes one look at DR. PARNASSUS and runs back into the kitchen.
VALENTINA laughs.
VALENTINA (CONT’D) He’s only five. And he’s very shy. Would you like some tea?
DR. PARNASSUS nods.
VALENTINA (CONT’D) Okay, you look after Imogen.
She gives him the baby.
VALENTINA (CONT’D) She’s eight months, and, so far, fortunately, doesn’t look in the least like you.
DR. PARNASSUS is moved.
VALENTINA (CONT’D) This is all I ever wanted… I know it’s not what you wanted for me, but…well… there you go… I’m happy.
ANTON enters.
ANTON Hello Doctor.
He puts his arm around VALENTINA.
VALENTINA We’re both happy.
DR. PARNASSUS doesn’t know what to say. He sits there, a ragged old man with a baby on his knee, tears streaming down his face.
EXT RAILWAY STATION CENTRAL LONDON
Little cut-out cardboard figures are ‘performing’ in a toy theatre.
VOICE OF TOY CHARACTER (V.O.) It’s your choice. You can stay here and look after mum and dad, or come with me and help fight the giant.
SECOND TOY CHARACTER (V.O.) I’ll have to think about it.
THE CAMERA pulls back to show PERCY manipulating the puppets and giving them voices. He and DR. PARNASSUS are running a stall selling toy theatres. Business is good.
The audience is made up of mainly KIDS, with some ADULTS. COMMUTERS come and go.
A COUPLE OF PARENTS purchase a theatre for their son. DR. PARNASSUS takes the money and expertly wraps the theatre.
DR. PARNASSUS Beautifully made. It’ll last for years if properly looked after.
NINE YEAR OLD SON Does it come with a happy ending?
DR. PARNASSUS I’m afraid we can’t guarantee that.
THE CAMERA angles across the table…
In a shadowy corner stands MR NICK, smoking a cigarette.
