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The Company of Wolves Movie Script
EXT. WOODS -- DAY
High angle crane shot of an old well, crumbling, surrounded by dead trees
and brown leaves. Crane down to ground level as a large German Shepherd runs
around from behind the well and noses at something hidden in the long dry
grass at the base of the old well.
CLOSEUP of a Victorian china BOY doll lying in the grass, the dog's nose
nuzzling at it.
The dog runs off left.
Brow of hill: dog races up towards camera and runs past.
Bare ground and a blasted tree; camera tracks left as the dog runs through
shot and off left.
A rotting fallen tree; the dog leaps over it into camera and runs past,
dislodging a large toad which falls out of shot.
A stream running between low banks; the dog leaps from right bank to left
and out of shot, startling a large raven into the air.
Bare trees; tilt down to show a roadway and a silver bmw speeding towards
camera.
Tracking shot (as if from car) following the dog as it races through the
trees beside the road; slow zoom in on dog.
The roadway; in extreme foreground a large rat scurries away off left as the
bmw approaches.
EXT. HOUSE -- DAY
The rear of a large three--story country house, cream--coloured and
resplendent in an expanse of green lawn and trees. ALICE, an adolescent girl
in a long white dress runs away from camera towards the house and up the
back stairs.
The front of the house seen through open, ornate wrought--iron gates; the
silver BMW comes into shot at left and wheels away down the drive towards
the house. The dog races into shot in close pursuit.
The dog dashing along the drive.
Low angle (as if from the dog's pov) of the car turning in the drive.
The dog runs after it.
Rapid track in on the rear of the car as it pulls to a stop in front of the
house.
The front entrance as ALICE emerges and runs down the front steps; track
back to include the car as the passenger door opens and MOTEER emerges,
wearing a smart grey suit, and kisses ALICE.
ALICE: Hello, mummy!
MOTHER: Hello, darling.
ALICE: Any presents for me?
MOTHER: A surprise.
ALICE: What?
MOTHER: You know!
ALICE: No I don't - what?
They move to the back of the car, where FATHER has opened the hatchback
trunk and is unloading bags of groceries. MOTHER pulls out a small potted
palm wrapped in brown paper and hands it to ALICE.
MOTHER: Where is she? Did she miss tea again?
ALICE as she takes the plant; we notice that she has a small silver crucifix
on a chain around her neck.
ALICE: She said she had tummy--ache. . .
FATHER and MOTHER continue to unload the car.
ALICE: (os). . . so she's sulking in her room.
FATHER It's her age.
ALICE: She's a pest!
MOTHER: So were you once! Now go and wake her.
INT. HOUSE -- DAY
Medium shot through the half--open front door onto the driveway, the car
partially visible, as the dog lopes through the door past camera into the
house.
EXT. HOUSE -- DAY
alice walks from car carrying the potted palm and a plastic carrybag; track
with her as she runs up the front steps.
INT. HOUSE -- DAY
High angle through banisters down to the main floor as the panting dog runs
up the stairs past camera.
alice runs into front room past a large dark Victorian sideboard, puts the
plant down onto a table beside a large divan, drops the carrybag onto the
divan and runs up stairs at left.
INT. ROSALEEN'S ROOM -- DAY
A shelf full of Victorian toys and bric--a--brac; at screen right is a
Pierrot doll with hanging legs in puffed white pantaloons, the legs swinging
gently. Ticking of clock audible.
INT. HALL -- DAY
ALICE rushing up stairs past camera.
ALICE: Pest, pest!
INT. ROSALEEN'S ROOM
close shot of a porcelain grandMOTHER doll with wire--framed spectacles and
a ruffled bonnet, moving slightly in what seems to be a light breeze.
Ticking clock.
EXT. HOUSE
FATHER and MOTHER carrying plastic bags of groceries from the car towards
the house.
MOTHER: I want you to have a word with her.
FATHER: Well, I have - I've tried. . . I've been upstairs to see her. . .
MOTHER: Yes, but not -
FATHER: She always tells me I don't understand her.
MOTHER: Oh, that's ridiculous.
FATHER: Well, she's right.
INT. HOUSE
The landing as dog runs up stairs past old wooden furniture, a large house
plant on a small table, and goes off left.
Low angle up another flight of stairs as the ALICE runs in at right, up the
stairs and off left.
Dog rounds corner at top of stairs and runs towards camera down a corridor;
camera tracks back in front of dog. Old, peeling radiators.
Reverse low angle shot (as if dog's pov): camera tracks quickly along the
corridor, which has an old faded carpet and large, dark oil portraits
propped up on the floor against the walls on either side.
Dog stops outside ROSALEEN's room and sniffs at the door.
ALICE runs along the downstairs corridor away from camera, past the old
furniture and the house plant, and mounts the stairs.
The dog is sitting outside the door as the ALICE reaches the top of the
stairs in bg. and runs towards the camera. She reaches the door and pushes
irritably at the dog.
She shoves at the dog impatiently.
ALICE: Go away!
She knocks sharply at the door.
INT. ROSALEEN'S ROOM
A white dress hanging on the back of the door; grandMOTHER doll visible at
the left of the door.
alice (off): They want you downstairs! You have to come out sometime - you
can't sulk in there forever! Open the door! Open it! You've been at my
lipstick too, haven't you! Pest!
During this the camera tracks in and pans slowly left to show the
grandMOTHER doll on a shelf beside the door; then an antique dresser with an
oval mirror, in which we see ROSALEEN reflected asleep on her bed; a clock,
a disarranged box of Kleenex, then the bed itself with ROSALEEN fully
dressed atop it, curled asleep.
INT. HALLWAY
ALICE at the door.
ALICE: What makes you so different anyway! Buck Teeth! Come on out -
INT. ROSALEEN'S ROOM
ROSALEEN tossing in her sleep. We see that she has on bright red lipstick
and rouge, and is wearing a white blouse with red and purple hearts on it.
Beside her lie a round hand mirror and a lurid teenage magazine.
INT. HALLWAY
ALICE: Pest! It's not because I want you, either -
INT. ROSALEEN'S ROOM
Profile CS of ROSALEEN asleep.
ALICE: (off) . . . it's because Mummy wants you!
INT. HALLWAY
ALICE: Pest, pest. . .
INT. ROSALEEN'S ROOM
ROSALEEN tossing in her sleep.
ALICE: (off) . . . pest!
Camera tracks in and around the bed right to left. A wind begins to blow
tissues and papers across the bed around the tossing ROSALEEN. The bright
afternoon sunlight on the right side of the room fades and is replaced by
cold blue moonlight from the window os left. Music.
close shot of the grandMOTHER doll in the blue light.
Shot of a soft cloth sailor doll leaning against the window, curtains
billowing in the wind and blue moonlight.
Camera tracking back left to right as the wind blows harder across ROSALEEN.
close shot of the toy shelf; camera pans to the left past a teddy bear to a
Harlequin doll, its head ticking back and forth, past a porcelain cat head
to the sailor doll against the window; camera moves to window and onto a
dream landscape of dark forest and distant mountain. In the distance a wolf
howls.
dissolve to:
EXT. FOREST - NIGHT
Dream forest in thick mist. ALICE runs in at right, freezes in her tracks
momentarily as we hear another wolf howl in the distance. She runs left,
camera panning to follow her as she runs out of shot left.
ALICE runs in at right and towards camera, which tracks back sharply to show
the gates from the driveway hanging open, ruined and rusted. ALICE runs
through them towards camera and off left.
ALICE runs through shot and off left; camera pans to left to reveal a life
size sailor doll standing against a rock face. It jerks to life and turns
around to camera.
close shot of the cloth face of the doll as it turns round and runs jerkily
off left after her.
INT. ROSALEEN'S ROOM
ROSALEEN tossing uneasily in her sleep.
EXT. FOREST
The white dress hanging from a tree in misty background. ALICE runs in
right; camera pans to a life size teddy bear standing against a tree. The
ALICE halts and approaches the bear, stroking it as if for reassurance. The
bear jerks to life and tries to grab her. She screams and pushes it away,
running off right.
INT. ROSALEEN'S ROOM
ROSALEEN tossing.
The sailor doll against the moonlit window.
EXT. FOREST
The life size sailor doll lumbering forward. ALICE backs into shot from the
left, collides with the doll, screams and runs out of shot. The doll
collapses limply onto the ground, inert.
close shot of the life size teddy bear lifting its head. ALICE screams
offscreen.
close shot ALICE, horrified, as she turns to run.
A large doll's house, with light showing through its lower windows (it is
markedly similar to the house seen earlier). ALICE enters shot from left,
stares at the doll's house, moves forward to swing open a panel which
reveals the rooms inside.
close shot of the interior: we see a mouse standing upright inside a
miniature canopied bed, its snout poking out through the canopy.
extreme close shot of the mouse.
close shot of ALICE grimacing in disgust.
ALICE's hand picks up a piece of miniature furniture and hurls it at the
mouse.
The mouse flinches away.
ALICE runs off right.
Mouse looking into camera.
INT. ROSALEEN'S ROOM
close shot grandMOTHER doll as before.
ROSALEEN tossing on the bed, camera tracking around bed to left.
EXT. FOREST
ALICE running through mist towards camera, which pans left to reveal a large
grandFATHER clock shrouded in cobwebs. ALICE stops as the clock strikes once
sluggishly and its hands spin erratically.
close shot of the clock's base as the door opens and mice spill out onto the
ground.
close shot of ALICE grimacing in disgust.
ALICE runs off left.
INT. ROSALEEN'S ROOM
extreme CLOSEUP of the Harlequin doll's head ticking back and forth.
EXT. FOREST
ALICE runs in right and camera pans to show large pipe--like structures (a
blast of organ music on soundtrack); at right a bird sits atop one of the
pipes looking at ALICE, who pauses and then flees off left.
INT. ROSALEEN'S ROOM
extreme close shot of a black and white photograph of ROSALEEN and the dog,
propped up on the night table beside the bed, the shadow of the billowing
window curtains moving across it.
extreme close shot of the porcelain cat head, with the head of the Harlequin
doll ticking into shot at extreme right.
EXT. FOREST
ALICE running past huge mushrooms towards camera and off screen left.
ALICE running past a large owl at left; pan to follow her.
close shot as the owl whirs into flight.
The mushrooms in the mist; at centre screen the owl flies off right as ALICE
runs into shot in bg and runs towards camera.
ALICE runs left, camera panning with her; she freezes as the pan discloses a
pack of wolves standing motionless atop boulders.
close shot ALICE screaming in terror.
The wolves watching her, motionless.
ALICE standing, wolves behind her. They leap down from the rocks as one and
she flees off right.
close shot of the wolves leaping down from the rocks.
Link cut to close shot of same.
ALICE fleeing past huge mushrooms; she stops to look back.
Wolves racing past a large tree.
ALICE runs off.
The wolf pack in pursuit.
Slow motion shot of ALICE running towards camera, the wolves overtaking her
from behind, some running round left to cut her off.
ALICE running, wolves closer behind.
ALICE reaches a rock face blocking the path, whirls round and screams.
Wolves howling, their eyes glowing red.
close shot of ALICE helpless at the rock face.
wolves rush forward.
ALICE as she spins round, screaming, to stare at the rock face.
close shot on rock face (as if ALICE's pov) to show a dark gap in the rock,
red eyes glowing within.
close shot ALICE screaming, her hand at her throat.
extreme CLOSEUP of the glowing red eyes.
extreme CLOSEUP of ALICE screaming.
Wolf pack rushing up the path.
close shot of the wolf leaping out from the gap in the rock face.
close shot of ALICE screaming in despair and sinking onto the ground.
The wolf pack rushes closer.
High angle as ALICE throws her arms up and sinks to the ground; the wolf
pack rushes into shot in f.g., hiding her from view.
FADE OUT
FADE IN:
INT. ROSALEEN'S ROOM
ROSALEEN turns over on the bed, smiling.
close shot of the window looking out onto the dream nightscape; camera
tracks in past the window frame.
EXT. FOREST -- DAY
dissolve from nightscape to daylight forest scene, autumnal colours. Camera
tracks in and pans right to disclose a distant church spire.
EXT. CHURCHYARD -- DAY
Low angle shot of the church, its bell tolling a knell; to the right in f.g.
a crane stands on the paved bridge, turning its head to camera.
High angle close shot of ALICE with her eyes closed, a garland of white
flowers on her brow, dark marks on her throat.
close shot of ROSALEEN, a white kerchief on her head, staring down. The bell
tolls. MOTHER, wearing a straw bonnet trimmed with white, comes into shot at
left, stooping down.
ALICE is revealed laid out in a rough wooden coffin, her arms crossed over
her breast. MOTHER kisses ALICE's forehead, looks at her sadly, then reaches
down to remove the crucifix and chain from around ALICE's neck. Camera pans
up with MOTHER as she stands to put it around ROSALEEN's neck. We see GRANNY
at right of shot, other mourners behind.
MOTHER: Say goodbye to your sister now, so you'll never forget her.
ROSALEEN looks uncertainly at MOTHER, stoops down to kiss ALICE's forehead,
glances again at MOTHER, looks down miserably.
Resume on ALICE, as a coffin lids slides up into shot to hide her face.
ROSALEEN as she steps back in shock. A crow caws o.s. MOTHER crosses in
front of ROSALEEN and out at right.
MOTHER walking past church wall to join a group of mourners on the other
side of the grave, including FATHER and OLD PRIEST. FATHER puts his arm
around her.
ROSALEEN and GRANNY. GRANNY reaches out and pulls ROSALEEN to her.
GRANNY: Stay with me, child.
She reaches into her bag and pulls out a large gingerbread man.
GRANNY: Chew on this. It'll keep your mind off things.
ROSALEEN takes the cookie and nibbles it tentatively.
grave diggers move into f.g. and stoop down out of show as PRIEST begins to
read the service.
OLD PRIEST Man that is born of WOMAN hath but a short time to live and is
full of misery. . .
High angle on the coffin as they lift it and remove the boards supporting it
over the open grave, then lower it slowly. Camera pulls back to show the
sparse village congregation gathered around the grave.
shot of a red--haired BOY beside his MOTHER. He lifts his head and smiles at
ROSALEEN.
GRANNY and ROSALEEN. ROSALEEN takes the gingerbread man out of her mouth and
sticks out her tongue.
The BOY puts out his tongue at her in response. His MOTHER cuffs him
smartly.
ROSALEEN turns her head away.
grave diggers begin to spade earth into the grave.
OLD PRIEST We therefore commit her body to the ground. . .
close shot of a spade digging up moist earth.
close shot of the coffin in the grave as a clod of earth strikes it and
startles a large toad sitting atop the coffin.
Another shovelful of earth is lifted.
Another clod strikes the coffin and the toad hops away out of shot.
EXT. VILLAGE - SUNDOWN
A horsedrawn cart coming over the brow of a hill, FATHER and another PEASANT
leading the horse. In the cart sit GRANNY and ROSALEEN on the left, MOTHER
isolated on the right.
GRANNY: Your poor sister - all alone in the wood, and nobody there to save
her!
cart with the church spire visible in the distance.
GRANNY: Poor little lamb!
ROSALEEN: Why couldn't she save herself?
CMS ROSALEEN and GRANNY.
GRANNY: You don't know these things, you're only a child!
FATHER and PEASANT pass in front of the camera, blacking out the screen
momentarily.
Dark screen which is disclosed as dark tree trunk as camera pans left to
disclose the village in LS, well in the centre. Crane down as cart comes
around well and pulls to a stop. FATHER puts down a crate for the women to
step down onto; he reaches in to help GRANNY out.
Link cut to MCS as he lifts GRANNY down, then ROSALEEN. She clings to him.
ROSALEEN: Daddy. . .
FATHER: There, there, pet.
GRANNY: (offscreen) Shall I take her home. . .
CU GRANNY.
GRANNY: . . . with me tonight? Her MOTHER's in no fit state to look after
her.
Resume previous shot as GRANNY's hand comes into shot at right to take
ROSALEEN's arm.
GRANNY: (offscreen) Come, pet.
ROSALEEN pulls free and moves to the left, camera panning with her to
MOTHER.
ROSALEEN: I want to stay with Mummy.
FATHER: Mummy's not well. Just for tonight.
Resume previous shot..
GRANNY: Come, child, come with me.
She moves off left.
FATHER puts his hand on MOTHER's shoulder, leads her away gently.
EXT. WOODS - EVENING
GRANNY and ROSALEEN appear in the distance walking along the path. Dark
music.
GRANNY: It's a long way through the wood, but safe by daylight. Safe if you
keep to the path. . . (music drowns out her words)
GRANNY stops and goes to a small shrub, picks something.
GRANNY: There's lots more of these in the wood, if you know where to look!
ROSALEEN: (looks off right) Berries!
She darts away.
Shot past a bush of berries in f.g. to ROSALEEN and GRANNY in b.g. ROSALEEN
picks a berry and pops it into her mouth. GRANNY flies forward, grabs
ROSALEEN and drags her back.
GRANNY: Don't. . .
CLOSE MEDIUM SHOT as she pulls ROSALEEN up from screen left.
GRANNY: . . . stray from the path, girl! Did you not hear what I told you?
Once you stray from the path you're lost entirely! (she leads ROSALEEN
down the path) The wild beasts know no mercy. They wait for us in the wood,
in the shadow, and once you put a foot wrong -
CLOSE TWO SHOT ROSALEEN and GRANNY, who darts her head forward.
GRANNY: - they POUNCE!
ROSALEEN starts. GRANNY smiles, pats her cheek.
GRANNY: There. . .
CLOSEUP ROSALEEN, alarmed.
GRANNY: (offscreen) . . . there, my precious.
LONG SHOT: GRANNY leads ROSALEEN along the path.
GRANNY: Don't take on so. It's something you have to learn, otherwise you'll
end up like your poor dear sister!
MEDIUM LONG SHOT following them past a huge tree; camera pans right to
disclose GRANNY's cottage in b.g. ROSALEEN runs ahead towards it.
Link cut to MEDIUM SHOT as she runs through a gate in the low stone wall
around the cottage. Bird song.
EXT. COTTAGE
In the yard is a small apple tree. ROSALEEN bends down and picks up a fallen
apple from under the tree.
ROSALEEN: Granny, can I have one?
GRANNY: I can't see why not.
ROSALEEN bites into the apple, grimaces and spits it out.
close shot of the apple in her hand. A large worm wriggles inside the bite
mark.
GRANNY: (chuckling) You've got a lot to learn, child.
She takes the apple and tosses it away.
GRANNY: Never stray from the path, never eat a windfall apple . . .
She picks another apple from the tree and gives it to ROSALEEN.
GRANNY: . . . and never trust a man whose eyebrows meet!
She strokes ROSALEEN's cheek and goes into the cottage. ROSALEEN bites
hungrily into the apple and follows her.
EXT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE - NIGHT
A white owl in a tree.
The cottage, chimney smoking, under a luminous full moon.
INT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE - NIGHT
A cheery fire burning. ROSALEEN is sitting on the floor beside GRANNY in her
chair. GRANNY is rolling up a ball of bright red wool.
GRANNY: The best winter wool, pet, woven across the valley - so good, so
soft I thought I'd knit a shawl for your sister. But now, you know what I'll
do?
ROSALEEN: What, Gran?
GRANNY: I'll make one for you! A very special shawl for a very special lady.
She rubs the wool against ROSALEEN's cheek.
ROSALEEN: Soft as a kitten.
GRANNY smiles down at her, her spectacles lit by the fire; then her
expression hardens.
GRANNY: There's something I should tell you.
ROSALEEN: (startled) Yes?
GRANNY: But maybe you`re too young.
ROSALEEN: Tell me, Gran!
GRANNY: Too young to understand.
ROSALEEN: Oh, go on, Gran, tell me!
GRANNY: Maybe no child is ever too young. (pause) A wolf may be more than
he seems. He may come in many disguises.
ROSALEEN: What's that?
GRANNY: The wolf that ate your sister was hairy on the outside. But when she
died she went straight to Heaven. The worst kind of wolves are hairy on the
inside, and when they bite you, they drag you with them to Hell!
ROSALEEN: What do you mean, hairy on the inside? Like a furry coat?
GRANNY: Hush now, foolish child, and listen. Once upon a time there was a
WOMAN in the village, and she married a travelling man. . .
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. FOREST - DAY
Jubilant fiddle music. villagers dance down the path, all garlanded with
flowers, surrounding the happy BRIDE and GROOM.
He sweeps her into his arms and carries her over the threshold of an
isolated cottage.
INT. BRIDE'S COTTAGE - NIGHT
The BRIDE and GROOM stand in their night dress before an open window which
admits bright moonlight. The BRIDE still has her garland in her hair.
GROOM: (turning from the window) They've all gone now.
BRIDE: It's a shame your people missed the wedding.
GROOM: (cryptically) Maybe it is and maybe it isn't.
She turns and goes to the bed, turns back the covers.
close shot as the covers turn back, revealing a tiny hedgehog in the middle
of the bed.
She laughs and scoops it up to show him.
BRIDE: My brother`s idea of a joke!
The GROOM stares at her.
BRIDE: Why are you staring like that?
GROOM: Because I've never seen anything like you before.
BRIDE: Don't they have girls where you come from?
GROOM: Not like you.
She slowly removes the garland of flowers from her hair and puts it aside
tenderly.
In the shadows the GROOM removes his nightshirt.
BRIDE: Come out of the shadows. Let me see you, my love.
He walks forward slowly, the candlelight glowing on his bare chest.
BRIDE: Are all travelling men as handsome as you?
GROOM: So you think I'm handsome?
BRIDE: The first thing I noticed about you - was the way your eyebrows meet.
GROOM: Does that spoil me then?
BRIDE: Come to me and I'll tell you.
He bends to kiss her. There is a screech and he yelps in pain.
The hedgehog on the floor under his feet.
He seizes it and goes to the door to throw it out into the yard.
The opened door reveals the full moon. Music.
The GROOM stops to stare at the moon, leaning weakly against the door jamb.
BRIDE: My dear?
GROOM: (thickly) I must . . . just go into the yard. . . for a moment. . .
BRIDE: Why ever for?
He turns his head towards her; his pupils are bright red.
GROOM: Call of nature.
He goes out, shutting the door behind him.
She smiles uncertainly, gets into bed and snuggles down against the pillow
to wait for him.
INT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE - NIGHT
GRANNY: So she waited. . . and she waited. . .
INT. BRIDE'S COTTAGE - NIGHT
GRANNY (vo): . . . and she waited again.
The BRIDE sits up and gets out of bed.
BRIDE: (to herself, uncertainly) Surely he`s been gone a long time?
She walks toward the door. A wolf howls outside.
She freezes in terror, then forces herself towards the window.
EXT. BRIDE'S COTTAGE - NIGHT
Several wolves in the yard under the blue full moon; one atop the low stone
wall barks in answer to distant howling.
INT. BRIDE'S COTTAGE - NIGHT
She recoils in horror.
BRIDE: No! It can't be!
EXT. WOODS - DAWN
VILLAGERS armed with rifles searching through ground mist, moving through
the trees towards camera.
MAN: He upped and ran, that`s all. It was in his blood. Wasn't he a
travelling man?
CLOSE SHOT: BRIDE's hand lifting a dead leaf from the ground to reveal a
deep wolf print in the wet earth below.
BRIDE bent over at edge of pond. In the pond wades another villager probing
the bottom with a long stick. He shakes his head. She looks up right, jumps
to her feet.
villagers approach down the path at right.
BRIDE: Anything?
MAN: Not a hair nor a hide of him. Nor a footprint.
She pushes him in the chest angrily, runs back to point to the edge of the
pond.
BRIDE: What's that, might I ask? I told you I heard a wolf last night! They
came and took him while he was making water, when a man. . .
She sinks to her knees.
CLOSE SHOT as she lowers her head.
BRIDE: . . . is at his most defenseless. (looks up in tears) Murderers!
They're murderers!
VILLAGERS look on as she lowers her head and sobs. At screen right a white
duck preens itself unconcernedly.
granny (vo): (over) But she was a young thing. . .
INT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE - NIGHT
GRANNY winding the red wool, ROSALEEN listening intently.
GRANNY: . . . and cheerful of temperament,and she found another husband -
not too shy. . .
INT. BRIDE'S COTTAGE - NIGHT
close shot of a porcelain chamber pot under the bed.
granny (vo): . . . to piss in a pot!
Pan up to stool on which stands an alarm clock, chiming delicately. The
BRIDE's hand reaches out from under the eiderdown to turn it off, then
retracts under the eiderdown, her laughter mingling with that of her
(unseen) husband.
ROSALEEN (vo): And they lived happily ever after!
INT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE - NIGHT
CMS as before.
GRANNY: (sharply) Indeed they did not!
INT. COTTAGE - EVENING
The BRIDE, older now, in a cluttered kitchen interior with three small
children, all tearful.
granny (v0) First time passed, happily enough.
The BRIDE wipes one baby's face, puts it down.
BRIDE: What a mess! (baby wails) Oh, don't start!
She picks up another baby and dandles it while she peels potatoes angrily.
The first baby wails.
BRIDE: Shut up! Here.
She gives the baby a bit of peeled potato.
granny (vo) Time passed, and she gave him children. And that was a bad time
for wolves, those years, oh yes! Not a sheep or a cow was safe. But for
herself all went right as a trivet - until. . .
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. COTTAGE - NIGHT
granny (vo) . . . one winter's night. . .
Camera pans and tracks through dark trees to show the lighted window of the
cottage. Wolves howl in the distance.
A ragged figure with long matted hair limps out of the darkness towards the
cottage.
He rubs his hand over a dirty window pane; in the cleared space we see the
BRIDE within feeding her children at the table.
He limps around the side of the cottage.
INT. COTTAGE - NIGHT
The BRIDE feeding fresh wood into the fire. A heavy knock on the door. She
gets up andpens the door to reveal the waiting figure.
Her astonished face.
The disheveled GROOM walks in slowly. She stares at him.
BRIDE: My God. . .
He glares at the children, sits heavily at the table.
GROOM: I'm starving.
One of the children bursts into alarmed tears. She quickly scoops it away
from the table.
BRIDE: Do you want something to eat?
GROOM: Didn't you hear me the first time!
She ladles out a bowl of soup. He pulls his hair away from his face, leans
forward and spoons it up. Baby cries loudly.
GROOM: Where did these three spring from?
BRIDE: Out of my belly!
GROOM: (snarling) Your children - but not my children! Whore! Adulteress!
She backs away from him.
GROOM: You hoped I'd never come back!
He overturns the table.
BRIDE: I thought the wolves had taken you!
GROOM: Better a wolf than a whore! If I were wolf once more, I'd teach this
whore a lesson!
He tears his shirt open.
She throws a ladle full of soup in his face.
He screams and covers his face with his hands.
She stares at him.
He rips away the skin from his face.
She stares, transfixed with horror.
He rips the skin from his face and neck with a skeletal hand.
The hand claws at her; she beats it off and backs away behind a post.
The hand peels his face entirely away, revealing a bloody grinning skull.
She cowers.
The hand rips his hair off; the naked bloody skull turns.
It howls.
She screams.
The skull elongates into a wolf's skull.
She runs to the children and hugs them to her.
The wolf skull howls; the skeletal hand claws at the air.
She clutches the children around her, screaming.
The body erupts into a bloody wolf's frame.
The head snarls at her.
The bloody wolf moves towards her.
The door opens and her SECOND HUSBAND comes in.
She screams to him.
He turns.
His hand seizes an axe leaning against the wall.
The wolf, now covered with fur, turns on him.
He swings the axe.
Slow motion: the wolf's severed head flies off.
Slow motion: it soars through the air.
Slow motion: it strikes the far wall and tumbles down.
Slow motion: it lands in a bucket of milk and submerges. The GROOM's
original hand some head resurfaces and floats on the milk, its eyes closed.
The BRIDE straightens and walks across the room to stare down at the bucket.
The SECOND HUSBAND watches her darkly.
She kneels down beside the bucket.
Her hand touches the floating head gently.
BRIDE (wondering) He looks just the same. . .
She looks up at her SECOND HUSBAND.
BRIDE . . . as the day I married him!
The SECOND HUSBAND strides forward.
He slaps her across the face. She gasps, looks down.
The head floating in the milk.
INT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE - NIGHT
ROSALEEN listening, seen past GRANNY's hands as they wind the red wool.
ROSALEEN: I'd never let a man strike me.
GRANNY: Oh, they're nice as pie until they've had their way with you. But
once the bloom is gone, oh, the beast comes out.
ROSALEEN: When the wolves, though - when the real wolves. . .
LOW ANGLE CLOSEUP of GRANNY seen past ROSALEEN.
ROSALEEN: - when the real wolves mate, do the dogs beat the bitches
afterward?
GRANNY: Animals! All wild animals!
Her face changes.
GRANNY: Well, that's enough. . .
CLOSEUP of her hands putting the ball of red wool down on a table.
GRANNY: . . . wool for tonight.
CLOSEUP of GRANNY, smiling.
GRANNY: Bedtime.
CLOSEUP of ROSALEEN.
CLOSEUP of GRANNY: she removes her glasses, rubs her eyes with her left
hand, her silver wedding ring prominent. She folds up her glasses.
CLOSEUP of her hands putting the glasses down beside the wool.
GRANNY: What about a kiss for Granny?
ROSALEEN looks away.
GRANNY: Don`t I deserve a kiss for my story?
ROSALEEN gets up.
MEDIUM PROFILE TWO SHOT: she kisses the OLD WOMAN's cheek dutifully.
GRANNY: The best of all girls!
She gets up and takes the candle from the table.
CLOSEUP of the candle next to a metal ornament: a squat toad with an erect
cobra rearing above it.
GRANNY walks to camera with candle, which goes out of focus.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE - NIGHT
The full moon seen through trees. Crickets humming.
The white owl takes flight from a tree.
INT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE - NIGHT
CLOSEUP of the toad ornament shining in the moonlight.
ROSALEEN and GRANNY in bed side by side, GRANNY in her nightcap (as
grandMOTHER doll seen earlier), the candle burning on the night table beside
the bed.
CLOSEUP: the ermine lifts it head.
MEDIUM SHOT panning along the table to the toad ornament.
CLOSEUP: the ermine swivels its head, hissing softly.
MEDIUM SHOT panning around the bed. Music. GRANNY snores softly. ROSALEEN
sits up.
We hear a wolf howl in the distance.
MEDIUM SHOT tracking in on the window and strange Victorian paraphernalia on
the table. Music.
CLOSEUP ROSALEEN as she glances at GRANNY uneasily, settles down again.
EXT. WOODS - DAY
ROSALEEN and GRANNY walking along the path, GRANNY talking indistinctly.
A toad crouches on a rock and watches them pass.
HIGH ANGLE SHOT down on them as they round a bend in the path.
GRANNY: Of course you won`t stay a young girl much longer. Your mummy and
daddy will need all the help they can get. Just grow wise, learn all that
you can, now that your sister is gone.
They pass under a tree.
GRANNY's ermine lifts its head and howls.
A snake coiled around a low branch of the tree.
ROSALEEN and GRANNY walk on unawares.
EXT. VILLAGE - DAY
The village children are playing blind man's bluff.
The BOY, blindfolded, staggers forward and grabs hold of ROSALEEN.
BOY (pulls off blindfold, reacts) Cor!
GRANNY grabs him by the ear.
GRANNY: Caught you, you snotty-nosed ragamuffin!
BOY I caught Rosaleen!
GRANNY: Oh no, nobody catches my little princess!
She boots him smartly in the rear.
GRANNY: Come along, my child.
The children rush off giggling wildly.
EXT. VILLAGE - NIGHT
Lights in windows gleam through the dark.
INT. HOUSE - NIGHT
ROSALEEN's MOTHER ladles out soup sadly.
MOTHER: There's too much food now there's just the three of us.
FATHER: Don't grieve. Least said soonest mended.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. VILLAGE - DAY
ROSALEEN goes out to the well carrying a bucket. Doves fly out of the well,
startling her.
She fills her bucket.
BOY: Rosaleen! Shall we play now?
ROSALEEN: Play what?
BOY: A game!
ROSALEEN: I know a good game. Close your eyes. Now, come to me.
The BOY blunders forward.
ROSALEEN: Now. Closer, closer. Come on. Closer. There!
BOY Now what?
She empties the bucket of water over him. He splutters.
ROSALEEN: Olly olly, can`t catch me!
She runs off.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. ROSALEEN'S BEDROOM
The harlequin doll's head bobbing back and forth.
ROSALEEN asleep in the bed, wind blowing around her.
TRACK IN on the window, curtains billowing in the wind, and on the dream
landscape beyond it.
INT. HOUSE - NIGHT
MOTHER gets up from the hearth, looks out the window.
FATHER comes into shot and kisses the nape of her neck. She turns to embrace
him.
ROSALEEN in bed, moths circling her candle. She sits up.
CLOSEUP of the candle and the circling moths.
ROSALEEN reacts to an offscreen noise.
MOTHER and FATHER in bed, falling back content against their pillows after
making love.
ROSALEEN sits back against her pillow, uneasy.
INT. HOUSE - MORNING
MOTHER pokes the fire. ROSALEEN sits up in bed behind her.
ROSALEEN: (uncertainly) Mummy. . .
MOTHER: Yes, pet?
ROSALEEN: Does he hurt you?
MOTHER: (calmly) Does who hurt me?
ROSALEEN: Does Daddy hurt you. . . when he. . .
MOTHER: (firmly) No, not at all.
ROSALEEN: It sounds like. . .
MOTHER: Like what?
ROSALEEN: Like the beasts Granny talked about.
MOTHER: You pay too much attention to your Granny.
She sits on the bed beside ROSALEEN.
MOTHER: She knows a lot, but she doesn't know everything. And if there's a
beast in men, it meets its match in women too. Understand me? Get up and
fetch me some water.
EXT. VILLAGE - MORNING
ROSALEEN taking down sheets that have been hung to dry.
BOY: rosaleen!
ROSALEEN: Yes?
BOY: I've brought you a little present.
ROSALEEN: What kind of present?
He pulls a bunch of wild flowers out of his shirt and holds it out to her.
BOY: I thought maybe you`d take a walk with me in the wood, on Sunday after
the service. Just a little walk, Rosaleen.
ROSALEEN: Why should I?
BOY I thought maybe you'd want to.
ROSALEEN: I'd have to ask.
She turns away. He calls after her.
BOY Tell your MOTHER I'll be with you. And we won't stray from the path!
INT. CHURCHYARD - DAY
ROSALEEN and GRANNY sitting beside tombstones under a tree; GRANNY is
knitting the red shawl.
GRANNY They're the best of all roses. . . picked from the grave of a
princess. They came off my best rose tree!
ROSALEEN: Why can't Mommy grow roses like that?
GRANNY: (sniffing) It's a question of a green thumb, she lacks that. No hand
at pastry, either!
The OLD PRIEST walks by carrying a ladder, which he places beside the tree.
GRANNY Good morning, Father!
OLD PRIEST Good morning!
GRANNY (to ROSALEEN): They say that priests' bastards often turn into wolves
as they grow older!
ROSALEEN: (alarmed) What do you mean?
GRANNY If the child is born on Christmas Day. If he's born feet first he'll
be the one, if he's born feet first and his eyebrows meet in the middle! Oh
yes. . . very bad! One day he'll meet the Devil in the wood. . .
ROSALEEN looks up at her.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT
Mist. A thin BOY creeps through the trees, looking cautiously to left and
right. He moves into close shot, and we see that his eyebrows meet.
HIS POV: mist in the tress and two points of yellow light that move forward.
The BOY, uneasy.
The lights approach and are revealed as the headlights of a white limousine.
It glides to a silent halt in front of the astonished BOY.
Inside the CHAUFFEUR wears a white uniform and cap, with long blonde hair.
She turns to look out at the BOY (it is ROSALEEN in a platinum wig). She
gets out.
Inside the car sits the PRINCE OF DARKNESS contemplating a small skull.
She opens the door; the PRINCE looks out.
He gestures to the BOY to come closer.
He reaches down and produces a small jar.
He holds it out to the BOY.
The CHAUFFEUR smiles to herself as the BOY takes it.
PRINCE Now use it wisely!
The BOY opens the jar and peers inside.
PRINCE (smiling) Waste not, want not!
He gestures and the CHAUFFEUR closes the door. The BOY backs away.
The PRINCE returns to contemplating the skull as the car glides away. The
BOY unlaces the top of his jerkin.
He watches the car move away into the mist.
He puts a finger into the jar and smears unguent onto his chest.
The car moves off into the distance.
CLOSEUP of the BOY's thin naked chest; pan up to his face.
The car is gone.
BOY looks down.
close shot of his chest: dark hair sprouting.
He looks up.
Mist where the car disappeared.
Hair sprouting thickly on his chest.
His feet: vines erupts from the earth and coil around his boots.
The BOY's face: he looks down.
His chest, now matted with dark hair.
Vines wrap around his legs.
The climb up his body.
He screams.
BOY No! No!
His face distorts with terror.
INT. ROSALEEN'S BEDROOM
He is seen in the dresser mirror, screaming.
ROSALEEN sits up in bed, turns to look at the BOY in the mirror.
INT. CHURCHYARD
ROSALEEN: That's a horrid story! I didn't like it at all.
GRANNY: It's not a story, child, but God's own truth. So if you should spy
on a naked man in the wood, run as if the Devil himself were after you!
The OLD PRIEST comes out of the rectory carrying heavy pruning shears. He
takes off his hat and plops it over the top of the tombstone next to GRANNY
and climbs up the ladder against the tree.
ROSALEEN: (whispers) The Devil's one thing, but a priest making babies is
another! I don't think our priest would have it in him.
GRANNY: (loudly) You can't trust anyone, least of all a priest! He's not
called FATHER for nothing! And don't bother to whisper - he's deaf as a
post!
Up in the tree the OLD PRIEST chops at a branch.
GRANNY holds out the red shawl.
GRANNY There - isn't that lovely? All we need is a nice border and fringe.
See how soft it feels!
She holds it out to ROSALEEN who tries it on delightedly.
ROSALEEN: Soft as snow!
GRANNY; Red as a berry!
ROSALEEN: Red as blood.
The OLD PRIEST chops another branch.
It lands on GRANNY's bonnet.
ROSALEEN laughs.
GRANNY Old fool, want to brain me! What's he up to in the tree, the old
monkey! FATHER!
The OLD PRIEST goes on pruning branches.
GRANNY FATHER, are you climbing up to Heaven and chopping the rungs of the
ladder after you? Watch what you're doing! Can you hear me?
OLD PRIEST Don't make so much clamour in the garden of God's house, you
irreverent old woman! I heard every word!
GRANNY (indignantly) Well, what a silly game!
OLD PRIEST Someone's got to do it! Someone's got to cut away the old wood.
Even evergreens need pruning!
He chops another branch.
It falls as GRANNY leads ROSALEEN away.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT
ROSALEEN at the window inside looking at a moth caught in a spider web and
the enormous spider on the next windowpane.
INT. HOUSE - NIGHT
ROSALEEN lifts her hand to touch the spider gingerly.
FATHER comes in holding wood, pauses to look at her.
He goes past MOTHER busy at the stove, puts the wood down on the hearth,
picks up the BOY's bouquet from the mantel and sniffs at it theatrically,
then bites off one of the flowers and chews it.
MOTHER: Daddy, leave her be!
ROSALEEN jumps up from the window seat and takes the bouquet from him.
ROSALEEN: He only asked me to walk with him. What's wrong with that?
MOTHER: All the same, I don't know. It's not as if ==
FATHER: Ah, where's the harm in it, he's our neighbour's son, she's known
him since she was a baby. She still is a baby.
MOTHER: So was our Alice once.
FATHER: She'll be gone soon enough, she's so pretty. What is it they say -
it's not losing a daughter, it's gaining a son?
ROSALEEN: Stop teasing me, he only asked me to walk with him!
FATHER: Well, one thing leads to another.
MOTHER crosses holding a jug and flicks water from it into FATHER's face.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. WOODS - MORNING
LONG SHOT as before tracking over the treetops to the distant church spire.
Church bell pealing.
INT. CHURCH - MORNING
Sunlight blazing through the window. The OLD PRIEST in his surplice walks to
the pulpit, humming to himself, mounts it to face the congregation.
The congregation, a couple of dozen villagers, ROSALEEN in the centre beside
her parents.
OLD PRIEST Isaiah, chapter eleven, verses six to eight. "The wolf also shall
dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the
calf and the young lion and fatling together, and the little child shall
lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed their young ones together.
And the lion shall eat straw with the ox, and the suckling child shall play
on the whole of the ass, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the
cockatrice's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain,
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters
cover the sea.ö
Under this:
The BOY beside his FATHER. He turns to look behind him at ROSALEEN.
ROSALEEN looks up at him, grins crookedly.
GRANNY starts up out of a doze, looks around her.
The BOY turns back; his FATHER grins down at him proudly.
ROSALEEN"s FATHER looks across at her, leans over to whisper to MOTHER.
PRIEST in the lectern.
GRANNY asleep.
PRIEST smiling.
ROSALEEN glances up at the ceiling.
HER POV: spiders clustered in a web on the underside of a lamp. One falls.
ROSALEEN looks down.
A spider falls onto her open prayer book. More fall. Her hand calmly brushes
them away.
PRIEST seen over the heads of the congregation.
EXT. CHURCH - DAY
The BOY and ROSALEEN walking away together. ROSALEEN wearing her red shawl.
villagers on the church steps watch them go.
BOY'S FATHER: (proudly) That's my BOY!
ROSALEEN'S PARENTS come out of the church, GRANNY and the OLD PRIEST behind
them.
GRANNY Don't stray from the path!
EXT. WOODS - DAY
ROSALEEN and the BOY walk past a charcoal burner feeding his fire along the
path to the wood.
BOY: When do you have to be back, ROSALEEN?
ROSALEEN: (curtly) Soon.
BOY: Why are you so crabby today? I thought you wanted to come!
ROSALEEN: So what if I did?
BOY: Well, you should. . .
ROSALEEN: What should I?
The BOY shyly runs his hands up her shawl, strokes her cheek.
BOY Well, you know. . .
ROSALEEN: I don't know. Look!
She points to a white dove in a tree, runs towards it. The BOY follows
determinedly.
BOY Pretty, but not as pretty as you!
He kisses her cheek. She pushes him away.
BOY Wasn't that nice?
ROSALEEN: No.
She runs off down the path. He puffs out his cheeks in exasperation, follows
her.
ROSALEEN pushes through undergrowth at the side of the path.
The BOY runs along the path, stops as he sees ROSALEEN standing motionless
against a tree. He goes to her.
BOY: What's wrong, ROSALEEN? Don't you like me?
ROSALEEN: Oh no, I like you. I like you well enough.
BOY: Well why won't you kiss me? (She looks down) You're afraid, aren't
you?
ROSALEEN: I'm not afraid!
BOY: Well?
She leans forward and kisses him on the mouth. He responds eagerly. She
pulls away.
BOY That wasn't very good. Give me another!
ROSALEEN: (pushing him away) Have to catch me first!
She runs off. He pursues but trips and falls flat on his face.
ROSALEEN crouches down in the underbrush.
BOY ROSALEEN!
ROSALEEN runs through the mist.
BOY: (os) ROSALEEN!
She looks back. A rainbow appears across the path behind her.
She runs on.
The BOY searches more desperately.
BOY: ROSALEEN!
ROSALEEN runs off the path right; camera focuses on the snake dangling from
a tree branch.
Extreme high angle shot from atop a dead tree down onto ROSALEEN running
into shot below. She looks up at the tree.
ROSALEEN at the tree base looking up. She looks around, smiles, looks up
again.
She begins to climb.
CLOSEUP of the snake coiled around the branch.
ROSALEEN climbs.
She reaches the upper part of the tree.
The BOY runs along the path.
BOY: Rosaleen! Rosaleen! Where are you?
Camera cranes up to show the hem of ROSALEEN's red cloak above him in the
tree. He runs unawares off down the path.
ROSALEEN climbs higher.
Ecstatic music as she reaches the top of the tree, where there is a large
bird's nest.
She looks up happily. We hear a bird cry off.
Long shot of ROSALEEN atop the tree, a bird flying off into the distance.
close shot of the inside of the nest, which contains white feathers, four
grey eggs and a hand mirror.
ROSALEEN leans forward.
Her hand takes the mirror.
She looks at herself in it.
High angle shot of her legs dangling over space.
Her hands open a small jar, which contains rouge. She rubs some onto her
index finger.
She rubs it onto her lips.
CLOSEUP of the nest and her hand holding the mirror, her face reflected in
it. Beside the mirror the eggs one by one crack and open, revealing tiny
homunculi inside.
ROSALEEN reaches forward.
Her hand takes one of the glistening little figures.
EXT. PATH
The BOY runs desperately along the path. He stops in horror.
BOY: Oh Jesus!
A calf stands next to a dead heifer, its throat torn and bloody.
The BOY runs off shouting.
BOY: Wolf! Wolf!
Mist rising about the dead heifer and its desolate calf.
CLOSEUP of a wolf, its eyes blazing, its muzzle bloody.
ROSALEEN walks along the path, contemplating the little figurine in her
cupped hands.
CLOSEUP of the wolf looking down (as if at her).
INT. BARN
The BOY runs in shouting.
BOY: Wolf! Wolf!
He trips and falls amidst the pigs.
His FATHER reacts.
BOY: (exhausted) Wolf. . . !
ROSALEEN's FATHER rushes forward.
FATHER: Where's my daughter? What have you done with my daughter?
He hauls the BOY to his feet as other villagers crowd around them.
MOTHER: Where's ROSALEEN?
BOY: She ran away from me!
BOY'S FATHER: Get your hands off him!
MOTHER: ROSALEEN!
BOY'S FATHER: Don't you hit my boy!
FATHER: Your son left my only daughter to the mercy of the wolves!
BOY'S FATHER: A daughter's one thing, a heifer's another!
They fight. ROSALEEN's MOTHER grabs a bucket of water.
MOTHER: I'll cool you off!
She dashes the water over them. They separate sheepishly, revealing ROSALEEN
standing in the b.g.
MOTHER reacts.
MOTHER: My darling! Where have you been? And in such a state!
ROSALEEN: (quietly) Look, Mummy.
She raises her cupped hand.
CLOSEUP of the little homunculi.
MOTHER smiles tenderly at her.
CLOSEUP of the figurine, a tiny tear dripping from one eye.
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT
Camera pans across dark trees to show the lights of the village far below.
INT. HOUSE - NIGHT
FATHER clicks his rifle shut, gets up. ROSALEEN helps him into a heavy dark
cloak.
MOTHER: Take care, won't you? And take this.
She holds up a crucifix on a chain. He knocks it aside with the barrel of
his rifle.
FATHER: No. This is all these beasts understand. Kill them before they kill
you.
He goes out. Thunder. MOTHER hugs ROSALEEN.
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT
Heavy autumn mist. The villagers walk in single file carrying flaming
torches.
OLD VILLAGER Keep close! There was once a village so plagued by the beats
they drew one up in the bucket of the well!
FATHER: Hush your antique gossip unless you want the wolves to hear it!
The BOY trudges behind his FATHER, clutching a white duck.
INT HOUSE - NIGHT
MOTHER is bathing ROSALEEN before the fire.
MOTHER: You're such a big girl now, aren't you? Come on, hold still! There
you are, big girl! Just be careful of those boys if they take you in the
wood again.
ROSALEEN: (scornfully) What boys? Clowns are what the village boys are!
MOTHER: Your Granny spoils you - makes you think you're something special.
That red shawl!
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT
The villagers are digging a pit and lopping down branches to conceal it.
OLD VILLAGER: If you think the wolves are big now you should have seen them
when I were a lad! Monsters they was - that's the truth! Veritable monsters.
Big as a man - bigger!
The BOY clutches the duck fearfully.
INT. HOUSE - NIGHT
ROSALEEN wrapped in a sheet drying herself by the fire.
ROSALEEN: When will Daddy have done with the killing?
MOTHER: When the beast is dead, and not until the beast is dead. We won't
live quiet until then.
ROSALEEN gets up, holding the sheet around her, and walks to look out of the
window.
HER POV: the full moon outside. A VILLAGER walks past huddled against the
cold. Wind blows.
ROSALEEN: Be winter soon.
MOTHER: Hard winter. A hard winter brings out the wolves. Thank God we're
safe indoors!
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT
The BOY holds the duck. The pit is completed and covered with branches.
FATHER: We must hide in the trees!
BOY'S FATHER: BOY! Quickly!
The BOY runs forward and puts the duck atop the branches concealing the pit.
FATHER: Douse the lights! Into the trees! Quietly!
They disperse.
The BOY'S FATHER clasps the BOY to him behind a tree.
The duck flaps its wings.
INT. COTTAGE - NIGHT
MOTHER and ROSALEEN in two-shot.
ROSALEEN: Granny says wolves may not always be what they seem.
MOTHER: How can a wolf be worse than it already is?
ROSALEEN: Not worse, but different. Maybe it isn't the wolf's fault, Mummy.
Maybe. . .
MOTHER: Maybe what?
ROSALEEN: Maybe once upon a time. . .
MOTHER: Are you going to tell me a story?
ROSALEEN: Maybe I am. (smiles) Once upon a time. . . there was a WOMAN in
the valley.
MOTHER: Um.
ROSALEEN: And the son of the big house did her a terrible wrong.
MOTHER: Oh. . .
ROSALEEN: So she came to his wedding, to put wrong to right.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. TENT - DAY
A lavishly appointed pink tent. A SERVANT enters carrying a bottle of wine
in a silver ice bucket, followed by another SERVANT. A string trio plays in
the background. GUESTS are assembled along lengthy tables placed
perpendicular to the main table where the BRIDE and GROOM sit together. The
SERVANT pours wine for the GROOM. The GUESTS eat and drink greedily and
noisily.
DRUNKEN GUEST (overheard): My dear, she was a beautiful thing. No one would
have suspected a thing.
The GROOM leans over to whisper in the BRIDE's ear.
A SERVANT enters bearing a cushion on which rests a sword. The BRIDE and
GROOM rise together, the GROOM takes the sword and they turn, the BRIDE
putting her hand atop his on the sword, and ceremonially cut into the bottom
layer of a massive tiered pink wedding cake. General laughter.
GUEST: (with his mouth full) Ladies and gentlemen, a toast! To the bride
and groom!
GUESTS: To the bride and groom!
DRUNKEN GUEST: Come on, lad, kiss the girl!
GROOM: (laughs) With pleasure!
He whispers in her ear.
GROOM A taste of what's to come!
They kiss. General exclamations.
An OLD WOMAN eating a chicken leg greedily.
Another WOMAN feeding her lap dog.
The prolonged kiss ends as the BRIDE pulls away decorously.
GUEST Well done, sir! Very good!
The DRUNKEN GUEST drinks from his wine glass.
The string trio resumes playing.
EXT. HOUSE - DAY
Music heard distantly. Crows caw as a PEASANT WOMAN emerges from the trees
and walks slowly towards camera.
The house and the tent beside it. Peacocks call as she walks calmly into the
tent.
INT. TENT - DAY
The tent entrance seen from behind the BRIDE and GROOM.
GROOM Your every happiness, my dear.
The WOMAN comes into the tent. The GROOM sees her and freezes in shock.
He slowly lowers his glass.
The BRIDE sees his expression and turns.
Camera tracks in on their startled expression.
The WOMAN walks towards them, then along the table.
She turns into profile: she is heavily pregnant.
She looks at the assembled GUESTS with hostile curiosity. An ornate MIRROR
comes into shot behind her on the tent wall.
The GUESTS whisper excitedly. The musicians play on.
The WOMAN takes an apple from the table and bites into it.
The GROOM's face as she approaches him.
She spits the bite of apple out at him.
GUESTS gasp as the GROOM recoils. Music stops.
The WOMAN stands with the mirror behind her.
WOMAN: So - I wasn't good enough for you. I was, once. . .
CLOSEUP of the appalled BRIDE.
WOMAN: Once upon a time. . .
The OLD WOMAN still chewing the chicken leg, her mouthing the only sound in
the still tent.
WOMAN: Don't you remember?
CLOSEUP GROOM.
WOMAN Don't you?
The BRIDE turns to look at the GROOM, then looks back at the WOMAN.
The OLD WOMAN goes on eating.
The WOMAN stands in front of the mirror, in which we can see the BRIDE and
GROOM reflected with other GUESTS.
WOMAN: The wolves in the forest are more decent!
CLOSEUP GROOM. The music resumes.
CLOSEUP WOMAN in front of the mirror. Its surface warps and bends.
The WOMAN spins round to stare into the mirror.
The mirror cracks and splinters. We hear screams.
She smiles coldly.
In the distorted mirror we see the GROOM and BRIDE fall back into their
chairs.
The WOMAN laughs harshly.
CLOSEUP of a hand covered with hair grasping a wine glass and crushing it.
The WOMAN laughs.
CLOSEUP of a man's boots under the table as they split open and clawed paws
emerge.
CLOSEUP WOMAN turning, her eyes blazing.
In the distorted mirror we see the GROOM writhing.
Another pair of shoes splits open to reveal claws.
The WOMAN laughing.
The hairy hand bleeding from the fragments of the wine glass.
More shoes splitting open.
The OLD WOMAN staring, fangs protruding from her open mouth.
The WOMAN looks right and left.
CLOSEUP of a hairy hand rising to paw at a hairy bodice.
The OLD WOMAN looking down in horror.
The hand ripping open the bodice to reveal hairy breasts.
The WOMAN laughs.
The OLD WOMAN"S fanged face in the distorted mirror.
The WOMAN stares proudly.
A guest transformed entirely into a wolf in fine clothes leaps down from the
table, an astonished SERVANT staring.
Hairy legs pumping and kicking off shoes. Jaunty music.
The WOMAN laughs.
Feet kicking.
The WOMAN looks left, eyes blazing.
The DRUNKEN GUEST, now completely transformed, rips his wig off.
The WOMAN laughs.
The wolf gulps from its wine glass.
The WOMAN leans over backwards laughing.
The table, all the GUESTS now wolves.
The musicians play on unperturbed.
Track along the table of wolves in fine clothes.
The WOMAN laughs.
A SERVANT represses a smile.
The WOMEN stares at the wolves.
The wolves leap down, scattering cutlery and glasses.
A huge vase of flowers crashes down onto the table.
A SERVANT stands impassive as wolves leap about him.
A candelabra smashes down onto the table between two wolves.
Another vase of flowers topples from its stand, narrowly missing the SERVANT
beside it.
Wolves leap down past a statue of Cupid holding a bunch of grapes.
The distorted mirror reflecting wolves leaping down.
The wedding cake collapses.
The SERVANTS stand behind the table as it collapses under the weight of the
wolves.
The pack of wolves rush out of the entrance to the tent,
SERVANTS on either side looking at each other in amazement.
EXT. TENT - DAY
The pack of wolves rush past an astonished peacock and vanish into the
trees.
INT. TENT - DAY
More wolves rush out past SERVANT.
The distorted mirror reflects the fallen table and the SERVANTS standing
behind it.
The WOMAN turns from the mirror, smiles and bows her head with
exaggerated politeness. In the mirror we see the SERVANTS all bow to her as
one.
She makes an exaggerated curtsey and sweeps out of the shot; in the mirror
we see the SERVANTS helping themselves to wine.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HOUSE - NIGHT
ROSALEEN and MOTHER.
MOTHER: (astonished) Where did you hear a story like that?
ROSALEEN: It's not a story, but God's honest truth! Granny told me.
MOTHER reacts.
ROSALEEN: And after that, the WOMAN made the wolves come to sing to her and
the baby at night. Made them come and serenade her.
MOTHER: (laughing) But what pleasure could there be in that? Listening to
a lot of wolves! Don't we have to do it all the time?
ROSALEEN: The pleasure would come. . .
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT
The WOMAN rocking a cradle suspended from a tree branch.
ROSALEEN: (VO) . . . from knowing the power that she had.
Music. Wolves are heard howling in the distance. Track back as the WOMAN
laughs triumphantly.
CLOSEUP of the BABY in the cradle, the WOMAN's hand fondling it.
Stormy clouds seen through bare tree branches. Wolves howl.
The WOMAN stands over the cradle, crooning to it.
EXT. WOOD - NIGHT
Leaves falling in autumnal mist.
villagers crouched din the trees, waiting. The duck quacks.
Thunder. A huge wolf lopes along the path.
BOY Daddy - !
The SMITH claps his hand over the BOY's mouth.
The wolf approaches.
The duck on the path, the wolf in b.g.
A VILLAGER levels his rifle.
The wolf sniffs the air, its eyes glowing.
CLOSEUP of the duck quacking nervously.
The wolf crouches.
ZOOM IN on the duck.
Low angle slow motion shot of the wolf springing.
The wolf crashes down into the concealed pit.
The duck flies off in terror.
The SMITH releases the BOY and rushes forward.
The VILLAGER lowers his rifle and runs forward.
villagers holding flaming torches crowd around the pit. They fire their guns
into it repeatedly, smoking rising.
Flash shot of the wolf's head looking up.
The villagers fire relentlessly.
The BOY peers down into the pit from between his FATHER's legs, flattens as
his FATHER fires his pistol down into the pit. The BOY looks up as the
firing ceases. Gunsmoke rises silently from the pit.
The villagers bring their torches closer.
INT. HOUSE - NIGHT
FATHER enters and throws his rifle down into the corner. MOTHER rushes to
close the door after him.
MOTHER: (crosses herself) Praise be to God!
FATHER sits heavily at the table and holds up something wrapped in a cloth.
FATHER: When I cut it off the carcass for a trophy it was the forepaw. . .
the forepaw of the biggest wolf I ever saw.
MOTHER backs away and goes to ROSALEEN.
MOTHER: The wolf that killed our Alice?
FATHER: Aye, may be.
He puts the bundle on the table. MOTHER and ROSALEEN stare at it.
FATHER: When I cut it with the knife it was a forepaw, I swear, of a grizzle
giant wolf. . . and then before my very eyes. . .
He unwraps the bundle. MOTHER gasps and clutches ROSALEEN.
It is a severed man's hand, with a large ring on one finger.
ROSALEEN: Whose is it, Daddy? Is it someone you knew?
FATHER: What do I know whose hand it is! All I know is what I see.
MOTHER: Get it out!
ROSALEEN: Was it a man or a wolf you killed?
FATHER: When I killed it it was a wolf, and it turned into a man. Seeing is
believing.
ROSALEEN: Is it? What about - touching?
She moves calmly to the table and reaches out to the severed hand.
MOTHER seizes her and drags her away.
MOTHER: Get it out!
FATHER: Whatever it is, now it's dead meat!
MOTHER turns her face away.
ROSALEEN: Do we bury it or burn it, Daddy?
FATHER stares at her, leaps up and flings the hand into the fire.
close shot of it burning.
They all stare at it. ROSALEEN moves forward, bends down to look at it.
CLOSEUP of the hand burning in the fireplace.
CLOSEUP of ROSALEEN staring at it.
CLOSEUP of the hand burning.
INT. ROSALEEN'S BEDROOM
ROSALEEN asleep, tears streaming down her face, blurring her makeup.
A tear falling and hitting the floor, splashing into hundred of tiny
droplets. Musical chord.
The sailor doll against the blowing window curtains.
Another tear splashing, and another. Musical chords.
Harlequin doll, motionless.
Three more tears splashing to the floor. Musical chords.
ROSALEEN asleep, tossing restlessly.
EXT. VILLAGE - WINTER MORNING
Snow on the ground. The smith working the bellows of his forge.
The SMITH takes a glowing horseshoe out of the forge with long tongs and
carries it right to the anvil, where the BOY stands waiting to steady it
with another set of tongs. SMITH hammers at the horseshoe while we see
ROSALEEN emerge from the cottage in b.g., wearing an apron; the BOY looks up
and sees her. She bends down to throw grain to the geese, then goes back
inside.
The BOY uses his tongs to dip the horseshoe into a bucket of water; steam
hisses up. He holds up the horseshoe and examines it critically, looks o.s.
after ROSALEEN and smiles.
INT. COTTAGE
MS of MOTHER and ROSALEEN, ROSALEEN now wearing her red wool shawl; MOTHER
is packing a basket of food.
MOTHER: You're besotted with that old lady, and her old wives' tales. Maybe
you shouldn't go.
ROSALEEN: Daddy killed the great wolf. I'll be safe in the forest now,
Mummy.
MOTHER: Mind you don't stray - and take something to protect yourself with.
ROSALEEN picks up a long sharp carving knife.
ROSALEEN: How about a knife?
MOTHER: You're not afraid of anything, are you? You're a fearless child,
I'll say that. I suppose your Granny will ask you to stay the night. You
always were her favorite.
ROSALEEN: Of course I'll stay the night if she asks me - it'd be rude not
to. She is my grandmother, and she may not have a kind word for you, but
she's always been good to me. She's all alone out there, Mummy.
MOTHER takes down a black stoppered bottle.
MOTHER: Maybe you're right and maybe you're not. (puts bottle into basket)
Give her that from me. And don't stray now, Rosaleen! I trust you. You won't
be lucky twice.
MOTHER opens the door and ROSALEEN goes out, carrying the basket.
EXT. VILLAGE - DAY
The BOY stands by the smithy whittling at a stick with his pocket knife. He
ducks out of sight as ROSALEEN emerges from her house in b.g., and dodges
round behind the smith to see where she is headed. He takes a few last cuts
at his stick, then hurries after her, dodging past men pushing heavy carts.
ROSALEEN walks along the snowy path, past a large white rabbit.
She walks past men pushing heavy mine carts filled with ore. The BOY runs
after her.
BOY ROSALEEN!
She stops and turns as he runs up.
BOY Where are you going?
ROSALEEN: To see my Granny.
BOY: It's a long ways through the woods! Let me come with you - you'd be
safe with me!
ROSALEEN: (scornfully) Go into the woods with you? After what happened
last time?
BOY (brandishing his knife) I'll protect you!
ROSALEEN smiles and produces her own, larger knife.
ROSALEEN: No. I've got this to protect me.
She brushes past him and runs off., He tries to follow but his path is
blocked by men pushing carts.
EXT. WOODS - DAY
ROSALEEN pushes on. Camera lingers momentarily on the snake in b.g.
CLOSEUP of a large toad atop a snow-covered rock.
ROSALEEN crouches down beside it.
The toad leaps away abruptly.
ROSALEEN looks up in alarm, reaches for her knife, stands up warily.
She backs up, spins around.
HER POV: a bird flies off through the woods.
ROSALEEN backs up in the other direction - directly into the HUNTSMAN
standing smiling behind her. She whirls round in fright. He doffs his hat to
her with exaggerated courtesy, speaks with a distinct Continental accent.
HUNTSMAN: Miss?
ROSALEEN: Where did you spring from?
HUNTSMAN: Did I scare you? I am sorry.
ROSALEEN: At least you have your clothes on. Huntsman, are you? Lost your
horse?
HUNTSMAN: Lost my horse and lost my companions, young lady.
ROSALEEN: And lost your way too.
HUNTSMAN: I do believe I just found it.
She backs away.
HUNTSMAN: I say, do you think you could spare me a drink out of that?
ROSALEEN: It's for my Granny.
HUNTSMAN: I know the very place up the way for a picnic!
He takes the basket from her, offers her his arm, and leads the way.
CLOSEUP of the toad on the snow.
EXT. CLEARING - DAY
The HUNTSMAN and ROSALEEN sitting in the shelter of a few large trees, where
the snow is not so deep.
HUNTSMAN: I have the most remarkable object in my pocket. That means I never
lose my way in the woods.
ROSALEEN: In your pocket, you say?
HUNTSMAN: This object goes everywhere with me - that is, whenever I wear my
trousers.
ROSALEEN hands him a crisp cake. He bites into it hungrily.
HUNTSMAN: Umm. (holds it out to her) Go on, bite it.
She leans forward; he retracts his hand puts the cake into his mouth,
extends it to her. She nibbles tentatively from the protruding end and then
backs quickly away. He smiles, uncorks the bottle, swigs from it.
ROSALEEN: Don't you know how strong that stuff is? A man in our village
keeps a still - he's the reddest nose you ever saw. He tells lies, too. Like
you. I don't believe there is such a thing.
The HUNTSMAN springs to his feet.
HUNTSMAN: Seeing is believing.
He takes something out from his trousers pocket, kneels down beside ROSALEEN
and holds it out to her. She looks. He opens it: a pocket compass.
HUNTSMAN: The little needle always points north, no matter where I go, so I
always know exactly where I am.
ROSALEEN takes the compass and examines it.
ROSALEEN: I don't believe it, even though I see it.
HUNTSMAN: It was this compass that brought me safe through the wood.
ROSALEEN: But you lost your way in the wood.
HUNTSMAN: (caressing her hair) But I found you. Are you sorry?
ROSALEEN: I'm not sorry. They're clowns, the village boys.
HUNTSMAN: Well, then.
ROSALEEN: But don't you know you should never leave the path?
HUNTSMAN: I just got onto the path. I was perfectly safe before.
ROSALEEN: Aren't you afraid of the wolves?
HUNTSMAN: Why should I be frightened of wolves?
ROSALEEN: You must know the worse wolves are hairy on the inside.
He leaps to his feet in indignation.
HUNTSMAN: Old wives' tales! Peasant superstition! What, a bright young girl
- pretty, intelligent girl like you believing in werewolves!
ROSALEEN: But my Granny said that -
HUNTSMAN: For believing in old wives' tales, you deserve . . . to be
punished!
He seizes ROSALEEN and kisses her, rolling her onto the ground. She laughs.
HUNTSMAN: I'll show you I'm not afraid of the wolves, ROSALEEN. I'll make a
bet with you. I'll bet you anything you like that I get to your Granny's
house before you do.
ROSALEEN: How?
HUNTSMAN: I'll use my compass to help me cross the country while you trudge
along the dreary path!
ROSALEEN: Bet me your compass.
HUNTSMAN: Bet me your heart's desire.
ROSALEEN: And if I lose?
HUNTSMAN: You can give me . . . a kiss!
They sit up.
HUNTSMAN: Here - take my hat as a token of good will. Wear it, until we meet
again.
He puts it on her head, gets up and goes without another word.
ROSALEEN looks at herself in her hand mirror, the hat perched jauntily atop
her head.
She gets up and hurries along the path.
CLOSEUP of the hand mirror abandoned in the snow, with a large raven
standing beside it.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE - NIGHT
Snow falling. Owls hoot. The HUNTSMAN moves rapidly and surely through the
woods.
He approaches the cottage, goes through the gate.
He pauses, puts his hand to the game dangling from his belt, puts a finger
to his mouth - leaving a smear of blood on his lips.
Drops of blood fall onto the snow at his feet.
He moves on towards the cottage, his eyes aflame.
INT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE - NIGHT
GRANNY sitting dozing over the Bible in her rocking chair before the fire. A
heavy knock on the door.
GRANNY (rousing) Who is it?
HUNTSMAN: (os; falsetto) Only your granddaughter.
GRANNY Lift up the latch and walk in.
CLOSEUP of GRANNY: we see the door reflected in her eyeglasses as the door
opens and the HUNTSMAN enters.
GRANNY God save us!
Her ermine lifts its head and hisses; the HUNTSMAN whirls round in surprise.
GRANNY staggers to her feet, holding her Bible in front of her like a
shield.
GRANNY Get you back to Hell from which you came!
HUNTSMAN: I don't come from Hell. I came from the forest.
GRANNY What have you done with my granddaughter?
HUNTSMAN: Nothing she didn't want!
She hurls the Bible at him.
He ducks.
It falls open against the far wall.
She grabs his gun and knocks him onto the floor with it. He howls in pain
and fright.
She looks down at him.
He turns his head, extending an impossibly long tongue.
She recoils in horror.
She turns and seizes the poker out of the fire, swinging it at him with all
her strength as he bounds to his feet.
He grabs the red-hot end of the poker and screams in pain.
He drops it, extending his smoking palm.
He turns and aims a blow at her.
The blow knocks her head off.
The severed head flies through the air (slow motion).
He stares at it.
Slow motion: GRANNY's head strikes the wall and shatters into china
fragments and floating grey hair.
EXT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE - NIGHT
ROSALEEN approaches through the falling snow.
INT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE
EXTREME CLOSEUP of the HUNTSMAN's yellow eye as he rocks back and forth in
GRANNY's chair by the fire.
EXT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE
ROSALEEN approaches the gate.
INT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE
The HUNTSMAN rocking in the chair.
extreme CLOSEUP of his yellow eye as he rocks slower and slower. . .
EXT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE
ROSALEEN looks up at the sky. A wolf howls in the distance.
her pov: a full moon. The HUNTSMAN's eye dissolves in over the moon. More
wolves howl.
INT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE
extreme CLOSEUP of the HUNTSMAN's eye as the rocking chair slows and comes
to a stop.
EXT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE
ROSALEEN looking up at the moon; she looks down at her feet.
her pov: the blood on the snow.
She moves on hurriedly towards the cottage.
INT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE
The door seen past the HUNTSMAN in the chair. A knock.
HUNTSMAN: (falsetto) Who's there?
ROSALEEN: (os) Only your granddaughter.
HUNTSMAN: (falsetto) Lift up the latch and walk in.
ROSALEEN enters and stares at the HUNTSMAN.
ROSALEEN: So. You got here before me just as you said you would.
HUNTSMAN: I did.
ROSALEEN: Where's my Granny?
HUNTSMAN: Gone out to the woodpile, to fetch more logs.
ROSALEEN: A real gentleman would never let an old lady go out, not on a
night like this.
HUNTSMAN: She won't be long.
ROSALEEN goes to the window and pulls back the curtain.
ROSALEEN: She's not there.
She turns and looks at him, then darts for the door, but he leaps up into
her path. She backs away from him.
Her heels comes down onto GRANNY's glasses, smashing them.
She looks down at them, then across at the fireplace.
her pov: grey hair burning in the grate.
ROSALEEN: Is that all you left of her? Your kind can't stomach hair, can you
- even if the worst wolves are hairy on the inside!
HUNTSMAN: What do you know about my kind?
ROSALEEN: (groping behind her) My GRANNY told me plenty!
Her hands find the knife in the basket behind her. She brandishes it, and he
leaps forward to seize it.
HUNTSMAN: Are you very much afraid?
ROSALEEN: It wouldn't do me much good to be afraid, would it?
He forces her down onto her knees on the floor.
ROSALEEN: What big eyes you have!
HUNTSMAN: All the better to see you with.
ROSALEEN: They say seeing is believing, but I'd never swear to it.
HUNTSMAN: You must be wet through. Why don't you take off your shawl?
She shudders. He gently unties it, pulls her to her feet and removes the
shawl.
ROSALEEN: What should I do with it?
HUNTSMAN: Into the fire with it - you won't need it again.
She kneels down and puts it into the fire.
ROSALEEN: Your kind can't stomach clothes either.
CLOSEUP of the red shawl burning. Wolves howl outside.
She looks up.
ROSALEEN: who's come to sing us carols then?
HUNTSMAN: Only my companions, darling. I love the company of wolves. Look
out of the window and you'll see them.
He sinks back grinning into the rocking chair. ROSALEEN goes back to the
window and looks out.
ROSALEEN: Poor creatures. It's freezing cold out there, no wonder they howl
so.
EXT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE
her pov: wolves on the stone wall outside, their eyes glowing.
INT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE
HUNTSMAN: Are you sorry for them?
ROSALEEN: Yes. And for you too!
She seizes his rifle from where it was leaning against the wall and levels
it at him. He leaps to his feet.
HUNTSMAN: You're a bold fearless girl, aren't you? And now you must give me
back my gun, my dear.
He moves towards her.
She shakes her head and fires.
An ornament on the shelf shatters into fragments.
He falls to the floor, howling in fear.
He looks up at her.
ROSALEEN: Are you our kind, or their kind?
HUNTSMAN: Not one kind or the other. Both.
ROSALEEN: Then where do you live? In our world, or in theirs?
HUNTSMAN: I come and go between them. My home is nowhere.
ROSALEEN: Are you only a man when you dress that way - like GRANNY said?
He looks down, unbuttons his shirt and pulls it off, spreading his bare
arms.
ROSALEEN: My, what big arms you have.
HUNTSMAN: The better to hug you with.
He rises and approaches her slowly.
ROSALEEN: Well. . . perhaps. . . you did win your bet, didn't you - you
gentleman, you fine gentleman. They say the Prince of Darkness is a
gentleman. They're right. A fine gentleman.
HUNTSMAN: (smiling) Gentlemen always keep their promises. Do ladies keep
their promises? Indeed I won my bet. So now, you owe me. . .
ROSALEEN: I remember.
HUNTSMAN: . . . a kiss. Will you be honourable and pay me, or not?
He slowly takes her face into his hands and kisses her. She suddenly pushes
him away; he stumbles to the floor.
ROSALEEN: Jesus, what big teeth you have!
HUNTSMAN: All the better to eat you with.
ROSALEEN seizes the rifle and fires at him. He clutches his shoulder and
falls howling to the floor.
He rocks back and forth, howling.
His back heaves.
His long tongue emerges.
Hair sprouts along his heaving back.
ROSALEEN backs away.
He screams.
His face splits open and a wolf's head emerges from within.
His back splits to let the wolf's body emerge.
EXT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE
The full moon in the sky.
The wolves on the wall howling.
INT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE
pan up from the fire to ROSALEEN's face where she stands against the wall.
ROSALEEN: I'm sorry.
We hear the sound of the wolf whining.
ROSALEEN: I never knew a wolf could cry.
She moves to the grey wolf sitting on the hearth and hugs it.
EXT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE
The wolves leap down from the wall and disperse into the night.
INT. COTTAGE
ROSALEEN cradles the wolf tenderly.
ROSALEEN: Leaving you, are they? You'll be all alone. I'll tell you a story
of a wounded wolf. . .
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. VILLAGE - NIGHT
track in on the well. Wind blows. Pigeons erupt into the shot.
ROSALEEN (vo) Once upon a time. . .
The well mechanism, cogs turning.
ROSALEEN (vo) . . . when the village was asleep. . .
The edge of the well: a wolf appears over the lip, its eyes glowing in the
dark. It lifts its muzzle exploratorily, looks into the camera.
ROSALEEN (vo) . . . a she-wolf came, from the world below to the world
above.
A cottage window, which lights up as someone inside approaches the window
holding a candle.
The wolf on the well lifts its head in response to a distant howling, and
howls back.
It lowers its head and jumps down out of shot.
Wolf moves away from the well uncertainly.
It looks about.
It trots away from the village towards the bridge.
ROSALEEN (vo) She meant no harm. . .
The wolf on the bridge, the church spire visible in b.g.
ROSALEEN (vo) . . . to anyone, but someone meant harm to her.
Cottage door opens; pan down to reveal a MAN holding a rifle.
He fires.
CLOSEUP as the bullet strikes the wolf's leg.
It wheels around, yelping with pain.
It flees over the bridge towards the church, whining.
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT
The she-wolf limps through the underbrush, panting in pain.
ROSALEEN (vo) So she ran. . . and she ran. . .
EXT. CHURCHYARD - NIGHT
ROSALEEN (vo). . . and she ran again. . .
The wolf limps up the stone steps leading to the rectory.
The wolf hesitates, her eyes glowing.
CLOSEUP of light shining out from beneath the door.
The wolf lowers her head and whimpers.
She limps further up the steps to the door.
She wheels and runs back down as the door opens and the OLD PRIEST emerges.
He looks out into the misty churchyard.
OLD PRIEST Who's there? Who's there?
The wolf looks out from behind a tombstone.
The OLD PRIEST comes down the steps slowly; camera PANS right to reveal the
WOLF GIRL crouching down where the wolf was previously.
She is naked, her body hidden by her long black hair, holding out her arms
in supplication.
The OLD PRIEST recoils in alarm.
OLD PRIEST This is holy ground!
The WOLF GIRL holds out her arms.
The OLD PRIEST extends his arms.
Their hands meet.
OLD PRIEST Can you speak?
He kneels down beside her.
Her face is streaked with tears.
OLD PRIEST Are you God's work, or the Devil's? (she looks away) Oh, what do
I care whose work you are. . .
He takes her wounded arm and wraps a cloth around it.
OLD PRIEST . . . you poor, speechless creature?
He smiles reassuringly at her as he wraps the bandage tightly.
He puts one hand to her wet cheek.
OLD PRIEST It will heal. . . in time.
He holds her, stroking her hair gently. Camera pans away amongst the
tombstones.
ROSALEEN: (vo) And the wound did heal. . .
The WOLF GIRL's tear-stained face.
ROSALEEN (vo) . . . for she was just a girl after all. . .
INSERT: CLOSEUP of a white rose in full bloom.
ROSALEEN (vo) . . . who had strayed from the path in the forest. . .
Slowly the rose opens and turns deep red.
CLOSEUP of the WOLF GIRL weeping.
ROSALEEN (vo) . . . and remembered what she'd found there.
INSERT: the rose turns completely red as it opens fully.
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT
The WOLF GIRL moves slowly through the underbrush.
The village with the church spire in b.g.
ROSALEEN (vo) So back through the forest she ran and ran. . .
The WOLF GIRL creeps across the bridge, her long hair hiding her naked form.
She moves across the bridge.
She approaches the well.
ROSALEEN (vo) . . . to the well,and the village, from whence she came. . .
She approaches the well cautiously, then climbs up onto the lip.
She slowly lowers herself down into the well.
ROSALEEN (vo) She crept inside, to the world below . . .
close shot of the WOLF GIRL's spread hand disappearing over the lip of the
well.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE - NIGHT
ROSALEEN on the hearth petting the docile wolf.
ROSALEEN: And that's all I'll tell you, because that's all I know.
The wolf licks her hands and face.
EXT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE - NIGHT
The full moon in the winter sky.
EXT. WOODS - MORNING
The BOY leads the armed villagers along the path towards Granny's cottage.
BOY: ROSALEEN! ROSALEEN!
MOTHER and FATHER lead the way to the cottage.
Slow motion: the front window shatters as the wolf leaps through it.
MOTHER turns to watch it escape, glances back at FATHER, goes to the front
door.
She pushes it open, to reveal a silver wolf waiting calmly within.
MOTHER walks forward slowly.
The wolf looks up at her.
MOTHER stares.
Around the wolf's neck hangs ROSALEEN's rosary, the silver cross dangling
between the wolf's front paws.
FATHER rushes in and aims his rifle.
MOTHER: (screaming) NO!
She knocks the rifle up as FATHER fires.
The blast blows a hole in the cottage roof.
The wolf turns and leaps through the shattered window.
MOTHER and FATHER watch it go.
EXT. GRANNY'S COTTAGE
The wolf bounds over the low stone wall towards the woods.
The villagers react. MOTHER leans out of the shattered window, screaming.
MOTHER: No! Don't shoot!
BOY: (desperately) ROSALEEN!
EXT. WOODS - DAY
The two wolves run together through the woods.
They leap over the doll's house in the path.
They leap over the life size sailor doll lying face down on the path.
They leap over the life size teddy bear, knocking its head off.
INT. ROSALEEN'S ROOM
Camera tracks around ROSALEEN lying curled asleep on the bed, cradling the
hand mirror.
EXT. WOODS
The entire pack of wolves rushes up the path.
INT. HOUSE
The wolves rush through dusty corridors full of discarded furniture and
Victoriana.
CLOSEUP of an old oil portrait in a heavy frame; in slow motion a wolf
bursts through the painting and into the room.
More wolves follow through the picture frame.
They rush up a staircase towards the attic.
They rush down the corridor and mill outside ROSALEEN's room.
INT. ROSALEEN'S ROOM
ROSALEEN sits up in alarm.
INT. CORRIDOR
The wolves outside her door.
INT. ROSALEEN'S ROOM
ROSALEEN clutches the covers up around her. She looks towards the window,
panting with fear.
The window, its sill laden with old toys and books; in slow motion a single
wolf crashes through the glass panes into the room. ROSALEEN screams.
close shot of her screaming in terror.
The wolf coming through the window in slow motion.
Toys and fragments of glass cascade in slow motion onto the floor and
shatter.
ROSALEEN (vo):
Little girls, this seems to say:
Never stop upon your way;
Never trust a stranger friend
No one knows how it will end.
As you're pretty, so be wise
Wolves may lurk in every guise
Now, as then, 'tis simple truth:
Sweetest tongue hides sharpest tooth.
MUSIC AND CREDITS
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