First-Place Winner, May – October 2008
Screenplay Contest - Full-Length Series
"Kissin’ Kuzins"
Written by Deana W. Costner

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Deana has written educational curriculum used by public and private schools and organizations. Recently, she started writing screenplays, and has completed or nearly completed nine. Although The Writer’s Place is the first contest she has won, she has placed in others. She’s a sixth generation Floridian with degrees from the University of Alabama and a doctorate from the University of Central Florida. She loves to travel, read, cook, but her first passion has always been writing.

Additional Writer Information
Contact: dcostner@cfl.rr.com

LOGLINE

Two would-be heirs claim the same property – one by moving in and the other legally.The fight’s on between perky Margaret and persistent James as they must “share and share” alike the land, house and bed until the Judge rules.

SYNOPSIS

Perky Margaret and confirmed bachelor James inherit the same acres with the stipulation that the heir who “takes possession” first wins.Unknown to each other and unrelated, they leave Philadelphia jobs to ride the rails to Kansas in 1876.Margaret hires a wagon and goes right out to the land while James lays claim with the attorney who turns chicken-liver and declares only the Circuit Judge can decide.Problem is he ain’t due for six weeks.Until then the two must “share and share” alike the land, house and bed – of course, Margaret’s nailed a board slap down the middle separating the would-be heirs in this romantic comedy.

During their spell of wait, James learns all about cow raisin’ from the gentle Jake and boastful Billy.Sarah, the silent squaw, befriends Margaret and teaches her the woman stuff and how to ride. James and Margaret never find peace together as each tries to force the other back to city life.Margaret locks him out to sleep in the bunkhouse.He returns the favor by scattering her clothes across the yard.She sleeps in a make-shift hammock on Sarah’s earthen porch. Bathing in the near-by creek is a matter of considerable irritation to Margaret.

A fragile friendship forms in Abilene when they travel to purchase cows.It falls apart when James recognizes Margaret as the speech-giving suffragette back in Philadelphia who caused him pain. The banker freezes their funds when taxes come due, and he won’t loosen them without payment of sorts from Margaret. Only when James fights for her honor in a barroom brawl do they come to realize the land ain’t worth much without the other.But pride holds them apart until the night of the Indian raid when fear drives Margaret into James’ arms.He declares his love “for good and always.”

SCRIPT FOLLOWS

FADE IN:

EXT. PHILADELPHIA IN 1876 - DAY

A long shot of city, brick roads, buggies, wagons, horses, people walking.Pass buildings and homes.Finally see outside of a mercantile store then move inside.

INT. GENERAL MERCANTILE STORE - DAY

JAMES, (30) an impatient, plain-speaking man, waits on older WOMAN.He pulls a bolt of cloth, she fingers it and shakes head before points to another.

James pulls bolt and spreads it on counter.Woman holds to body like dress, shakes head.She points to bolt high above.

James pulls ladder over to reach material. As he pulls cloth down, she shakes head.James pushes bolt back into place.Frustrated.

She points to one on his right.He adjusts ladder to reach it. Pulls it out.Looks questioningly. She shakes head.
James slams bolt back; temper rising.

WOMAN Other side.

He leans over ladder almost falls.He pulls cloth down.Unfolds roll on counter.He looks expectantly.

WOMAN Nope.              JAMES Gosh, Almighty, Woman.There’s no pleasing you.What do you want?

 Woman pulls to a ridged stance.

WOMAN Respect, young man.

She stomps out in huff as CHARLES enters.Charles wears long apron, older than James.He watches woman stomp off,

CHARLES You did it again!              JAMES She's a cackling hen.              CHARLES You know your problem -- you just don't like women.               JAMES Oh, yea, I like women.I just don't like woman. When you got just one, she gets too bossy.

Charles laughs as he throws letter toward James.

CHARLES Post's in.              JAMES Kansas?        (rips open, reads slowly) Hey...        (pushes it toward Charles) read this.

Charles picks up letter to read, shows interest.

EXT.  CITY PARK - NIGHT

James walks park where women are drawn to bandstand decked in patriotic bunting. Men stop, shrug and soon walk on.

 MARGARET, (19) a saucy, naive but beautiful woman, speaks. She dresses in patriotic colors.

MARGARET Sisters, let 1876 be the year our bonds are broken!        (sweeps hands down forcefully) We demand the vote for Philadelphia women!

Women folk applaud.Men jeer and push through small crowd.

James jokes to men nearby.

JAMES A woman that pretty is only made for one thing, and it sure ain't voting.

Men laugh crudely, openly mock Margaret.

Unseen by James five angry, WOMEN, huddle -- fume.

James walks on alone away from crowd.Suddenly he trips.A mob of women pounce on him, pull his hair, claw at his face, bite his arm.

JAMES What the --

James attempts to defend himself without hitting a woman.

From behind, a woman pours hot kettle water on him.

He screams and turns in anger.

Unseen another hits him with a rolling pin.He passes out with a blurred vision of Margaret speaking.

MARGARET Without the vote, there is no power.

Police whistles blow.

Women scatter but not before giving James a swift kick.

EXT. ROOMING HOUSE - NIGHT

James leans against stair rail.A POLICEMAN with him.

POLICEMAN You’re the second attack we’ve had.No known identification.              JAMES Oh, I can identify one of them.

James hits fist against his flat hand.

JAMES If I ever see her again.              POLICEMAN Run!

 James cocks head and enters boarding house where sign reads: "Rooms to Let. Gentlemen Only."

He looks back at park. Crowd gone. Holds side.

EXT. BROWNSTONE HOUSE OFF PARK - NIGHT

Margaret skips up steps of another townhouse.In window, sign reads: "Rooms. Christian Ladies Only."

INT. MARGARET'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Curtains billow from open window. A milk glass LANTERN WITH RED ROSES burns.Margaret reads letter to young WOMAN.

MARGARET “...to notify you of the death of your cousin, Sam Stone.He leaves you the whole of his estate, provided you are the first...”

INT. JAMES’S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

Spartan room.James lays on bed, reads letter...

JAMES “...heir to claim the land known as Sam’s Ranch.Three hundred acres...”

James sits up, tosses letter aside.

JAMES No more ladies to order me around.

INT. MARGARET’S ROOM - CONTINUOUS

MARGARET No man to tell me what to do.              YOUNG WOMAN I don't know. What about this part?        (points in letter) Two heirs.Suppose the other one gets there first?              MARGARET Oh,        (airily, confident) I'll be first.              YOUNG WOMAN You’d go to Kansas alone?              MARGARET I'll have a home no man can take from me.

MONTAGE - JAMES AND MARGARET MOVE TO KANSAS

--- James withdraws money from bank and puts it in pocket.

--- Margaret withdraws money from same bank and puts some in a purse, ties some in hanky and stuffs in      bodice.

--- James bids farewell to men friends, boards train at rear.

--- Margaret bids farewell to sister suffragettes, boards at front.

--- As train pulls out, Margaret, face presses against windowpane from her seat up front, waves.

--- James waves from rail at back of train.

--- As train moves westward, James plays cards and glances out window at passing countryside.

--- Margaret, fascinated by endless stretch of country, visits with passengers boarding.

--- Arriving in Newton, James hops from rear car with luggage clutched in two hands.

--- Margaret steps from front car with Porter assisting with three trunks.

--- Noise of engine stops all activity until train pulls away, leaving smoke, dust and Margaret and James.

END MONTAGE

EXT.  TOWN OF NEWTON - DAY

Town’s people stop their routine to examine newcomers.

Men boldly watch Margaret. Women shyly approve James.

Several men run to help Margaret with trunks as she makes her way to Joe’s Livery Stable.

James takes in whole town.First, the Grand Hotel where a sign reads: "Rooms.Fifty Cents a Night."

At street end, set apart from other buildings, is finest dwelling in town -- Newton’s Bank.It’s the only one with a fresh coat of paint, tall columns grace the front.

On steps, tall thin man, EARL JONES, (37) watches town and people.Dark mustache covers his tight lips.His business suit and hat formal for town.

Earl, notes James’s stare, condescendingly, tips hat.

Next, a red pole announces Barber Shop; beyond three barrels on wooden sidewalk lead into mercantile store.

Across is a clapboard building where the shingle of "Theodore Faultner, Esquire of the Law" hangs.

James strides that direction.

Half of people watch Margaret's progression and half watch James.They circle for speculation and gossip.

INT. - JOE'S LIVERY STABLE - DAY

Margaret enters stable, darkness blinds her.She runs into JOE.His strong arms brace her.

JOE Steady there, Missy.

Margaret straightens.Men lower trunks and listen up.

MARGARET Miss Tomkins.        (slight pause) I'd like to hire a wagon to Sam's Ranch. I'm the new owner.

Men take-in sharp breath. Joe looks her over from toe to hat and back again.

Margaret shifts uncomfortably, pulls up smartly.

JOE So the Missy got here first?

Joe looks at men, his eyebrows rise.

MARGARET You knew I was coming?

Men shift, withdraw, eager to share the news.

JOE Rather ‘spicion you might.              MARGARET I'd like to go to the ranch. Right now, in fact.

Joe nods, harnesses horses.He laughs as he works.

Margaret waits impatiently, goes to door to look outside.She sees James walk to a clapboard building.

EXT. CLAPBOARD BUILDING - DAY

Building stands alone with three steps up to a solid wooden door.James reads sign: “Closed for Lunch.”

He knocks and waits impatiently, knocks again.Finally he turns toward Grand Hotel.

INT.  JAMES HOTEL ROOM - DAY

From window, James examines town and dusty road as it narrows into countryside. In distance he watches wagon loaded with trunks disappear from view. Margaret perches next to Joe.

KNOCK interrupts his thoughts.

JAMES Come in.

A comely, country-looking, SUSIE (24) and a young boy enter with bath water to pour into zinc tub.

SUSIE Long trip?              JAMES All the way from Philadelphia.

Susie gives a flirty wink when James tips her.In a friendly manner, he flips a coin toward the boy who catches it.

EXT. WAGON ON DIRT ROAD - DAY

Margaret jiggles next to Joe on bumpy road.

MARGARET This road’s surely used.              JOE Yep, all the way to Santa Fe. Wagons been cuttin’ these ruts before you were born.

Road bends. Joe reigns horses to left.Wagon slows.He gestures toward fields.

JOE This here’s where your land starts, Missy. Sam picked the best land. Soil’s rich.River...        (hand sweeps out) ...flows by your boundary and you're close to the great cattle drives. Ever’thing around here depends on two things...        (solemnly) ...cattle and rails.

Margaret scans land.A low wooden fence runs along road. On one side, grass inches into ruts; on other side, tall immature shafts of corn stand motionless.

MARGARET What's out there?              JOE Ain't you ever seen corn growing?              MARGARET Sure.              JOE Sam liked corn for his cows.        (shakes head) He always did things peculiar like. Them fences speak for themselves.              MARGARET What's wrong with fences?              JOE A mite greedy to box in the range.              MARGARET Why, animals would ruin that field.

They pass a sign, "Sam's RanchCattle Bought and Sold", the letters burnt in wood, strong and serviceable.

MARGARET That's a mighty plain sign for land this pretty.              JOE Change it.You're the new owner.

Margaret grins, nods.

JOE Whoa.        (pulls horses to turn) Here's the place.

Smoke rises from tree tops. Margaret leans forward in anticipation, her attention focuses ahead.

 INT.  FAULTNER'S OFFICE - DAY

James leans forward, focuses on FAULTNER (50), bald and heavy set, who sits comfortably behind big desk, stuffs tobacco in pipe.

FAULTNER Everything's in order.              JAMES I'll go out first thing tomorrow.              FAULTNER Here's the will.        (pats paper) When the Circuit Judge rides through, he’ll file the deed.

Faultner lights pipe, brushes lint from coat.

FAULTNER My saying the spread is yours doesn't make it official until he decrees you're the first one.

Faultner sorts papers on desk, picks up one.

FAULTNER He's due here in six weeks.        (looks up) The other heir, Margaret Tomkins, hasn't responded.You know her?               JAMES No.              FAULTNER Both related to Sam. Both lived in Philadelphia.              JAMES How’d you know where to find me?           FAULTNER Sam hired some Philadelphia lawyer.I’d never heard Sam speak of family until he wrote his will.

James tries to rise, but Faultner props feet on desk.

FAULTNER Yes, siree, Sam came in laying claim to land and buying what he didn't claim. Used real gold, too.Some say he struck a vein in California.He never said.

He pulls feet back from desk and leans forward.

FAULTNER Don't guess you know?              JAMES No, sir, never heard tell.

James stirs in chair.

FAULTNER You're the only grandchild of his father’s sister.              JAMES That so.              FAULTNER This Miss Tomkins is the only child of his mother's favorite cousin who married late in life and died when she was a younin’.        (taps pipe) You ain’t really related.

James nods that he understands.He rises, but Faultner's look makes him sit back and cross his legs.

Faultner gets up to walk around desk.

FAULTNER You've got good land, good ranch hands, money in the bank, all bills paid, and taxes due in a month.              JAMES Taxes?              FAULTNER Don't worry about them, Son.Your uncle didn't leave nothing to chance. You got enough money in the bank to run that place a year.

James squints at lawyer. He rises, holds hand out to Faultner. They shake hands.

FAULTNER Oh, yes, one more thing.The squaw, Sarah, stays as long as she wants. It's all in the will.

Faultner looks at James seriously.

FAULTNER Good man Sam.He didn’t back down from a fight. No siree.              JAMES Sorry I didn’t know my uncle.

Pats James on back.

FAULTNER Go get it, boy.

They nod in agreement.

(CONTINUED)