OUTLINE

 

1925 ~ Great Smoky Mountains ~ Ed (18) hikes along a stunning, wildlife-filled trail as the sun sets. Thunder rolls in the distance and raindrops fall. Women sing to their children in nearby shanties. Ed wanders into an old gothic cemetery next to the shacks, pitches his small tent on a grave and crawls in - and happily listens to the thunderstorm with the women's angelic voices singing southern gospels, while lying among the tombstones.

 

We fade to:

​

1948 ~ Monterey Hospital ~ Where Ed (51) lays unconscious in his hospital bed, head wrapped in surgical gauze. The Doctor tells Alice, Jean, and a few others the prognosis and Carol repeats it into a phone: "Ed's lung is collapsed, his nine broken bones are now set and another skull surgery may be necessary to relieve pressure, but he is doing better." ...

​

St. Louis, MO ...John (46) sits in an airport phone booth and listens: "How is that better?" he asks. A tornado siren wails outside. John tells Carol that his connection in St. Louis was cancelled due to tornados in the west. Carol encourages John that Ed is doing better because he knows John is coming. As John listens, he finds a Burgermiester bottle cab in the phone booth - he picks it up and runs his fingers over its ridges then slips it into his coat pocket. He asks Carol:  "Had Ed been in good spirits lately?" She admits that she hadn't seen Ed in some time and doesn't know. He tells Carol he should be in California tomorrow... 

​

Monterey Hospital ...Carol tells John that CHARLIE (Charlie Chaplin, 69) is walking in now.  However, she refrains from mentioning that Joseph Campbell (44) has also entered - looking stricken. Carol tells John that she must go and hangs up.

 

This takes back to:         

 

1932 ~ The Lab ~ Joseph Campbell (26) wakes up at dusk - his arms wrapped around a sleeping Carol - after an epic all-day party in the Lab - most of the others are still passed out. Ed sits with Jean, listening to John reading to them a passage from one of his manuscripts. Joe has discovered a bohemian paradise with the Lab group.

​

Joe is impressed with John's writing and wants to be like John so much he has begun to dress like him. This is endearing at first. Carol and Joe have rekindled their friendship and enjoy each other's company. This is also endearing... at first. 

​

Xenia feels left out now that Jean has Ed's attention and Joe wants Carol. 

 

Today's party had been a celebration for Jack and Sasha, who are moving to Alaska... by canoe (the move is partially a way to protect their marriage by putting distance between them and the Lab group). Now the party has shifted to a celebration for John - although his most recent novel has been rejected yet again, his collection short stories, PASTURES OF HEAVEN (based on stories he got from Beth) has been purchased. Ed cooks steaks and the party continues. Gabe and the boys arrive. Mr. Won brings a string of fireworks and a jar of whiskey. And a new shift of Girls arrive with Flora (the Lone Star is switching shifts every few hours so each Girl has a chance to attend the party at Ed's).

 

Jack puts John on-the-spot by asking him to read one of his stories to the whole crowd. John is terrified about sharing and performing his work in such a way. But he also wants to prove to Carol and everyone that he is better than Jack - and Joe at this.  There seems to be far more people in the Lab than normal. The pressure is on. John musters his courage and tries. It is rough at first, but then everyone is thrilled with the stories and encourages him.

 

Everyone is building up for the party later tonight for Joe who is turning 26 and has never been drunk before. 

 

Frankie impresses with his ability to serve beers - until he spills a tray of beer on Jean - horrified, he runs to hide.

 

As the party grows, a few unknown FISHERMEN arrive in the Lab and ask:

​

FISHERMAN

Ain't this a whore house? 

Cab driver said they was one down here. 

 

GABE

 You made a mistake, Mister.

​

FISHERMAN

Well, what's them dames in there?

​

The Fisherman points to Flora and her Girls. And, happily, the battle begins: the Fishermen rush the party - each of the Girls slip off a shoe and hold it by the toe - Flora grabs a meat grinder from the kitchen and Ed flails a piston and connecting rod. Gabe and the boys use their fists. The Franklin stove gets knocked over, and two front windows are broken. The Fisherman grab large books to defend themselves.

 

George, the bouncer, rushes in from across the street with a small baseball bat. The fight rages down the stairs and into the street and the Fishermen are ran off. The front door hangs limply from one hinge. Ed's shirt is torn and Gay's mouth is bleeding.

 

Sirens are heard - everyone barely has time to get back inside, prop up the broken door and turn off the lights before the Sheriff and DEPUTIES arrive - only to find a dark and quiet Row. Everyone sits low in the Lab giggling happily and drinking wine in the dark. The shift changes at the Lone Star, and the party gets really going, The Deputies return, without the Sheriff this time. They shake their heads at the riotous party - then join in themselves.

 

Gabe and the boys take the patrol car to find more wine - George wants to join, but they leave him behind. George overhears Gabe and the boys talking about how they are disgusted by him.

 

And the Fishermen creep humbly back and join the party - embraced and admired. Hazel and one of the Girl's wrestle on the floor. A breeze flows through the broken windows. And that is when someone lights the twenty-five foot string of firecrackers... 

​

The Great Tide Pool ~ Joe joins Ed, John, Carol and Jean in the tide pools. Joe is amazed at the kinship and wisdom that comes out of this odd little community on the Row - and sees the parallels to life in the tide pools - everyone must rely on each other. John starts to think that Ed likes Joe better than him, which hurts. But when John realizes that Carol has really fallen for Joe - he is crushed.

 

Cannery Row ~ Gabe and the boys work up schemes on Flora, Mr. Won and Ed to gather items to make the shed a real home - including having the kids of the neighborhood sell cats to Ed for embalming, only to have other kids return later to claim the cats back as pets without refunding Ed. George tries to be included in the scheming but is rejected and heartbbroken for it. 

​

Palace Flophouse ~ Ed confronts Gabe and the boys as they sit on the timbers to sun themselves: 

​

ED

Why don’t you be nice to George? He’s a lonely man.

He wants to be friends with you. You are putting a mark on

him that may warp and sour his whole life. He won’t be any good to

anyone. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were responsible for his death.

​

WHITEY No. 2

(there are two Whiteys, known as Whitey No. 1 and Whitey No. 2)

Now Doc, you're not asking us to associate with

a pimp, are you? Nobody likes a pimp.

​

The Lab ~ Ed finally figures out the cat-scheme after the same bright yellow cat with a broken tail is sold to him and then retrieved - this time the boy is brought with his WASPY MOTHER who tells Ed she likes cats very much, if they were the better sort of cats. About Ed's embalming of cats to sell to schools she says:

​

WASPY MOTHER

Of course I realize that these things are necessary. I am very

broad-minded.  But, thank heaven, you do not get pedigreed cats.

​

ED

 Madam, that’s about the only kind I do get. Alley cats are too quick

and intelligent. I get the sluggish stupid cats of the rich and indulgent.

You can look through the basement and see whether I have yours—yet.

​

Lone Star Cafe ~ George, truly saddened, tells Flora he may as well bump himself off. She jokes:  "Do it on your own time and don't mess up the rugs."

 

George confides in EVA FLANNIGAN (20's), one of Flora's girls, that Horace had the right idea bumping himself off. She screams at George: "That's a dirty, lousy, stinking sin. Wouldn't it be just like you to get the joint pinched when I got almost enough kick to take a trip to East St. Louis. You no-good bastard."

 

The Lab ~ Xenia is feeling her own pain, as her sister and Jack are moving, adding to her feeling discarded.

​

Carol and Joe's affair really heats up - John catches them kissing in a tree. He is broken hearted. Xenia recognizes John's pain and clings to him, but he isn't interested in her.

​

Ed vows to take it slower with the drinking as it has slowed his work on his book. Everyone laughs at the idea. 

​

Lone Star Cafe ~ George tells LOU (40's), the Greek cook at Flora's, that he is thinking of offing himself. Lou replies: "I'll tell you what, George. I hear like the fella talks about it don't never do it."

 

George picks up an ice pick. Lou stares at him with amusement, then with horror as he realizes George would do it. And seeing that realization, George sadly knows he must do it. He raises the pick and horrifically snaps it into his own heart. 

 

The Lab ~ Before leaving for Alaska, Jack accuses John of stealing stories from Beth and that he should share his profits with her. Beth becomes upset that John has found a success with her stories. Carol adamantly defends John. 

​

China Pointe ~ Ed and John help Mr. Won finish digging up a grave in a small, humble cemetery of simple crosses and wooden Chinese markers overlooking the ocean. Frankie watch as they remove a small coffin. Mrs. Won burns incense. Gabe, Hazel, Gay, Whitey No. 1 and Whitey No. 2 share a bootlegged beer as they clear weeds and tidy up the gravesites with Mrs. Won. Each of them are affected by the recent back-to-back suicides on the Row. Ed and John talk about the idea that wanting, instead of accepting, can lead to misery and even death as in the cases of Horace and George. One of them mentions that it is quite generous of Mr. Won to donate the gravesite.

 

Horace's TWO WIVES (30s) arrive in all-black, carrying an urn of Horace's ashes - with several children in tow - none seem particularly sad. Especially when Mr. Won hands each of them their own pack of spearmint. 

 

Flora, also carrying an urn of George's ashes, arrives with Eva, several Girls and Lou the cook. They are each truly distraught. The group stands at the gravesite. 

​

As the two urns are spilled into the grave, George's ashes blow all over Gabe. Hazel mentions that no one knows what was in either man's head. Mr. Won reminds them that  "...it is a man's God-given right to end his life." Everyone agrees. Ed pointedly adds that sometimes, however, "...a friend can make it unnecessary." The boys stand silent with guilt. Gabe tries to save face and points out that "...earlier civilizations found it necessary to impale the heart of a suicide with a stake." Ed retorts: "As if it wasn't broken already." 

 

Gabe - covered in ash - is overwhelmed with guilt and leaves. And soon, everyone else leaves too.

 

Whitey No. 1 stops and tells Ed: "Hell, we can't help it, Doc. You just can't be friendly with a pimp."

​

Ed remains to fill in the grave as Mr. Won removes the bones of his long-past grandfather from the coffin and into a box to be sent back to his homeland to rest in peace. 

 

Pacific Grove Cottage ~ John makes a valiant stand for his wife, which Joe respects. Joe decides to stop his relationship with Carol even though Carol would rather keep it going...

 

But Joe and John have decided her fate for her. She is to stay with John...