(Printed with an unregistered version of Fade In)

"The Dance"

Written by

Jake Brown

Copyright (c) 2017

First Draft

j1400brown@gmail.com
(Printed with an unregistered version of Fade In)

INT. DUSTY BOXING GYM - MORNING

FRANKLIN (20. Prospering Golden Gloves boxer.) is shadow

boxing inside the ring. He throws crisp punched and
gracefully dances around the canvas. PETE (52. Well-
respected trainer.), steps out of his office and turns up a
dial on the wall. Classical music grows louder and fills
this old gym.

PETE
It's a grand dance. Fight with the
music and you will be in control.
Feel it.

Frank closes his eyes and focuses on the music, striking and
skipping and ducking, trying to match the ebb and flow of
Bed?ich Smetana: Vltava.

INT. HEAVY-BAGS - MORNING

Pete clinches a heavy-bag as Frank goes to work on it with

exhausting combos. Hungarian Dance Number 5 begins to pick
up pace over the speakers

PETE
Alright, good. Catch your breath.

Frank breathes deeply in and out, involving his whole body

in the process. He shakes his arms out and jumps, bringing
his knees to his chest. Number 5 is getting intense.

PETE (cont'd)
Ok, I want quad-jabs now. You ready?

Frank shakes his head. Pete counts him in.

PETE (cont'd)
One, two, three, four. One, two,
three, four.

Punches are shot off as Pete counts. Frank's are impressive.

All of them crisp, clean and on Pete's cue.

PETE
(Quickening as he
goes)
Keep up with the music. One two three
four, one two three four, one two
three four, onetwothreefour,
onetwothreefour.
(Printed with an unregistered version of Fade In)
2.

Frank keeps up with Pete and Number 5, snapping each jab

faster and faster. Sweat is raining off his body.

PETE
(Frank continuing to
punch)
PUSH! ONETWOTHREEFOUR.

Jabs whipped into the bag. Frank going into an unreal

groove.

PETE (cont'd)
Your right will get you around town,
but that jab can get you across the
world. "beat". Stop.

Frank immediately pushes his right glove into his left

shoulder, trying to massage it. He shakes his left arm out
hoping to loosen it up.

INT. WEIGHT ROOM - DAY

Frank drops into a deep squat. His face grows red and his
tongue plops out of his mouth. Pete stands by reading out
loud from a book of poetry.

PETE
"Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul."

Pete paces behind the squat rack. Frank concentrates on the

wall-to-wall mirror ahead, watching veins push against the
skin of his legs.

PETE (cont'd)
"Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each tomorrow
Find us farther than today."

Frank is getting further into his set and performs each

squat rep slower. Pete goes up to the mirror and places his
reflection next to Frank's.

PETE (cont'd)
"Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!" Did you
hear that? "Be a hero in the strife!"
Do you know what "the strife" is?
(Printed with an unregistered version of Fade In)
3.

Frank's head looks like a veiny tomato. He finishes his last

rep and sets the bar.

FRANK
(Answering)
Life?

Pete and his reflection turn and stare Frank and his in the
eye.

PETE
The strife is the ring. Outside of it
you can be a gym rat, or a slacker,
you can be a mailman or a playboy; A
gravedigger or the recipient to the
Nobel Prize in Medicine. If you are a
hero in the ring, if you can elevate
yourself beyond mediocrity, beyond
good, even! Those who have that
capability transcend all of us and
become stories. Folk heroes, for
real, Frank.

Frank just nods his head.

PETE
OK?

FRANK
OK.

INT. BALLROOM - NIGHT

A converted ballroom hosts around 200 people. Frank and Pete

walk out towards the ring to the crowd's mumbles and side-
conversations.

PETE
Look out for that dumb little bolo
punch he throws.

FRANK
I got it.

PETE
You can send this guy home quick.
You've got all the power you need to
send him packin.

FRANK
I'm know.
(Printed with an unregistered version of Fade In)
4.

PETE
Be a hero in the strife.

They duck under ropes and enter the ring. Pete tightens the
strap on Franklin's headpiece.

INT. BOXING RING - NIGHT

The REF waives the fighters over. Frank walks over to the
middle of the ring meeting "KING" GEORGE TOMLIN (22.
153lbs.) and the ref. George appears softer and scrawnier
than Pete. The ref makes them touch gloves.

The fighters walk back to their corners. Frank shakes his

arms out and jumps, tucking his knees into his chest. The
bell rings.

Frank walks forward and throws a double jab. George's gloves

are high and take the shots.

George throws a lead right that Frank easily slips. Frank

counters with a jab that connects and sends George a step
back. George covers back up. Frank throws another jab and
follows it with an impactful cross, hitting George's
headpiece. The crowd cheers.

George throws a light jab to get some space. Frank backs off
and does an "Ali shuffle" criss-crossing his feet back and
forth. The crowd enjoys it.

A left-right combo from Frank. George blocks and leans back.

Frank walks him down and berates him with pulled jabs.
Frank's looking for a moment. The crowd feels it and is
getting louder.

PETE
(Shouting from the
corner)
Work for that shot. Find it!

Shoe Shine: A series of flashy punches, in quick succession,

that look impressive, but do little damage.

George keeps his hands high. Frank shines shoes, teeing off
pretty combos, but not hitting anything of substance.
(Printed with an unregistered version of Fade In)
5.

Frank, growing confident, throws two heavy, lead rights in a

row. George peeks over his gloves after the first and gets
caught by the second. The crowd loves it.

George stumbles back. Frank is pouring sweat and breathing

heavy. The crowd applauds him to continue and end this in a
K.O. Frank follows George, who covers up.

Frank snaps off two more jabs. George's gloves take the
shots. George comes out from hiding, leaves himself wide
open and sticks out his tongue.

Frank puts his entire body behind a right haymaker. George

ducks under it and Frank has whiffed himself wide open.
George explodes back up with a HUGE uppercu-

CROWD
(SHOCKED)
OOOHHHH-

JUMP CUT

INT. GREEN ROOM - NIGHT

Frank is sitting on the ground, hands on knees and head

tucked into chest. He hears the door open and picks his head
up revealing an ice pack wrapped around his head to stay
pushed against his chin.

Pete walks in and gets on the ground to Frank's level. Pete

sits in the same position. They don't look at each and they
don't say anything. We all marinate together in an
uncomfortably long silence.

PETE
7 A.M. tomorrow. Alright?

Frank's eyes are a little glossy. He nods his head.

FRANK
alright.

CUT TO BLACK.