-SCRIP CLIP-


MAGNOLIA-Paul Thomas Anderson


INT. SMILING PEANUT BAR - THAT MOMENT

CAMERA pulls back from the TELEVISION above the bar, playing
the show. We see Jimmy start to chat w/and do intro's for the adults.
(Director's Note: This runs through scene and a complete script
is avail/will be shot.)

Donnie and Thurston and the Patrons continued;

DONNIE
....do you know who I am?

THURSTON
You're a friend of the family I presume?

DONNIE
What? What does that mean?

THURSTON
Nothing special, just a spoke in the wheel.

DONNIE
You talk in rhymes and riddles and
ra...rub-adub --- but that doesn't mean
anything to me, see....see...see I used
to be smart....I'm Quiz Kid Donnie Smith.
I'm Quiz Kid Donnie Smith from the tv --

THURSTON
Might of been before my time.

PATRON #1
I remember you. I remember. In the 60's right?

DONNIE
I'm Quiz Kid Donnie Smith.

THURSTON
...like you said...

PATRON #1
Smart Kid! Fuck, yeah, he-he. You got
hit by lightning that one time, right?

DONNIE
So what?

PATRON #1
I heard about that.

PATRON #2
Did it hurt?

DONNIE
Yes.

THURSTON
But you're alright now, so what's the what?

DONNIE
What?

THURSTON
That's right.

DONNIE
I used to be smart but now I'm just stupid.

THURSTON
Brad, dear?

Brad turns and looks:

THURSTON
Who was it that said: "A man of genius
has seldom been ruined but by himself."

DONNIE
(to himself)
-- Samuel Johnson.

BRAD
I don't know.

Donnie looks up at Brad. Brad smiles with his braces, Donnie looks
away quick --

THURSTON
It was the lovely Samuel Johnson who
also spoke of a fella "Who was not only
dull but a cause of dullness in others."

DONNIE
"The" cause of dullness in others --

THURSTON
Picky, picky.

DONNIE
-- and lemme tell you this: Samuel Johnson
never had his life shit on and taken from
him and his money stolen -- who took his
life and his money? His parents?
His mommy and daddy? Make him live this life
like this -- "A man of genius" gets shit on
as a child and that scars and it hurts and
have you ever been hit by lighting? It hurts
and it doesn't happen to everyone, it's an
electrical charge that finds it's way across
the universe and lands in your body and your
head -- and as for "ruined but by himself,"
not if his parents take his friggin' life and
his money and tell you to do this and do that and
if you don't? well, what --

PATRON #1
You're parents took your money you won
on that game show?

DONNIE
Yes they did.
(turns quick to Thurston)
What does that mean, "spoke in the wheel?"

THURSTON
Things go round 'n round, don't they?

DONNIE
Yes they do, they do, but I'll make
my dreams come true, you see? I will.

THURSTON
This sounds Sad as a Weeping Willow.

DONNIE
I used to be smart but now I'm just stupid.

THURSTON
Shall we drink to that?

Donnie looks to the television for a moment, starts to tear up,
CAMERA pushes in slow to an EXTREME CLOSE UP.

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