Mister Magic

By Eligah Boykin

A Detroit Master Magician known as 'Mister Magic', battles deadly enemies and Life itself tricks him into competing against all odds for the title of 'The World's Greatest Magician'! Back in a windy graveyard in Detroit, Master Magician Nicholas Sharpe stands over a tombstone flanked with angels dedicated to his late fiancEe Alice Moreland. He holds in the pocket of his long coat a grim invitation from his boyhood rival and arch enemy, Marcel Racine.

The invitation calls for him to compete against his foe for the title of 'The World's Greatest Magician'. But Sharpe suspects 'The Marvelous Marcel' may be actually preparing a fresh grave for him as well...

'Mister Magic' is the story of two mastermind magicians pitted against each other in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse involving the most beautiful women and the most resourceful and clever of men. The saga and exploits of 'Mister Magic' are bound to determine whether the activity of 'Magic' will be the main refuge of criminals, cutthroats, confi dence artists and thieves or a valuable route of enlightenment for those wishing to pursue adventures in learning.

May we ask for a volunteer from the audience?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543424027

Eligah Boykin

The author, Eligah Boykin, has logged many miles hiking to the local Cinema House between Mack and Saint Jean. He has caught the Warren and Crosstown buses many a time to the Grand Circus, Palms and Adams theaters. He has whiled away countless afternoon hours watching the offerings of Bill Kennedy, Elwy Yost, and Robert Osborne; famous Movie Television Hosts. Now he wishes to share with you his own reflections and insights regarding one hundred of his favorite movies. So get the popcorn ready and check your DVD collection. TOWARD A NEW CINEMA is in the house!

Book preview

Copyright © 2017 by Eligah Boykin Jr.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2017907893

ISBN:      Hardcover           978-1-5434-2404-1

                Softcover             978-1-5434-2403-4

                eBook                 978-1-5434-2402-7

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 05/23/2017

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CONTENTS

MISTER MAGIC – FIRST DRAFT –

FEATURE LENGTH SCREENPLAY

BISHOP AND MATE – FINAL DRAFT –

SHORT FILM SCREENPLAY

HOLY CROSSWORD DOROTHY – FINAL DRAFT – SHORT FILM SCREENPLAY

MISTER MAGIC – FINAL DRAFT –

FEATURE LENGTH SCREENPLAY

HOLY%20CROSSWORD%20%20DOROTHY.jpg

Dedicated

To

Erik Cowan

And

All My Instructors

At

Full Sail uiversity

MISTER MAGIC

Written by

Eligah Boykin Jr.

Based on a short story

By

Eligah Boykin Jr.

FIRST%20DRAFT.jpg

FADE IN:

INT. CASINO ALPINE/ GRAND BALLROOM - DAY

Sumptuous table settings and flowery surroundings. A flurry of waiters and waitresses serve men in tuxedos and women in ball gowns the finest cuisine and hotel wine. Musicians on the violin and harpsichord play sonorous Baroque airs.

THE MASTER OF CEREMONIES, a balding, middle-aged man steps up to the podium at a long center table. He clears his throat before tapping the mike attached to it.

A gigantic top hat is wheeled in before him past MARCEL FRANCOIS RACINE AKA ‘THE MARVELOUS MARCEL’. He is a short, muscular redheaded man with pencil thin mustaches, wedged in between two elegantly dressed ladies he is charming with the chitchat.

MASTER OF CEREMONIES

Ladies and Gentlemen! I request your kind attention, please. I have the great pleasure to announce the 300th Annual Competition for the World’s Greatest Magician presented by The Global Society of Universal Wizardry!

At this point, a beauteous woman in tights and high heels pops out of the gigantic top hat in a flash of pink smoke. She waves a magic wand seductively about her head.

INT. HOTEL BEDROOM OF RACINE - DAY

Big white female feet kick up in the bedroom of Racine past flapping sheets. The ceremonies can be seen now broadcast pre- recorded on a giant flat screen television mounted on the wall. We hear MADELEIN call out in cries of ecstasy.

MADELEIN (O.C.)

Marcel! Oh! Marcel! Oh! Oh my! I swear to God!

On the flat screen television we see the world renowned Marcel Racine laughing. He is enjoying champagne in the Grand Ballroom of the Casino Alpine just beyond Madelein’s curling toes.

INT. CASINO ALPINE/ GRAND BALLROOM

The pink smoke envelopes him as he teases and feeds forkfuls of delicious pheasant to a bevy of beautiful women seated at his table. Now the hotel smoke detectors are going off activating the sprinkler system. Partygoers look around with questioning looks on their faces in the spray.

Racine helpfully escorts two drenched and distressed ladies outside to the veranda and winks at us.

INT. HOTEL BEDROOM OF RACINE - DAY

A large, fluffy, blue pillow caroms off the wall just above the flat screen television. There is laughter and the plaintive whisper of a husky female voice.

MADELEIN (O.C.)

Marcel? Marcel, why are you so obsessed about these blacks?

RACINE (O.C.)

Mon dieu, Cherie! How you fret so!

MADELEIN (O.C.)

Marcel! You come here and answer me!

CUT TO:

OPENING CREDITS:

INT./EXT./MULTIPLE SCENES - DAY

Opening scene shrinks to the middle of nine scenes zooming in and zooming out playing simultaneously to reveal the World of Mister Magic. As the women at the Casino Alpine prance around in soggy gowns to the veranda outside there also can be seen-

INT. LIBRARY READING ROOM - DAY

NICHOLAS SHARPE AKA ‘MISTER MAGIC’ is performing sleight-of hand and pulling coins and eggs out of the collars and ears and sleeves and handkerchiefs of boys and girls six and up.

There is a large poster advertising the Magicians Contest behind him with one taped end starting to come off the wall.

EXT. LAWN PARTY - DAY

Nicholas Sharpe sends the birthday girl ANGELA into his disappearing cabinet and puts a finger to his lips for silence. He closes the door carefully. When he opens it again bunnies, chicks and pigeons hop, waddle and flap out.

SHARPE

What do you say, ladies and gentlemen? Where do you think Angela is now?

INT. MISTER MAGIC’S WORKSHOP - EVENING

Nicholas Sharpe is grim as he adjusts his bow-tie before a full-length mirror. He turns to regard a letter on his desk addressed to him from Marcel Racine.

EXT. LAWN PARTY - DAY

Nicholas Sharpe opens the door to the disappearing cabinet again and little Angela steps out and does a curtsey.

ANGELA

Does this mean I get to go with you, Mister Magic?

SHARPE

Where is that, dear? Where are we going?

ANGELA

You know… to that contest! The one where you show everybody you’re the bestest magician in the whole wide world!

INT. MISTER MAGIC’S WORKSHOP - EVENING

Sharpe frowning works on his bow-tie a little more before he sees ZENORA BAILEY materialize out of his mind’s eye. She is chuckling in the mirror behind him over his shoulder.

SHARPE (V.O.)

I was nearly finished checking my tie, when there was Zenora’s face again, teasing me in the mirror-

INT. SCHOOLHOUSE AUDITORIUM - DAY

Nicholas Sharpe is playing one of the three wise men in a Christmas play of his own staging. He is getting carried away levitating the baby Jesus out of his makeshift crib. He raises the wriggling, squirming infant form so high into the lights that members of the audience are aghast. Parents rush to the stage to stop Sharpe from further endangering the life of the child. Some are in outrage and gnashing their teeth.

INT. MISTER MAGIC’S WORKSHOP - EVENING

ZENORA

Yah hah! What you going to do now, ‘Mister Magic’? Who’s zoomin’ who, now?

(MORE)

ZENORA (CONT’D)

Where are you ever going to get another beauty queen like me to climb up Heaven’s rope before you snatch it back down? You hearing me, "Mister Magic’?

SHARPE (TO CAMERA)

Where do they all come from?

ZENORA

Who’s done rocked your world now, eh, Papa?

EXT. BELLE ISLE BRIDGE -DAY

Nicholas Sharpe helps METHUSELAH HIGHTOWER lower an empty coffin into the Detroit river with ropes in order to test its buoyancy. When the box is floating he whips out his cell phone and calls-

INT. TIBETAN MAGIC SHOP - DAY

PANCHEN NOR, the shopkeeper picks up his cell phone and eagerly nods at the sound of Sharpe’s voice. He fingers with a ginger touch the Chinese Box that was ordered by his friend from America. He shoos away the half dozen daughters he has scurrying about the shop and peppering him with questions about today’s business.

INT. MISTER MAGIC’S WORKSHOP - EVENING

Sharpe can see Zenora picking the lint off his tuxedo as he straightens out the last wrinkles in his bow-tie.

Sharpe hears a LOUD SNEEZE in his workshop. Zenora’s apparition pats him on the shoulders in the mirror and disappears.

INT. MISTER MAGIC’S WORKSHOP - EVENING

Sharpe turns in reflex towards Methuselah ‘Meechie’ Hightower. The stout, dark-skinned assistant sits in a pool of sawdust like a disgruntled Marcus Garvey.

He bolts on the doors to the Vanishing Cabinets.

‘Meechie’ stifles another SNEEZE with his handkerchief before he finishes up the doors.

MEECHIE

(wheezing)

Bitch!

SHARPE (V.O.)

My sentiments exactly. However, some things are better left unsaid when you are a representative of the Magical Arts.

MEECHIE

That triflin’ bitch. What type of Song and Dance she give you this time, Maestro? Should have passed on that heifer!

Sharpe checks and pats down the lapels to his tuxedo and sees Meechie SNEEZE again into his handkerchief.

MEECHIE (CONT’D)

Now she’s got us holding the pickle and here it is time for the main event. What happened, Maestro? Bet you any money she’s got her tits pressed on top of that ‘Eddie’ boy even as we speak, huh?

CUT TO:

INT. BAD MAMA-JAMMIN’ NIGHTCLUB - DAY

One hand places an engagement ring up another and we see Zenora’s glittering smile.

ZENORA

Oh, Eddie! What has gotten into you, man?

INT. MISTER MAGIC’S WORKSHOP - EVENING

Sharpe walks over and grabs a mask out of a nearby toolkit. He peers at Meechie through the glass covered eye sockets of the respirator.

SHARPE

Here man, put this on before you sneeze your life away…

Sharpe tosses the mask into Meechie’s lap. He starts to flick cards out of nowhere as part of his warm-up routine. Queen of Hearts, Jack of Diamonds, Ace of Spades-

SHARPE (V.O.)

I couldn’t really say I didn’t see it coming. Playing all those children’s shows to half empty auditoriums must have gotten old to Zenora after awhile.

(MORE)

SHARPE (V.O.) (CONT’D)

Especiallywhen you can see yourself being backup singer to Mister ‘Soul Man’.

CUT TO:

INT. STAGE OF BAD MAMA-JAMMIN’ NIGHTCLUB - EVENING

Zenora is singing backup mike to immaculately dressed EDDIE THOMAS, while the women at the front tables sigh and squeal.

He is a handsome man with broad shoulders and a deep baritone voice.

INT. MISTER MAGIC’S WORKSHOP - EVENING

Sharpe can hear the WHIRR of Meechie’s drill as he puts new holes in the Vanishing Cabinets for the removable bolts. Sharpe whips out his cell phone in an attempt to reach Zenora again-

EXT. FRONT ENTRANCE - FAMILY HOME - EVENING

Zenora Bailey, the female assistant scheduled to perform with Sharpe, is instead packing her bags to elope with the famous nightclub singer, EDDIE THOMAS. He kisses her as he skips down the steps to a car whose motor is running.

INT. MISTER MAGIC’S WORKSHOP - EVENING

MEECHIE

Uh huh. Ain’t you deep. Just go ahead making excuses for her like you always do.

SHARPE

I didn’t say nothing! Zenora’s last week’s news, man.

Sharpe sits behind a desk and goes back to shuffling cards. The multi-colored deck continues to flash between his fingers in a binding blur of mathematical accuracy before his sober unblinking gaze.

He appears to be looking inward and intently pondering matters, his feet leisurely propped up on the desk. The letter from Marcel Racine is inches away and he puts it inside his tuxedo jacket.

MEECHIE

I’ll empty her auditorium - and she better not let me catch her out on the street. The first time we have a sellout crowd and what does she do? She skips on us. Hand me that drill bit over there-

Meechie scowls at Sharpe as he screws the bit into the drill gun. Sharpe gives him an idle shrug.

SHARPE

We have to play the hand we’ve been given, Meechie. We’ll just have to pick somebody out of the audience to do her part, that’s all.

Meechie swings the cabinet doors to and fro to see how they give and play.

MEECHIE

Uh huh. You got that right. I put on my last wig and dress in Pontiac. You don’t get somebody out of the audience, you out of luck, my brother.

Sharpe turns the cards into pigeons that fly straight out of his hands and walks over to help Meechie rebuild the cabinets.

MEECHIE (CONT’D)

-and you clean up after them pigeons this time, Maestro.

All nine scenes morph into the shape of a globe that fills the screen and dissolves into the logo on the poster that Meechie is looking at on the floor.

It is yet another advertisement for the contest in Switzerland.

The poster collects sawdust as Meechie and Sharpe busy themselves drilling the doors in the disappearing cabinets.

INT. DETROIT HISTORICAL MUSEUM - DAY

Meechie and Sharpe are coming out of an underground mock-up of Detroit in the middle to late nineteenth century. They filter through a class of school kids on a field trip.

Looking around in the Museum, they come to the upper landing of a mock-up detailing the workings of an automobile assembly line. Sharpe is taking pictures for Meechie to build possible new sets.

Even in the Museum the two cannot help running into posters advertizing the millions to be won in the competition for ‘THE WORLD’S GREATEST MAGICIAN’. Meechie hands Sharpe yet another brochure about the contest as Sharpe takes pictures of the assembly line down below.

MEECHIE

Here man, check this one out-

SHARPE

(clicking photographs)

Hold tight, Meechie, hold tight. What, another one? I think I seen that one before. What is your problem, my brother?

MEECHIE

Did you see the money those folks is putting up in Switzerland?

SHARPE

I know I’m not going to stop you from telling me about it-

MEECHIE

Damn right! See here-this ain’t no chump change. We ought to go for our guns on this one, Maestro, and give it a shot.

SHARPE

We’re not ready yet-

MEECHIE

Says who and they momma? You act like you haven’t seen the new models I made for The Levitation Symphony Trick, not to mention that dematerialization wrinkle I been working on for The Hourglass of Death Trick-

SHARPE

We are not ready yet. Look, Meechie, how am I supposed to compete in some contest in Switzerland and I can’t even keep my assistants from running out on me?

MEECHIE

You asking me? You sound like you asking me-

SHARPE

Just in the hypothetical vein, you understand-

MEECHIE

Naw man, since you asking me, I say hold auditions for a new babe and keep one on standby as a spare.

That way, you won’t get caught up by the short hairs like this time.

SHARPE

Thank you for your input, my learned colleague. Now I’ll tell you how you can really help me. Go down in that trench and stand by that yellow car with the hood up.

MEECHIE

Down there?

SHARPE

Yeah, down there! Over where that couple is standing.

MEECHIE

How come? What’s the idea?

SHARPE

So I can take a picture, my brother. I’m not sure what the idea is yet, but it’s coming to me.

MEECHIE

Alright, Maestro, but you think on what I’m saying about that contest.

SHARPE

I’ll keep it under advisement, you can be sure. Our time will come…

INT. DETROIT HISTORICAL MUSEUM - MODEL T EXHIBIT - DAY

Sharpe and Meechie head for the exit when Sharpe points out the bicycle chains on the rear axle and chassis of a Model T that stands in a glass case.

SHARPE

Look at that, man, bicycle chains on a car-

MEECHIE

Yeah, every idea has got to start somewhere…

EXT. DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS - DAY

Sharpe and Meechie run into CINDY DUBOIS, a little pixie of a girl in braids and jeans. She runs a visual media productions business just down the hall from Sharpe’s workshop.

The group stops just the other side of Rodin’s sculpture of THE THINKER. While a downcast FELICITY TAYLOR and boyfriend, BOBBY TRACINIO pass by on the other side unnoticed and quarreling amongst a crowd of extras.

Bobby squeezes Felicity’s arm until pain registers on her face.

CINDY

Hey, Mister Maestro! You still want me to do that thing after I get out of class tonight? Hey-hey, Meechie!

INT. MISTER MAGIC’S WORKSHOP - EVENING

MEECHIE

Naw, darling. Better hold tight on the camcorder this time.

Meechie and Sharpe brush off each other’s tuxedos and check themselves in the full length mirror pulling their cuffs straight. There is a moment where Sharpe seems to see Henry Modeo in his Black Cat costume nodding behind him in the mirror with paternal approval.

CINDY

How come? What happened?

SHARPE

We want you to see us at our best, Cindy, and I don’t believe this will be one of our better shows.

MEECHIE

We’re just missing an assistant.

FLASHBACKS:

Zenora Bailey on stage while Mister Magic saws her in half with the Amazing Laser Eye.

The shapely Ms. Bailey as Mister Magic gestures and has her float high above the Flaming Pit of Hell on stage.

SHARPE

(to Cindy)

Don’t sweat it.

FLASHBACKS:

The admirable form of Ms. Bailey again, this time suspended upside down and bound with rope around her ankles. Meechie and Sharpe, costumed as Samurai fend off a gang of Ninjas to perform the Samurai sword trick with her descending into a gigantic vase on stage.

The stage lights splash upon Ms. Bailey’s beauty pageant smile. The audience marvels and applauds her timed to the thrill reappearance in the Disappearing Maiden Trick. She takes her bows with her cat ears protruding out of her curly black hair along with Sharpe and Meechie. There is nary a cat whisker out of place. The coffin behind her levitates and vanishes.

MEECHIE

Say Cindy-

CINDY

Yeah? What?

SHARPE

-why don’t you step into one of those cabinets over there so Meechie and I can make sure it doesn’t rock-

CINDY

Oh, no! You’re not getting me in that thing! Just my luck I step in there and that thing explodes. I know your tricks, Mister Maestro.

Cindy starts to back out, her voice echoing in the hallway.

CINDY (CONT’D)

I’ll tell you what though, guys.

Let me go find Mister Jericho. That fool flunked me on my final for my Urban Studies class. I’ll pay you to make him disappear!

SHARPE

Right, Cindy-

Sharpe and Meechie begin to roll the Vanishing Cabinets to the back of the workshop and the elevator that leads to the alley.

CINDY (O.C.)

Let me know how it goes, Mister Maestro. See ya, Meechie!

MEECHIE

Right, Cindy-

Sharpe and Meechie regard each other levelly as the lift arrives on their floor and the elevator doors slide back.

MEECHIE (CONT’D)

What are you looking at?

SHARPE

What’s with you?

MEECHIE

Nothing.

SHARPE

Well then, let’s move these cabinets down to the vans.

MEECHIE

I thought that’s what we was doin’.

INT. SCHOOL AUDITORIUM - NIGHT

The auditorium is packed to the balcony with the buzz and chatter of squirming humanity of all ages. Mothers hold their infants in their arms and chase