Three Screenplays

By David Rowlett

Three feature-length screenplays: High Note, Double Life, and The Underdogs. In High Note, vocal student Laura Celt must clear her name of the murder of her idol. In Double Life, a pop diva and a scientist dodge terrorists and government agents while on a quest to prevent insects from being weaponized. In The Underdogs, an undocumented migrant and a homeless man team up against corruption in a Florida town. From the murder mystery of High Note, to the zany musical-adventure Double Life, to the harrowing portrait of evil in The Underdogs, THREE SCREENPLAYS offers a kaleidoscopic variety of cinematic entertainment.

• Language: English
• Publisher: David Rowlett
• Release date: Nov 3, 2023
• ISBN: 9798988270751

Book preview

THREE SCREENPLAYS

by David Rowlett

High Note copyright © 2006 by David Rowlett

Double Life copyright © 2016 by David Rowlett

The Underdogs copyright © 2019 by David Rowlett

Three Screenplays Copyright © 2020 by David Rowlett

reg. PA 2-433-169, -172, -173

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information, address David Rowlett, [e-mail].

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Second Edition: 2024

ISBN: 979-8-9882707-5-1

United States of America, La Vergne, Tennessee

HIGH NOTE

DOUBLE LIFE

THE UNDERDOGS

KEY

b.g. = background

CONTINUOUS = no break in time from the previous shot

EXT. = exterior

f.g. = foreground

INT. = interior

MOVING = the camera dollies with the action

o.s. = offscreen

POV = point of view

TRAVELING = the camera is in a moving vehicle

V.O. = voice-over

HIGH NOTE

Written by

David Rowlett

INT. CITY OPERA HOUSE – NIGHT – OPENING TITLE SEQUENCE

On stage, a symphony orchestra plays. We see it from the vantage of someone sitting front row center in the upper balcony.

Standing beside the CONDUCTOR, a SOPRANO is waiting to begin singing. The music is a prelude to her first note.

TITLES are superimposed as CAMERA MOVES IN slowly until Soprano's mouth fills the frame. At the moment of her expected first note, the orchestra stops, her mouth opens, and she SCREAMS. (She doesn't sing any notes, she simply screams as if she is terrified.)

CUT TO BLACK, then FADE IN:

INT. CONVENTION CENTER – NIGHT

a. The lobby

A large poster informs us of a charity ball being held here to raise funds for the City Opera's forthcoming production of Gianni Schiacchi by Puccini, set to star Madame Noir as Lauretta.

ATTENDEES in formal dress are REVEALED near the poster. Many are on their way to the ballroom.

b. The ballroom

We see various Attendees standing about and chatting. Looking at them and standing glumly alone, Laura's father MR. CELT, 46, wears a plain-looking tuxedo.

LAURA CELT, 19, runs up to him. She is of medium height, blonde, and cute, and wears what looks like a prom dress.

LAURA

Oh Father, isn't this exciting? Thank you for bringing me.

MR. CELT

Thank my wallet. I was always a soft touch.

LAURA

(looking off)

Do you think Madame Noir will appear?

MR. CELT

Who knows?

LAURA

It must be wonderful to put on such a huge production — and sing in it, too!

MR. CELT

(frowns)

Who's singing? Oh, the opera.

LAURA

It's what I want to do someday.

MR. CELT

That's why we send to school where we do. Though I want you there to keep boys away from you. Heterosexual boys, that is.

LAURA

(disapproving)

Father.

MR. CELT

If only I could find a way to steer you clear of them.

LAURA

(frowns)

I'm not dating.

MR. CELT

I thought you were.

LAURA

Singing's all I'm interested in.

MR. CELT

I have no influence here, Laura. I'm only a contributor.

LAURA

I'm not asking for influence.

MR. CELT

You must earn your way forward...a lot of hard work, particularly with your voice.

He is unaware that he said anything hurtful. But we are aware of it.

LAURA

(quietly)

I'll make my way. No matter what.

Their POV: MADAME NOIR, 35, enters in the distance. She's an opera diva wearing a diamond necklace. Several Attendees rush up to speak with her, and she appears stern.

MR. CELT

Oh, there she is. The bellwether of the ball. Narcissistic Personality Disorder decked in diamonds.

LAURA

(rolls her eyes)

Father.

(looks off at Madame Noir)

I want to sing just like her.

MR. CELT

You want to understudy her.

LAURA

(looks at him; then admits:)

I did try out.

MR. CELT

I thought so. Girlish dreams and dreamy boys.

LAURA

We'll see. They announce the selections tomorrow.

(spots something o.s.)

Oh no!

Laura's POV: JOSH, a tall bespectacled young man her age, is running toward her from across the room with a frown on his face. He's wearing a tux, but the jacket is unbuttoned and the bow tie is askew.

MR. CELT

What's the matter, dear? Did you spot one of your teenaged competitors?

LAURA

I have to go.

(she exits)

MR. CELT

(calling after her)

Well, be careful. And tell your mother we —

(doesn't finish)

Always running away.

FRESH ANGLE — MOVING

Laura is trying to get away from Josh. He catches up and walks beside her.

LAURA

Josh, stop following me.

JOSH

Who's following you?

LAURA

You are — like a puppy dog.

JOSH

I don't bite.

They stop.

LAURA

What do you want? I can't think about you, not while — I mean, I told you I didn't want to see you.

JOSH

I know. You weren't in your right mind, Laura. That worries me.

LAURA

Look, I don't want to tell you to go to hell, because I don't swear. But I'm starting to think —

JOSH

(interrupts)

Okay! I just wanted to wish you good luck. And to invite you to a special —

While he's speaking, Laura spots a WAITER crossing the room. The waiter carries a large bouquet of table flowers. Laura has an idea. She grabs the flowers and thrusts them at Josh — who is forced to hold them.

LAURA

(to Josh, interrupting him)

Thanks. Good night!

She escapes. Josh is confused by the flowers, then exasperation darkens his face and he throws the flowers down.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. SKYLINE — NIGHT — ESTABLISHING

CAMERA MOVES IN to a single lighted window. As this happens, we hear an OPERA ARIA, soft at first, then louder. It keeps stopping and starting, and we understand that we're hearing a recording which someone is playing back only in parts.

INT. THE CELTS' APARTMENT — NIGHT — CONTINUOUS

Laura is standing beside sound equipment, listening to the recording. Aside from a sofa, a table, and the sound equipment, only an antique sword mounted on the back wall furnishes the room. Laura stops the playback and writes something in a notebook.

INSERT: We see an 8x10 headshot of Madame Noir facing the page on which Laura is making a note. Laura uses a thick blue pencil, writing in a distinctive, squiggly way. (We'll see her handwriting again later.)

A KNOCK at the door. Laura opens it, REVEALING Josh.

JOSH

Now don't get upset, Laura.

LAURA

Josh. Why did you come here?

JOSH

(indicates the doorframe)

Someone has to cross your threshold.

LAURA

Your knocking is becoming monotonous.

JOSH

Here's what I saved you.

He shows her a flower he kept from the ball.

LAURA

You should have saved yourself the trouble. Look, Josh, I really have to practice –

JOSH

(interrupts)

You're alone?

LAURA

Yes.

He walks past her into the apartment. She closes the door and remains beside it, watching him.

JOSH

I love this place.

LAURA

It's Father's.

JOSH

And your mother's too, right?

Josh toys with the sound equipment. He picks up a sofa pillow and tosses it in the air. He notices the notebook and picks it up and looks at it.

Laura seems uneasy. Josh drops the notebook on the floor. He notices the sword, takes it from the wall. He plays with it extravagantly, like a fencer or a sword fighter.

Suddenly he swings it toward Laura and holds the point against her throat. She freezes.

JOSH

Do you really practice all the time?

LAURA

Do you have a problem with that?

She carefully pushes the sword point away. After a moment, Josh drops the sword.

JOSH

You're hostile. I'll go.

Laura opens the door, and he starts to go out. She stops him.

LAURA

You see, all I really care about is singing.

JOSH

You know I support you in every way, don't you? You realize I care about you, right?

LAURA

Yes, I know.

JOSH

I'm your friend. And maybe someday...someday you and I...

LAURA

Right. Josh, I care about you too. Good night.

He leaves and she slowly closes the door.

INT. MUSIC SCHOOL, ENTRANCE — DAY — MOVING

It's a large, old building. A STILL PHOTOGRAPHER, 30s, walks past the guard desk, carrying his camera.

GUARD

Wait a minute, buddy.

STILL PHOTOGRAPHER

It's cool. I work for the newspaper.

GUARD

I don't care if you work for the President of the United States. Everybody's gotta be checked.

STILL PHOTOGRAPHER

I just want to get a couple shots. We're doing a story on the kids who understudy at the opera.

GUARD

Nope. Nobody gets in except students and faculty.

FEMALE STUDENT ONE enters, carrying sheet music.

STILL PHOTOGRAPHER

But look...

GUARD

Nobody means nobody. Can't you hear anything?

We follow Female Student One as she walks past the guard desk and down a long hallway. We move ahead of her and past open doors of classrooms on both sides of the hallway. In each room, different bits of CLASSICAL MUSIC are playing. We hear VOCAL STUDENTS practicing.

INT. MUSIC SCHOOL, CLASSROOM – DAY

The student seating area is raked. At the front of the room sits a piano, its keyboard facing away from the door. A portable sound player is sitting on the piano bench. There is a teacher's desk and a music stand in front of a dry-erasure board. Class is about to start. CLASSROOM STUDENTS, including FEMALE STUDENT TWO and FEMALE STUDENT THREE, are already present. The teacher JOHAN KREISLER, 52, arrives.

Female Student One joins Female Students Two and Three, who are having a conversation. They speak snobbishly.

FEMALE STUDENT TWO

— but I had to call her on it. I told her, look, your attitude isn't helping anyone.

FEMALE STUDENT THREE

It isn't.

FEMALE STUDENT TWO

And then I said, you know, you may think we like you, but everyone here, including Zoe, thinks you're a bitch, because of the way you showed off at Quad.

FEMALE STUDENT ONE

She'll be late today – just wait.

FEMALE STUDENT TWO

Oh, I fully expect her to be that.

FEMALE STUDENT THREE

(looks at door, resentfully)

God's little gift.

KREISLER

(taps a yardstick against his