Today, Andrew K. from the blog Encore Entertainment is pitching his movie in continuation of our month long blogathon (Check the schedule) following the Hollywood Fantasy Draft we conducted recently. Please share your thoughts and any insights you have in the comments and don’t forget to rate the pitch at the bottom!

Previous Pitches:

• Andrew Robinson’s “Untitled Joss Whedon Project“
• Anna’s “Truth and Lies”
• Novroz’s “Sunset Mystery“
• Kai’s “The Time Jumper“
• Peter’s “Untitled Hallstrӧm Project“
• Marc’s “Once Upon a Time in Z-West“
• Ruth’s “Hearts Want“
• Castor’s “Hλlf Life“
• Heather “Ambassador 51“
• Travis’ “Facedown Angels“
• Next: Ripley on Friday

Putting it Together: A Comedy

Tagline: Send in the Clowns…

Period: Mid Seventies

Director: Joe Wright

Screenplay: Julian Fellowes and Andrew Kendall

Score: Dario Marianelli

There was no story in mind when I decided on my thoroughly British cast – it was all just created a bit shoddily. Eventually, after studying them I realized I had (inadvertently) created a cast to match (somewhat) Ingmar Bergman’s Smiles of a Summer Night more popularly developed as the musical A Little Night Music and Woody Allen’s A Midsummer’s Sex Comedy. But the woeful lack of originality in just adapting that dissuaded me, so I’ve incorporated the original plot into my quasi-original creation.

It might help if you know a little bit about the plot for A Little Night Music. It’s not necessary, but it’ll help if you read the following.

Desiree Armfeldt is an aging actress who once had a dalliance with Frederik Egerman. Frederik has a son Henrik, from a previous marriage, and is currently married to 18 year old Anne. The marriage is unconsummated, Anne is fearful of the pain, even though her maid Petra tells her she’s silly. Henrik, meanwhile, is in love with his stepmother. Frederik and Desiree meet up and she invites him back to her house, an accident occurs and he ends up half naked in her apartment. Her current (married) beau, Carl-Magnus Malcolm comes in and misunderstands the situation. He goes home to his wife Charlotte to tell her of his awful day. Charlotte puts up with Carl-Magnus dalliances because she loves him. When she realises the man at Desiree’s was Frederik she calls his wife, whom she knows. Meanwhile, Desiree’s mother invites all the couples to her estate for a weekend in the country. Charlotte convinces Anne to accept the invitation to show her youthful self against the aging Desiree. Carl-Magnus gets wind of Frederik’s trip to Desiree’s and he decides to tag along with Charlotte.

That’s as much of the original plot as you need to know.

CAST & CHARACTERS

David Allen / Kenneth Branagh

He’s an egotistical director/actor/writer. But he’s personable, its just like his Lockhart from the Harry Potter series – only he actually has the talent (somewhat) to back it up.

Jane Seyton / Kristin Scott Thomas

Essentially, the female version of Allen – her ex-husband. She’s becoming aware of her age and thus spends a great deal of time behaving inappropriately.

Philip Allen / Ben Whishaw

Allen’s son. He’s a bit of a boor at times. He’s brilliant, but pedantic and devotes his time to impressing his father.

Margaret Collins / Rosamund Pike

An incredibly fickle budding actress. Despite her general dimness she has some startling bursts of lucidity which make her even more dangerous.

Carrie Lewis / Helena Bonham Carter

Allen’s financier. She’s a rich, bored widow who has a taste for the arts. She has poor nerves.

Shane Evans / Jude Law

A loud braggart and drunk who may have been an amateur actor before he became a panhandler.

Elisabeth Archer / Carey Mulligan

Phillip’s fiancée who’s desperate for theatrical success.

Michael Nolan / Dominic Cooper

Jane’s current beau. She’s using him to regain a feeling of youthfulness and he’s using her for her connections.

ACT ONE

After writing, directing and starring in a long string of theatrical flops DAVID ALLEN (Kenneth Branagh) decides he’s going to put on a revival show. He needs to get back into the good graces of his peers and apparently his artistic muse has departed. He’s more than a little in debt and needs a hit, and fast. He decides to put on a British version of Sondheim’s A Little Night Music which is currently making headway in America. The thing is, Allen’s good name is badly marred by his poor history of late and no one of note is interested in taking part in his venture. His current mistress MARGARET COLLINS (Rosamund Pike) tries to cajole him into casting her as the young ingénue in the story – Anne. David tries to explain the silliness in the notion – she’s much too brash for the part of a blushing young ingénue, in short – she’s too trampy. Margaret storms out, the ultimatum – she gets the part, or they’re through. She’s even more incensed when David is least perturbed by the challenge.

He has enough on his mind already; he’s currently ignoring calls from his financier who wants to back out because he hasn’t got a cast together as yet. Moreover he keeps on getting calls from a voice he owes money to. He runs into his estranged wife JANE SEYTON (Kristin Scott Thomas) while at party; she’s a recovering alcoholic once a great actress. She agrees to star in his venture if he agrees to cast her current lover. David refuses at first, but realises that Jane’s talent may make the show a hit – he decides to at least meet this new man of hers.

His son PHILIP ALLEN (Ben Whishaw) from another marriage suggests auditioning for the role of Henrik. He attempts to audition, but David is completely out of it and fails to realise that Philip may be perfect for the part – the role of Henrik is essentially his life. Philip is irritated at his father’s putdown, but he’s too docile to act out on it. Despite his best attempts to avoid her, David runs into his prospective financier CARRIE LEWIS (Helena Bonham Carter). Hearing his plight she agrees to finance the show if he lets her take the lead. He explains to her that the role’s already been cast but they reach a compromise and she is cast as Charlotte. David isn’t thrilled at the idea, but he decides he’ll work around her if she’s poor.

He subsequently meets MICHAEL NOLAN (Dominic Cooper), Jane’s current beau. He’s brilliant, but all wrong for the part of Henrik. He’s much too brass, but Michael is adamant – he wants the role of Henrik so he can sing the track “Later” which he confusedly believes to be a song about delayed sexual pleasure. David is unsure if Michael will work in the role, but he’s still being hounded for the money he owes and decides to take a chance on it. He still hasn’t found a suitable Anne, and impulsively decides to cast his son’s fiancée, ELISABETH ARCHER (Carey Mulligan). Philip is less than thrilled with the idea, especially when David begins fawning over the young lady.

ACT TWO

David realises he’s not getting any more persons to audition and he’s still being harassed folr that money. He gets beat up by two hoodlums on the street, he has one month to come up with the sum. While lying in an alley he happens upon an animated drunken lout SHANE EVANS (Jude Law), who, in a strange way, seems ideal for the part of Carl-Magnus. With Evans’ cast, himself as Frederik, Nolan (inappropriately) as Henrik, Lewis as Charlotte, Archer as Anne and Seyton as Desiree David decides he’s going to settle for that small cast and put on his own interpretation of the play cutting the excess characters.

On to rehearsals….

…Naturally, the cast clash with each other.

The lascivious Nolan is enamoured with Elisabeth, who has since ended her engagement with the increasingly agitated Philip. Nolan is continually makes attempt to seduce her. Jane continues to clash with her ex over artistic decisions. She insists on a nude scene for Desiree to show off her recently toned body, which David adamantly objects to. Evans is brilliant – when he remembers his lines, but he doesn’t remember them often. Lewis recites her lines in a quiet whisper that her scene partners are unable to hear. Considering many of her scenes are with the Evans (who seems to be half-deaf) this doesn’t work out too well. She constantly bursts into tears when he shouts at her.

Philip is still moping about being ignored by his father (and fiancée) and Margaret turns up looking for David. She realises that she’s not the only one who’s more than a little grudge against our protagonist. She attempts to seduce Philip but is disgusted when he…ummm, arrives early – before his clothes are off. While Philip goes off to the bathroom Margaret notices a letter in David’s bedroom. She picks it up and hurries out, a smirk on her face.

Problems continue as Elisabeth starts pressuring David for a larger share of the show’s potential profits. Apparently, Elisabeth is not as demure as she seems and threatens to blackmail him for more money – he did seduce her to take part in

I’ll leave you with that. There’s no THIRD ACT to tell you of because I haven’t thought of one, myself. What’s in the letter Margaret has found? No idea. Does the show succeed? Doubtful. Does Margaret get to exact her revenge? Possibly. Will Philip grow a pair? I should hope so. Will it end well for all involved? Unlikely. But this is meant to be a comedy, so naturally it shall be comedic – well as comedic as the British can be…

Andrew K.