Sunday, January 11, 2004

Untitled or Almost Famous Since my Mexican food adventure, I've spent much of the weekend watching the director's edition of Almost Famous.  I really love that movie,  not just because I love the music from that time period, but because the scenes are so real.  Sure it is about Cameron Crowe's true life start in the music journalism world writing for Rolling Stone magazine at around age fifteen.  But it is also about a young kid finding out about some of the truths about life, and more specifically, about love.  In my favorite scene from the movie, the main groupie for the band Stillwater, Penny Lane, is refusing to face the fact that Russell, the band's guitarist, isn't going to be able to love her in "real life."  Just on the road until he returns to his ex-wife.  Meanwhile, the fifteen year old William (acting as the young Cameron Crowe) is also in love with Penny, but is torn between being too young and not knowing whether he should help her, cover for his friend Russell, or stay out of it entirely and just be a rock journalist.  He's confused by the fact that she invites him to go to Morocco when they first meet much earlier in the film, yet is also madly in love with Russell.  The secret he is holding back is that he knows Russell traded away Penny in a game of poker to another band.  William is also trying to hold back telling Penny how he feels for her. I suppose what I relate to most in this scene is that I've been promised a few Morocco's over the years, only to be left behind as they chase someone else's empty promises about another Morocco or far off dream, and no one wants to admit that none of the promises were made to be kept in the first place. Here's the scene:   118   EXT. CONCORD PAVILLION BACKSTAGE -- EARLY MORNING    William exits the backstage.  Penny catches him by the grilling area where catering is preparing for the outdoor event.  Their laminated passes swing from around their necks.  Thudding in the distance, Stillwater plays for a cheering outdoor crowd.  The sound of summer insects in the air.   PENNY:  You think you can fool me.  I read you.  I know what you're thinking.   WILLIAM:  What's that?   PENNY:  (touched)  You're worried about me and Russell.   WILLIAM: Yeah.  I gotta work on that.   PENNY:  You're so sweet.  God -- if there was more of you in him...   WILLIAM:  Don't tell me this stuff.  I want to like him.   PENNY:  (concerned for him)  Did you miss your test or something?   WILLIAM: You have no idea.   PENNY:  I know I'm not on the plane, and I'm not going on some other band's bus. I could go on the Stillwater road crew, but that would be pathetic.  The girls are all going with Humble Pie. So if you could find out from Russell --   WILLIAM:  (quietly)  Penny -   PENNY:  (a decision)  Forget it.  I'm flying to New York myself.  I have a bunch of partial tickets.  I know his ex-wife, current                         girlfriend's, thing is going to be there -               (William's eyebrows rise.  She examines his face for clues.)   WILLIAM:  -- I'm not sure that's a good idea.   PENNY:  (overlapping) What?  What are you saying?  What are you talking about?  Did Russell say something?   WILLIAM: No.  No.  I don't know anything.   PENNY:  I know he wants me there.    WILLIAM:  (loud)  Wake up!  Don't go to New York!   PENNY:  Why are you yelling at me?   (She looks so achingly beautiful to him.)   WILLIAM:  I thought we were going to Morocco! There's no Morocco.  There's never been a Morocco.  There's not even a Penny Lane.  I don't even know your real name.   PENNY:  If I ever met a guy in the real world, who looked at me the way you just looked at me...   WILLIAM:  When and where does the real world occur?  I am really... confused here. All these rules. And all these sayings... and nicknames...   PENNY:  Honey, you're too sweet for rock and roll.   WILLIAM:  Sweet?  Where do you get off... where do you get "sweet?"  I'm not sweet.  I'm dark and mysterious and pissed-off and I could be very dangerous to all of you...I'm not sweet, and you should know that about me!  I am The Enemy!   PENNY:  Look.  You should be happy for me.  You don't know what he says to me in private.  Maybe it is love.  As much as it can be with someone who --   WILLIAM:  (blurts) -- sold you to Humble Pie for fifty bucks and a case of beer?  I was there!  I was there.  (He is instantly sorry.  Her world privately crumbles, but she tries to remain stoic and carefree.)  I’m sorry.   (She is wiping tears from her eyes.)   PENNY:  (trying to smile) What kind of beer?     Related Sites: Almost Famous:  official site Almost Famous:  script written by Cameron Crowe about his own experiences 12:48:27 PM     |

© Copyright 2005 Alex L. Mauldin.