I genuinely cried at the Moment of Despair + Decisive Act turning points.
Please forgive this long post, but you won't regret reading the strong writing!
*****SPOILERS AHEAD*****
SETUP of Stakes:
Annie barely held on after she and Chris lost their two kids. After Chris died, Annie committed suicide and now is in hell, which the Tracker describes for Chris:
When you find her. Nothing will make her recognize you. Nothing will break her denial, it is stronger than her love, in fact reinforced by her love. Denial twists everything around and uses it, do you follow me? You can't outsmart it, you can't beat it....But you can say everything you long to say. Including good-bye. Even if she can't understand it.PAYOFF - Moment of Despair (Act 3):
Chris finally found Annie! It's very bad. He comes out of her hell house to report:
TRACKER: You were in there awhile.PAYOFF - Decisive Act (Act 3):
And Chris nods. Guess I was.
CHRIS: Took awhile to realize. You were right.
The Tracker adjusts the gun-metal glases. He's not happy to be right. Not happy at all.
TRACKER: Nothing you can do could ever help her. This trip was always just for you.
Chris nods once more. He knows that now. The Tracker clears his throat.
TRACKER: Did you come close...?
CHRIS: ...to losing it? Giving up my hold on the 'real'
His eyes so sad above the smile.
CHRIS (softly): ...oh yeh.
But somehow, very calm.
CHRIS: I pushed it straight to the edge. That's why I had to come out now...
A flicker of apprehension across the Tracker's eyes, because some instinct anticipates danger.
CHRIS: To tell you I'm giving up...
And in the instant the Tracker relaxes...
CHRIS: Just no. The way you think.
The Tracker freezes. To stone.
CHRIS (softly): Go home, Al. Tell my children I love them...
I do.
CHRIS: And I won't leave their mom.
His eyes say, thanks, Al. For everything. And then...
...he's gone. The door closes STRONG. Forever. [Notice there is NO WAY OUT.]
HOLD on the Tracker. What has he done?
I think a decisive act is one where the protagonist rights a previous wrong. Whether or not the action actually succeeds, it shows us he's learned a lesson.
HELL - INT. ANNIE'S BEDROOM - DAYWHAT I'VE LEARNED: Make sure the Moment of Despair is truly closing a door + Make sure the Decisive Act corrects a previous bad decision = Deeply moving
[Annie shrieks at a tarantula invading the room. Chris gets rid of it.]
He crosses the floor. Kneels down beside her bed. His face so close to her terrified eyes. But they are watching him.
CHRIS (softly): Where are we headed, babe...?
He reaches so gently, his fingertip brush her arm, and she RECOILS, fearfully. But he doesn't mind.
CHRIS: Are we headed for that pit?
He shrugs. Maybe we are. He leans closer...
CHRIS: In one minute, I won't know you. Any better than you know me.
But...
CHRIS: But we'll be together.
The tears pool in his eyes. He hadn't expected that.
CHRIS: Where we belong.
He folds his hand over hers. She tries weakly to pull it free, but he won't let her.
CHRIS: Good people end up in Hell. Because they can't forgive themselves.
Staring into her eyes.
CHRIS (whispers): Hell, I know I can't.
She is staring back. Transfixed.
CHRIS: But I can forgive you.
ANNIE: For what? Killing my children? My sweet husband?
He shakes his head. Nah, not for any of that.
CHRIS: For being so wonderful. A guy would choose hell over heaven...
Leans close. So the last words can be a whisper...
CHRIS: ...just to hang around you. [Decisive Act: Be with her vs. Leaving as he'd done when their kids died.]
And with those words, a light goes out behind his eyes. He blinks, pulls back, looks around...
CHRIS: Christ, what happened to this place? Why is it so...cold?
His arms hug himself against that. And then, his gaze falls on...
...her. And with the non-recognition in his eyes, we SNAP TO...
...his VIEW of her face. So close. The light dawning behind her dark eyes...a wondering... [Decisive act changes things.]
ANNIE: Christy...?
We blink, BLACKENING the screen for an instant. She is up now, on one elbow, pure blind panic...
ANNIE: Oh, god, HELP ME...!
Reaches out to us, blindly...
ANNIE: Christy! Don't give up...!
And BLACK SCREEN.
Silence. In the darkness.
What Dreams May Come (1998)(12/12/96, rev. 1st draft)
by Ronald Bass
Based on the novel by Richard Matheson
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