P U R P L E  R A I N
 
Screenplay
by
Albert Magnoli
 
Formerly Dreams by William Blinn
 
Scanned & Edited by lovesexy
(lovesexy@umich.edu)
 
Cyberpublished by P.L.T.T.
(pltt@umich.edu)
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------
 
(1) Black Screen
 
SOUND under: MUSIC building in INTENSITY
as--
 
PRINCE
(over)
Dearly belov`ed,
We are gathered here today
To get through this thing
called life.
Electric word life,
It means forever and that's a
mighty long time.
But I'm here to tell you that
there's something else -- The
afterworld.
 
Then huge CU of EYES opening, gazing
into mirror, HAND applying makeup,
sudden BLACKNESS, then--
 
PRINCE
(con't)
That's right...a world of
never-ending happiness,
You can always see the sun --
Day or night.
 
BURN IN MAIN TITLE:    PURPLE RAIN
 
PRINCE
(con't)
So when you call up that
shrink in Beverly Hills,
You know the one -- Doctor
Everything'll Be Alright--
Instead of asking him how much
of your mind is left,
Ask him how much of your time,
`Cause in this life,
Things are much harder than in
the afterworld,
In this life, You're on your
own.
 
Now,  pulsating COLOR -- FLASHES of hot,
white LIGHT...
 
PRINCE
(con't)
And if de-elevator tries to
bring you down,
Go crazy, punch a higher
floor.
 
and the BEAT provocative now,
relentless, BUILDING with fierce intent
to--
 
(2)  INT. CLUB (1ST AVE.  ST.  BAR) -- NIGHT
 
The MECCA!  The last stop for a band
before national fame.
 
The HUGE cavernous HALL is PACKED!
PEOPLE are DANCING like MAD! VIDEO
SCREENS with WILD GRAPHICS hang
suspended from the ceilings. Beautiful
WAITRESSES criss-cross the floor in a
frenzy.
 
PRINCE is CENTER-STAGE -- LIPS caressing
the mike, black, lustrous hair shining,
eyes dancing -- SINGING "Let's Get
Crazy" as the CROWD pulsates beneath the
LASER  LIGHTS.
 
The MUSIC  continues as we ...
 
CUT TO:
 
(3) EXT.  STREETS #1 -- NIGHT
 
A TAXI pulls UP with a SCREECH.  VANITY
slouches in the backseat.  Black  boots,
black skin-tight pants, and a mane of
thick, black hair presents a beautiful
and imposing  figure. Her eyes are
large and dark -- her look open and
ripe.  She knows what she's got, and
doesn't make any excuses for it -- but
the fact is she's scared as hell,
possessing a  vulnerability that
surprises her by its suddenness.  An
expensive gold chain is fastened on one
boot.
 
She scrounges through her bag -- pulls
out her remaining cash. It's drastically
short of what she owes and she knows it.
She tosses it onto the front seat,
JUMPS from the cab, streaks across the
street.  The CABBIE lets out a YELL and
JUMPS out after her.
 
"Let's Get  Crazy" continues as we ...
 
CUT TO:
 
(4) INT.  SHOWER, MORRIS' APT. -- NIGHT
 
MORRIS DAY stands in the shower, steam
whirling about his face.  He's 22 years
old, matinee-idol sexy with large, dark,
bedroom eyes.  He headlines a slick
techno-funk group called THE TIME which
sports gangster suits and wide-brimmed
hats. He's gifted with a wealth of self-
laudatory humor which he uses like a
knife, moving through life with a calm,
but ruthless grace.
 
Make no mistake, Morris is nobody's
fool.   His seeming out-raceousness, his
charm -- every move he makes is for a
calculated effect.  He knows exactly
what the ladies need, and doesn't mind
reminding them should they forget ...
 
He breaks into a wide grin.  Hair
standing up like Don King, he wipes off
a hand mirror, regards himself
unabashedly as he brushes his teeth.
 
"Let's Get Crazy" continues as we...
 
CUT TO:
 
(5) INT.  BASEMENT,  PRINCE'S HOME -- NIGHT
 
Prince sits in front of the mirror,
finishes applying his makeup.  Black
hair flowing, eyes wide and fantastic,
he regards himself a moment before
jumging up.  He puts on a high-collared
overcoat, grabs his guitar  moves
quickly to the basement window.  He
hoists himself through it, disappears
into the night.
 
"Let's Get Crazy" continues as we ...
 
CUT TO:
 
(6) EXT.  CORNER,  STREETS  #1 -- NIGHT
 
A POLICE CAR, lights FLASHING, sits at
the curb.  A small CROWD has rathered
about.  The Cabbie stands on the
sidewalk gesticulating angrily to a COP.
Vanity stands by the police car,
obviously board, another COP by her
side.  Her eyes are fastened on a good-
looking BUSINESSMAN standing nearby...
 
A silent negotiation seems to be going
on.  Understanding wafts between them
like a passing breeze.
 
Without taking his eyes off her, the
Businessman approaches the Cabbie,
starts talking ...
 
"Let's Get Crazy" continues as we...
 
CUT TO:
 
(7) INT. MORRIS' BEDROOM -- NIGHT
 
Morris moves lasciviously into the
BEDROOM wearing a red muscle T-shirt,
orange baggy shorts, and green knee-hi
socks fastened to garters.  A yellow
bandanna holds up his hair.
 
The bedroom is a MESS.  A VACUUM CLEANER
stands like a sentry in the middle of
the floor.  He turns it on, blazes a
path to his closet.  He yanks out a well-
pressed suit, holds it against him,
strikes a sexy, half-lidded pose only a
mother could love--
 
MORRIS
(awed)
Oh, Lord ...
 
 
 
"Let's Get Crazy" continues as we ...
 
CUT TO:
 
(8) EXT.  CLUB (1ST AVE.  ST.  BAR) -- NIGHT
 
The STREETS are swollen with TRAFFIC.
KIDS are packed onto the sidewalk,
waiting to get into the club. Prince,
riding his MOTORCYCLE, weaves between
jammed cars, then blasts down a narrow
alley leading to the rear entrance.  His
guitar is slung across his back.  He
chains up his bike, moves past a CROWD
of KIDS, cuts inside.
 
'Let's Get Crazy" continues as we ...
 
CUT TO:
 
(9) EXT.  STREETS #2 -- NIGHT
 
A SEVILLE sweeps to a stop.  The
Businessman is at the wheel. Vanity
steps from the car languidly and offers
a curt wave goodbye.  The car pulls
away.
 
She stands serenely a moment as the CAR
twists around the corner.   She grabs
her bag, rushes into a dark alley.  She
pulls a handful of CASH from her pocket,
counts through it quickly.
 
'Let's Get Crazy" -continues as we ...
 
CUT TO:
 
(10) EXT.  MORRIS' APARTMENT -- NIGHT
 
The DOOR opens -- Morris steps
confidently into the night. The change
in his appearance is breathtaking. A
cashmere coat is draped over his
shoulders, a white scarf hangs loosely
about his neck.  Wearing a sharp,
gangster-style suit, his hair is a
pompadour, and Stacy Adams on his feet -
- Morris is the very picture of
elegance.   He doesn't just walk to the
curb, he slides -- his promenade
punctuated with a dip at the knees you
could snap your fingers to.
 
JEROME is at the curb, buffing down the
bumper of a yellow, 1970 Fleetwood
Cadillac.  Jerome is solidly built,
smooth-faced handsome with a boyish
charm all his own.  He's a member of The
Time, and acts as Morris' chauffeur,
valet, and all-purpose shadow.
 
He moves quickly to the door, holds it
open as Morris settles himself into the
backseat. He closes it with a flair,
hops behind the wheel, pulls out.
 
'Let's Get Crazy" continues as we...
 
CUT TO:
 
 
(11) INT.  DRESSING ROOM, CLUB -- NIGHT
 
Prince is BACKSTAGE, practicing spins in
front of the mirror. The other MEMBERS
of his CROUP are scattered throughout
the room.  BOBBY sits off to the side,
his drumsticks tapping against his knee.
MATT puts on his doctor's smock.  LISA
and WENDY finish applying their makeup.
MARK runs his fingers up and down the
neck of his bass guitar.
 
Suddenly a STAGEHAND pokes his head into
the room, holds the door open as Prince
and his band cut quickly to the stage.
 
'Let's Get Crazy' continues as we...
 
CUT TO:
 
(12) INT.  MOTEL ROOM -- NIGHT
 
The DOOR opens -- A LIGHT goes on.
Vanity stands in the hallway,  peers
cautiously into a squalid, rundown room.
She hesitates briefly, seems to sigh,
then indicates she will take it.  The
MANAGER closes the door as he leaves.
 
She stands a moment, surveys the room.
A bed and bureau, sink, a chair,
hotplate -- simply the essentials. She
pulls a dress from her bag, a pair of hi-
heels, some gloves, underwear.  She
hangs the dress on a rod, places the
shoes beneath it, arranges the rest in a
bureau drawer.  She looks around once
more -- flowered wallpaper peels from
the walls.
 
She rushes to the window, tears open the
shutters -- iron bars obstruct her
view...
 
(13) EXT.  CLUB -- NIGHT (VANITY'S POV)
 
... KIDS are crowded in front of the
CLUB.  A YELLOW CADDY SCREECHES up in
front.   TRAFFIC is jammed all around.
The night is electric -- the scene
beckons ...
 
(14) INT.  VANITY'S HALLWAY -- NIGHT
 
She runs from the room, cuts down the
hallway, slanming the door behind her
...
 
"Let's Get Crazy" continues as we...
 
CUT TO:
 
(15) EXT.  CLUB (1st AVE.  ST.  BAR) -- NIGHT
 
Jerome opens the door of the CADDY,
helps Morris out.  The CROWD recognizes
them immediately, rushes in for a closer
look.   Morris loves the attention,
plays to their enthusiasm with a relish.
Jerome snaps a comb into his hand, holds
up a pocket mirror ...
 
Morris combs his hair dramatically, the
Crowd encouraging him on.  Jerome gives
him the OK sign, ushers him into the
club.
 
"Let's Get Crazy" continues as we...