knows it ...
 
Prince smiles at her, then gazes at his
entire Band.  Their eyes fasten on him
in an instant.  He counts softly and...
 
MUSIC.  The opening bars of "Purple
Rain."  He turns to to the audience and
SINGS....
 
It's a ballad, a poem really, a plea for
understanding, love, and survival.  It's
a testament, a pact if you will, between
himself and others...
 
The AUDIENCE is mesmerized, all EYES are
upon him -- but Prince doesn't notice.
Lips pressed against the mike, dark eyes
streaming, he's lost to himself now,
loosening all that's within him,
cleansing himself of his rage, hatred
and pain...
 
VANITY
is crying.  Every moment she has shared
with him is expressed in this song, and
the effect on her is unnerving.  Her
heart leaps to him in a way she never
thought possible.  But she lets it go
willingly, as the words draw her in,
seducing her somehow, making her
free...as if the music, his words, all
that he has experienced and  understood,
is purging what is confused and ugly
within herself, leaving her with an
understanding and joy that burns in her
womb like soft fire.  A smile springs to
her lips as tears continue to flow, and
she finds herself moving closer...
 
...as the Audience moves closer, drawn
somehow to the stage, to the person who
SINGS so truly, to the person who gives
of himself unselfishly to all that he
feels...
 
Prince begins a long sustained CRY that
cuts though the hearts of all present.
The MUSIC builds awsomely, and he
continues to sing out, emptying himself
of all the remaining pain lying within.
The MUSIC crescendos and comes to a
quiet end...
 
Stunned SILENCE.  A silence so profound
you could hear a pin drop.  Prince
sighs, assumes the worse, then cuts
across the stage purposefully.  Now some
CLAPPING.  And a WHISTLE from the back
and the SHOUTING.  And more WHISTLES and
some even SCREAMING.  And the WHISTLES
and the SHOUTS and the CLAPPING growing
and growing as....
 
(112)  INT. HALLWAY -- NIGHT
 
Prince cuts from the stage in a frenzy,
rushes toward the rear exit.  The
APPLAUSE is building and building until
it's a THUNDER, an onrushing ROAR, an
avalanche of HYSTERIA that rocks the
club mightily...
 
PRINCE
is still running though, his face
streaming with tears, past the surprised
look of Jill, past the FANS, past
everyone -- stripping of his clothes
fiercely, flinging off his jacket, his
shirt, his scarf--
 
(113) EXT. BACK ENTRANCE, INT. HALLWAY -- CLUB -- NIGHT
 
He SMASHES open the door, BURSTS
outside.  He sucks in the night air as
if he was drowning.  He wipes away his
tears, rushes to his bike, starts to
undo the chain...
 
...they're SHOUTING his NAME...
 
Not randomly, not haphazardly, but...in
unison.  And relentless, very demanding,
downright urgent, and...it's beautiful.
 
A wry smile crosses his lips.  He heads
back to the door.  Jill is there,
scared, her face a map of tears.  He
flashes her a smile--
 
PRINCE
Hi.
 
She's thunderstruck, can barely squeak
it out--
 
JILL
Hi.
 
And he whips into the hallway.  Her face
dissolves into a smile of pure joy.
 
(114) INT. CLUB -- NIGHT
 
MOVING now, FAST and FURIOUS.  The
HALLWAY is LINED with PEOPLE.  They
reach for him as he passes, touching
him, showering him with their love.
Someone hands him his shirt, another his
scarf -- it's so intense!
 
He's moving quickly now, his jacket up
ahead, closer...he stops suddenly,
stunned...
 
...Vanity is holding his jacket.  He's
struck speechless -- she hands it to him
smiling, tears streaming down her face--
 
VANITY
I love you.
 
His knees go weak, she kisses him
spontaneously, pushes him lovingly to
the stage.
 
THE CROWD IS ROARING!
 
(115)  INT. HALLWAY AND STAGE REAR -- NIGHT
 
He's half-running now like crazy -- his
Band is on-stage, peering anxiously into
the hallway.  They spot him and relief
sweeps their faces like a tidal wave.
He whips his jacket on, rushes up the
stairs...
 
(116)  INT. CLUB -- NIGHT
 
STAGE
THUNDER!  Prince walks center-
stage...and bows.  The AUDIENCE goes
BERSERK!  He acknowledges Wendy and
Lisa, and then the entire Band.  The
CROWD is jumping out of their skin!  He
straps on his guitar, gives a deft
signal and--
 
MUSIC.  The Band launches into "I Would
Die For You."  Vanity squeezes her way
through the crowd and stands watching
Prince from the wings.  He presses his
lips to the mike and SINGS.
 
The MUSIC continues as we...
 
CUT TO:
 
(117)  INT. LIVING ROOM, PRINCE'S HOME -- NIGHT
 
Prince walks through the LIVING ROOM
slowly, gazes at the smashed table, the
broken lamp and dishes. Every item in
the room suddenly takes on a profound
significance.  His father's slippers
under the sofa, his mother's knickknacks
on the table, her pen and ink drawings
on the wall.  After a moment, he picks
up his father's slippers, studies them a
long time.
 
(118)  INT. BEDROOM -- NIGHT
 
The DOOR opens -- a LIGHT snaps ON.  He
walks into the room, places his father's
slippers in the CLOSET.  His Mother's
dress is lying in a heap on the floor.
He picks it up, and puts it away.
 
(119) INT. BASEMENT -- NIGHT
 
as he descends the steps hesitantly.
The FLOOR is covered with rubble.  He
sits on the steps, stares at his
father's MUSIC on the floor.
 
"I Would Die For You" continues as we...
 
CUT TO:
 
(120)  INT. CLUB -- NIGHT
 
Prince on-stage SINGING "I Would Die For
You."  The AUDIENCE is captivated,
locked into his grip again.  His eyes
seem to be focused on something far
away.  He closes them tightly, presses
his lips against the mike.
 
The MUSIC continues as we...
 
CUT TO:
 
(121)  INT. BASEMENT, PRINCE'S HOME -- TWILIGHT
 
He's in the final stages of cleaning the
basement floor.  The debris has been
swept up, shelves righted, smashed items
thrown away...
 
He stacks his Father's music neatly,
tears welling in his eyes.  He places it
in new boxes, stands wearily, a
fulfilled look on his face.  Suddenly he
stops -- stares at the awful chalk marks
on the floor:  his Father lying down,
the gun gripped in his hand...
 
"I Would Die For You" continues as we...
 
CUT TO:
 
(122)  INT. CLUB -- NIGHT
 
Prince on-stage SINGING  "I Would Die
For You."  He's lost to himself now,
locked into a personal horror he alone
can see.  The CROWD is pressed against
the stage, mesmerized by his
performance.  Billy Sparks is also drawn
in, amazed at the power being generated
from the stage.  Prince sweeps the
audience with his eyes, then fastens on
Vanity earnestly, SINGS directly to her.
 
The MUSIC continues as we...
 
CUT TO:
 
(123)  INT. BASEMENT, PRINCE'S HOME -- DAWN
 
He pulls a HOSE from behind the washer,
draws it on to the floor.  He hesitates
a moment, gazes one last time at his
Father's outline, tears welling in his
eyes.  He turns the water on, watches as
the dusty yellow chalk gives way
reluctantly, mixing with the water,
swirling down the drain.  Calmness
sweeps his face like a passing cloud.
 
Just then SUNLIGHT blazes in through the
casement windows.  Water droplets
glisten brilliantly in the morning
light.  He turns the water off, goes to
put the hose back -- stops suddenly,
surprised...
 
...his Mother's earring lies on the
floor.
 
He's entranced, picks it up, stares at
it a moment.  Everything he's been
through comes rushing at him like a loco
motive.  The confusion, the shouting and
violence, the darkness that eclipsed his
parents' life -- it's all there, lying
just below the surface, settled into his
heart.  But now there's a difference --
he knows it's there and has discovered
what could happen when it takes control
of your life.
 
So as he stands in the basement, on the
clean cellar floor, he realizes
that...he'll just take one thing at a
time, and do it right.  Better than
anybody else.  He smiles, realizes that
in the last few weeks, he's never felt
better than he feels right now.  He
turns quickly, flips the earring to the
stairwell...
 
...Vanity plucks it from the air.  Their
eyes lock and they share smiles of pure
joy.  He picks up his father's music,
and they both head up the stairs.
 
"I Would Die For You" continues as we--
 
CUT TO:
 
(124)  INT. CLUB -- NIGHT
 
CELEBRATION!  Everyone is JUMPING up and
down.  Prince is radiant, strutting
across the stage, his hands upraised.
The CROWD goes WILD!  He flashes a wide
grin to Vanity, then twists, eyeballs
the CROWD wickedly, wonderfully.  It's
too much!
 
Everyone is joining in now.  Even Morris
and Jerome, standing in the wings, start
DANCING like crazy.  Then suddenly they
catch themselves, stop, act dignified.
But Vanity sees them and busts up.  They
catch her look, laugh heartily and join
in again.
 
The MUSIC segues into a fierce BEAT.
The CROWD lets out a ROAR!  Prince
strips off his guitar, streaks center-
stage.  The Band launches into "Baby,
I'm A Star."
 
...And the CROWD laughing, dancing,
shouting and loving.  The CLUB is ALIVE!
 
And the MUSIC continues...forever...
 
THEEND