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Scripts Aloud brings drama right into your ears. By using text-to-speech software, theater scripts go from the page into drama, every week. Typically 10-minute scripts are presented in each episode. It's like having a Theater Festival - right on your phone!
Art School Drama
By Rick Regan
June 10, 2021
This is the story of Josephine Webster, an American student at art
school in Montreal, in the spring of 1960. The election of the
Prime Minister of Quebec is coming up and Jean Lesage runs on an
improbable campaign of Quiet Revolution, to shake up the sleepy
province.
Josephine and her friends get an up-close look at the wider world.
Josephine straddles the chasm between the English world and the
French Canadian life in Montreal.
Characters:
Josephine Webster, 20, art student
Julie Hathaway, 20, art student
Louisa St. Ann, 22, student at UQM
Esmeralda, 22, student at UQM
Gerard Fontainbleu, 40, Art Director
Jean Lesage, 48, Politician
Jean-Luc, 22, student at UQM in philosophy
Otto, 21, student at UQM and Josephine's boyfriend
Edward, 21, friend of Otto
Norman, 20, friend of Otto
Raleigh.rickregan@gmail.com
919-218-8834
PO Box 40039
Raleigh, NC 27629
EXT. MONTREAL LATE SPRING - DAY
Josephine is walking down a leafy sidewalk in Montreal.
It is the end of May 1960. She is in her last year of art
college. She is wearing chic casual clothes and a beret
that suggests a Beatnik influence. She is carrying a
bouquet of flowers as she heads from her apartment to the
art studio.
On the sidewalk, heading the opposite direction is a
group of nuns in the old-style full-habit and long
dresses. One young nun looks at Josephine as they pass.
Josephine looks at her and stops, then swivels around
catching up with the nuns. She taps the young one on the
shoulder. She stops and looks at Josephine.
JOSEPHINE
Here! For you.
She pulls one of the tulip stems out of her bouquet and gives
it to the young nun. The sisters have a vow of silence. The
young nun puts her finger to her lips, indicating quiet. The
young nun takes the flower and just smiles and nods. They go
on their way. An older nun glowers over her shoulder,
disapproving of how Josephine is dressed.
JOSEPHINE
Good day, Sisters!
Josephine goes up the granite steps into the art studio.
INT. ART STUDIO - DAY
The studio is a big loft area, like a basketball court
with a big open space. Inside there are areas where
different young people, artists, are working on their
Finals Project. There is a big block of stone with a man
chiseling out a figure. There is a welder putting
together big pieces of metal which hang by chains from a
low crane. Julie, Josephine’s friend, is putting paper
mâché over metal frameworks of bison shapes.
JULIE
Hey, Josie! Whatcha got?
JOSEPHINE
I picked up a bunch from the guy at the corner. It
just reminds me of home to see something pretty.
Josephine goes to her station, with her bench and puts the
flowers in a hand-thrown clay pot, from her fist year
ceramics class. There is a jug of water that she uses for the
clay and she pours some into the pot for the flowers.
JULIE
Pretty!
JOSEPHINE
How are you coming along? Are you going to be ready
by the end of term?
JULIE
We’ve got six weeks and I’m almost done. I might take
a trip to Niagara Falls ‘cause I’ll have a week to
spare.
JOSEPHINE
I’ve never seen the falls.
JULIE
You should get out more.
JOSEPHINE
Poor student, you know!
JULIE
You and me both, sister!
They both laugh.
JOSEPHINE
Are they all going to be blue?
JULIE
Well, they are a family, soooo.... Yeah.
JOSEPHINE
I’m just saying, you could make red ones or, I don’t
know, green ones, yellow even.
JULIE
Like teams, with jerseys?
JOSEPHINE
Maybe?
JULIE
No, Blue.
JOSEPHINE
Ok, Ok. Just a suggestion.
JULIE
How about you? Are you going to paint your guy red
and yellow?
JOSEPHINE
Listen, I go to casting the bronze next week. It’s
kind of a one-shot deal. I’m just hoping it comes out
in reasonable shape. I’m not going to worry about
painting him.
JULIE
It’s not all going to be cast in one piece?
JOSEPHINE
No, it goes in sections but I have to get the face
right. He was my father.
Gerard Fontainbleu, the seniors’ instructor and studio
manager, approaches, evaluating everyone’s progress.
FONTAINBLEU
(looking at the large figure)
Josie, I like what you are doing here. Tell me about
the pose, with the arms out.
JOSEPHINE
He’s throwing a spear. Hunting.
FONTAINBLEU
Do you have a spear?
JOSEPHINE
Not yet. I’m making one from a pattern, a Blackfeet
spear.
FONTAINBLEU
Why Blackfeet? Where were they?
JOSEPHINE
They are on a reservation, in Montana.
FONTAINBLEU
They are still around? I thought they were all gone
now.
JOSEPHINE
We’re still here.
JULIE
Here? Even in Quebec?
JOSEPHINE
Well it’s different people here but sure, natives are
still here.
JULIE
So is this a protest piece, against the treatment of
the Indians by the Americans?
JOSEPHINE
No, It’s just my dad. He was full-blood Blackfeet.
FONTAINBLEU
But does he hunt with a spear, your father?
JOSEPHINE
He died when I was little. Car wreck.
FONTAINBLEU
So this is an idealized representation of the Native
Man, adapted to the natural world but out of cycle
with the modern world. Very good. I like it. Will you
be ready for casting next week?
JOSEPHINE
I’ll be ready. I’m going to have to be ready.
FONTAINBLEU
Quite right. And Ms. Hathaway, how are the buffalo?
JOSEPHINE
Bison. Good. I’m almost done. I just have a few more
to paint.
FONTAINBLEU
(skeptical)
All blue? Hmmm?
JULIE
(unsure)
Yeah. All blue. They have all been blue.
FONTAINBLEU
Would you humor me and make a red one?
JULIE
Sir? I guess I could...
FONTAINBLEU
I’m just thinking that I want you to look deeper at
your figures. You have a blank canvas, albeit bisonshaped, and the opportunity to introduce contrast,
tension and drama to the collection. If you made them
unique, people would see each one as an individual,
instead of just glossing by the herd.
JULIE
You mean... like, stripes or something?
FONTAINBLEU
What about symbols? Or the cave painting figures, you
know the ones, of the man hunting the mammoths? Or an
American flag, HA!
Or a hammer and sickle,, or, or, I don’t know. Just
look and think a little harder. A blue herd is nice.
But do you want to be just nice? What if you made the
viewer stop and mutter under his breath, what the
hell is that?
JOSEPHINE
Or a Canadian flag.
FONTAINBLEU
Oh my!
JULIE
(flustered)
Ok. Ok. Let me think about it.
FONTAINBLEU
Yes, very good. Carry on.
Fontainbleu moves on to other students.
JULIE
Thanks for nothing. A Canadian flag, sheesh!
JOSEPHINE
Or the province flags. One each. You could have a
Saskatoon flag bison.
JULIE
I don’t have that many bison!
JOSEPHINE
Alright, calm down. Do whatever you want.
JULIE
Thanks. If I have your permission, I will.
JOSEPHINE
(teasing)
You’re a lunatic. They ought to lock you up.
JULIE
I’m going to lock you up, with this hammer and
sickle.
(she waves her fist at Josie)
JOSEPHINE
Ha, ha! Alright, get back to work.
They both laugh and Josephine looks intently at her figure.
She measures and carves with clay tools.
EXT. SIDEWALK NEAR UNIVERSITEE DES QUEBEC AU MONTREAL (UQM) -
EVENING
UQM has big, institutional style concrete buildings, much
different from the Academy du Beaux Arts, the art college.
Julie and Josephine Webster are following groups of people
down the busy sidewalk. It feels much bigger and important
here.
They approach a blocky building with glary lights in the
lobby.
JOSEPHINE
Is this it?
JULIE
(to a male student passer-by)
Excuse me. Can you help us?
JEAN-LUC
Ou est la?
JULIE
I’m sorry. Anglaise, s’il vous plais?
JEAN-LUC
(dismissive)
Ah, oui. What do you want, English?
JULIE
I’m looking for Granville Tower two. Is this it?
JEAN-LUC
(points at the sign)
C’est ca. This is it.
JULIE
Thank you. Merci!
JEAN-LUC
(turns away)
Go home, English.
JOSEPHINE
Hmmph!
JULIE
Let’s go.
INT STUDENT HOUSING BUILDING - SAME TIME
Josie and Julie go in and find their way to a common room on
the fourth floor. It is a casual party, with bottles of beer
and some French jazz playing. Lots of student types in
clusters in the big space.
Josie finds Otto and his friends in a group, very animated
talking.
NORMAN
(to the group)
You can’t tell me that the petit bourgeoisie have any
interest in helping the masses. It’s just not in
their interests.
OTTO
Of course it’s in their interests. If the peasants
revolt, the rich go to the guillotine. Heads on
pikes. Better to give them bread and circus.
NORMAN
The geo-political power centers run on the fuel of
the poor, like logs fed to a steam engine. The
progress requires exploitation.
EDDIE
That’s crap. This is not the Eighteenth Century.
There has not been a guillotine incident in North
America since, what, Richard lost at the Maple Leafs!
They all laugh at this hockey reference, of Montreal losing
to Toronto.
JOSEPHINE
(butting in)
Otto. This is my friend Julie.
JULIE
(awkward)
We do art together.
EDDIE
God bless the artists!
NORMAN
(noticing the pretty women)
Here, here!
(raises beer bottles)
OTTO
So you guys just get here? What do you think?
JOSEPHINE
You guys throw a great party.
OTTO
We’re just gassing around. Everybody goes to one econ
lecture and thinks he’s Prime Minister.
NORMAN
Hey, you guys coming to the rally tomorrow?
JULIE
What rally? What’s it for?
EDDIE
Not what. It’s who. Jean Lesage is giving a speech at
UQM tomorrow afternoon. He’s the Liberal running for
Prime Minister of Quebec province. We’re part of the
Union Nationale protest. This guy thinks he can turn
Quebec into some socialist paradise.
OTTO
But he’s backed by the Soviets. This is all KGB
meddling in our elections.
NORMAN
We’re calling his bluff! Let everybody know that he’s
a stooge for the Commies.
EDDIE
He wants to turn the province into Red China. And you
see how well that’s going!
OTTO
If you want, you can join our action-front, spreading
the word about this twisted realpolitik.
JULIE
Will it be fun?
EDDIE
Well have some signs and banners. And we’ll have a
couple of cases of beer, if that helps.
JULIE
Now you are talking my downtrodden language!
OTTO
(hearing music)
Come on, Jo! Let’s dance!
Josephine and Otto move to an area where people are dancing.
Eddie and Julie grab hands and go to dance.
Scene of young people dancing, cool swing jazz playing. A fun
night in Montreal.
EXT. LARGE GRASSY QUAD - SATURDAY MID-MORNING
There are hundreds of people milling around. Some in Quebec
Liberal Party (QPL) sashes. Others in Partie Nationale straw
boater hats. Groups gather and some are chanting.
A big stage is set up at one end and a student government
person is giving a speech through a loudspeaker.
Josie and Julie arrive at the Quad, looking for Otto and the
boys. They see the Nationale banner and they head over.
OTTO
You made it!
JOSEPHINE
Technically I’m an American.
JULIE
And technically I’m from Alberta.
NORMAN
But you can wear the hats!
Both Julie and Josephine take white straw boater hats, with a
banner that says “Conservative!” across the front with a red,
white and blue ribbon. They each admire how cute they look in
the hats.
EDDIE
The commie is up next.
They hear the crowd start to cheer.
JULIE
I want to get a better view. You can’t hear anything
way over here.
JOSEPHINE
Let’s get closer. We’ll be back.
Julie and Josephine cross the green grass of the quad and
fall in with the people in the crowd.
EXT. BEHIND THE STAGE - SAME TIME
Jean Lesage is with his campaign manager and other handlers.
They check his tie, smooth his jacket and they discuss the
speech. Finally they get the signal and Lesage moves to front
of the stage, behind a microphone stand.
LESAGE
Good afternoon, friends. Good afternoon, people of Quebec.
Bon Jour, Montréalais!
I am Jean Lesage. (pause, wait for applause)
Thank you.
I am here today to ask you to vote for me in two weeks.
But I know that to get to be the Prime Minister of Quebec, I
cannot just ask for your vote. I have to earn it. I have to
earn your hope. I have to earn your optimism for the future.
Before I tell you about the plans of the Quebec Liberal
Party, I want to remind everyone about the plans of the
conservative Union Nationale Party. They call themselves
conservatives because they don't want things to change. Don't
want to upset the old order. Don't want to change the status
quo.
But the status quo is that over half of French Canadians in
the province of Quebec live below the national poverty line.
But the conservatives don't want that to change, while the
majority lives in poverty with little opportunity.
The status quo is that less than fifteen percent of the
economy of Quebec belongs to the people of Quebec. American
mining companies haul out Quebec iron to American steel
mills. Ontario paper companies haul out Quebec lumber from
Quebec forests. Power plants, chemicals, agricultural
products -food- all hauled away to Ontario or Ohio, only to
sell it back to poor French Canadians. But the conservatives
don't want that to change.
Julie and Josephine take off their Conservative hats.
The status quo is that less than twenty percent of French
Canadians graduate from high school, the lowest number in the
nation. Is that because the schools are run by the Church? Is
it because schools are not in French at all? Is it because
they stress Latin grammar, instead of science and
engineering? And many of our students leave. They go to
places that are engaged in the modern economy. But the
conservatives don't want to upset the status quo.
And the status quo is that our lives, our government, our
schools and our economy are not decided in French Canada but
in Ottawa, by English Canada. And the conservatives don't
want to make any changes.
Il faut que ça change. Things have to change. Things have to
change!
Say it with me, Things have to change!
That's right. Maîtres chez nous. You know what this means? We
must be the master in our own house.
Think of it. The people of Quebec making plans for the people
of Quebec. And here, at University Quebec des Montreal, you
are the future of our country. You are the Canadians we need,
right here in Montreal. Not New York or Paris or Hong Kong.
Here.
If you vote for the Liberal Party, we can change Quebec. We
will change Quebec. This is Nineteen Sixty, not SixteenSixty. After three hundred years of the old-world rules, we
are on the edge of the revolution; social, economic and
political revolution in Quebec. Things have to change.
So vote for your future. Vote for our future. Vote for
Quebec. Vote Liberal on June twenty-second. Vote Lesage!
Thank you! Thank you!
The crowd cheers and chants, “Lib-er-al! Lib-er-al! Lib-eral!”
EXT. NATIONALE BOOTH - AFTER THE SPEECH
OTTO
(yelling)
Comm-u-nist! Comm-u-nist! Comm-u-nist!
EDDIE
K-G-B! K-G-B! K-G-B!
NORMAN
Once again the Liberal candidate wants to hand out
cookies and cake! Everybody gets cookies! Everybody
gets cake! But wait until you see your tax bill. But
you won’t even see it! They’ll just take it out of
your pay. Like you won’t notice! Forget this
nonsense, vote Conservative!
Josephine and Julie approach. They look at the conservatives
mocking and chanting. They look at each other and turn to go.
Julie throws the hat in the air.
Josephine keeps the hat but rips off the Conservative!
ribbon. They head across the quad, going back to ‘their’ side
of town, with the art college. From the crowd they hear a
voice. It is the student who they asked directions from the
night before.
JEAN-LUC
Eh! Eh! Hey, English!
They stop, not recognizing the handsome young man.
JOSEPHINE
Hello? Yes?
Approaching them.
JEAN-LUC
You are the English. I saw you last night. You were
going to the Granville.
JULIE
Oh, yes. You were so rude to us. “Anglaise, go home!”
JEAN-LUC
I apologize. I was rude. I am sorry. Are you leaving?
JOSEPHINE
We were meeting some boys here...
JULIE
But they are Conservatives. So, you know.
JEAN-LUC
Only the English would be Conservatives here. Come
on, I’m with some friends. And I wanted to see you
again.
They follow Jean-Luc to the edge of the quad, where a group
of UQM students are standing around, smoking. There are some
people on a blanket with a picnic. They are French.
ST. ANN
(looking up from the blanket)
Oh, hello. You must be the girl.
JOSEPHINE
The girl?
ST. ANN
Please, sit down. This is Esmeralda. She’s a gypsy!
Josephine and Julie sit down with Louisa St. Ann and
Esmeralda.
JOSEPHINE
What did you mean, the girl?
ESMERALDA
It was all Jean-Luc could talk about last night.
ST. ANN
He said he bumped into these two English girls and he
couldn’t stop thinking about them.
ESMERALDA
Or talking about you.
ST. ANN
So I said that you would probably be here today, so
we should make a picnic and wait for you to appear.
ESMERALDA
But I told him, he had to go and look for you, or
else your fortunes would never cross. And he did.
ST. ANN
And now you are here.
All four women look at Jean-Luc.
JEAN-LUC
I didn’t think you would be hanging out with the
Conservatives though...
JULIE
Who was that guy, the one that made the speech?
ST. ANN
That was Lesage. He’s running for Prime Minister of
Quebec province. The election is next month.
JEAN-LUC
But he’ll never win. There are too many power people,
in high-positions, you know, who don’t want him to
win. He wants to take away their money.
JOSEPHINE
Can he do that?
JEAN-LUC
Maybe. But he has to get elected first, and that’s
not likely. It’s like he said, most people are poor
and, especially up north, a lot of people can’t even
read. People get told where to mark on the ballot, by
the shop foreman or the head guy at the mine. And
things never change.
JOSEPHINE
It’s like that on the res sometimes. Poor, neglected
people who can’t write enough to spell their names.
Then we wonder why the Indians are still so poor.
ESMERALDA
The rez?
JOSEPHINE
I’m American, and half-Indian. Some of my family
lived on the reservation in Montana. Do you know
where that is?
JEAN-LUC
Yeah, sure. Down south and out west. Cowboys and
Indians.
JOSEPHINE
Well... there are still Indians there, but not many
real cowboys.
ESMERALDA
And you in Montreal? It’s a long way.
JULIE
Academy des Beaux Arts.
ESMERALDA
You’re artists?! I love it!
JOSEPHINE
Julie, here, makes huge, life-sized bison.
JULIE
And Josephine here, makes bronze figures. We have a
showcase coming up in a few weeks. You should come.
ST. ANN
I thought you were UQM students, but art college.
Wow!
ESMERALDA
Buffalo in Montreal! I love it.
JULIE
My instructor wants me to paint symbols and colors on
them. I want to keep them as a family, in blue.
ST. ANN
Blue, for Quebec!
JULIE
He wants a red one.
ALL
He must be English! Ha-ha-ha!
JULIE
(looks, puzzled)
JEAN-LUC
It is that red is the typical color for the English
who want the French to go back to France. But we’ve
been here longer than the English even.
JOSEPHINE
But not as long as the Indians...
JEAN-LUC
That’s true but do you know the story of Quito?
JOSEPHINE
Quito? No,
JEAN-LUC
Quito was a slave. Well, Esmeralda, you tell it
better than me.
ESMERALDA
Yes, yes. Quito. It was a long time a go. With
Champlain and the Algonquin. You know the Algonquin?
JOSEPHINE
Actually, yes, I do. One of the boys in the Indian
Society is Algo. Freddie. He says his people are from
further up, like, north.
ESMERALDA
Oh! I see. It’s just, well, it is legend. And nobody
actually knows any Indians. But, maybe, you do. It
makes the story, um, hard.
JOSEPHINE
It’s like that sometimes. Do you want to tell the
story or are you afraid now?
ESMERALDA
Maybe afraid.
JOSEPHINE
Then let me tell you a story.
JEAN-LUC
No, let her finish. She tells the good version of
Quito.
JOSEPHINE
Maybe we keep Quito for another time. Julie, let’s
go.
ESMERALDA
Wait. Hold on. It is a simple story. Quito is a boy
but his family gets captured in a raid. Quito is made
to be a slave of the French lieutenant. But he knows
the land and he feeds the Frenchman slugs, so he
dies. But Quito is caught so they kill him. That’s
the story.
JOSEPHINE
Is that supposed to be funny?
JEAN-LUC
No! Not when she tells it like that! The parents say
to the children that Quito will come for them if they
are naughty. Quito will poison them if they do not
eat their supper. It’s a nice story.
JOSEPHINE
No, It’s not. It’s awful and I hate you. Do not
follow me. Good bye.
JULIE
Let’s go.
Julie and Josephine get up and head across the grassy quad,
among all the people milling around on the beautiful spring
day.
INT. BRONZE CASTING STUDIO - DAY
Josephine is watching as the cauldron of molten bronze is
poured into her mold. Using the lost-wax method, the bronze
is poured into a sand mold, with wax melting from the hot
metal.
There are several other students in line, each with their own
wax & sand molds for casting bronze.
JULIE
Is it your turn?
Julie is with Josephine, watching the whole process but they
are well back from the molten metal because of the danger. At
a safe distance, the artists and friends are arranged on
bleachers.
Jean-Luc comes in the rear door, but he is not seen by
Josephine or Julie.
JULIE
Is that one yours?
JOSEPHINE
No, I’m two-down. See how the man is filling the
mold, so slowly?
JULIE
Yeah.
JOSEPHINE
It’s because it could crack, and break apart.
JULIE
Ouch!
JOSEPHINE
If the mold is broken, well that’s bad, but the real
issue is hot liquid metal flowing over the floor.
That’s why we’re up here.
JEAN-LUC
(climbing the bleachers)
Did I miss it?
JOSEPHINE
You?
JEAN-LUC
Yes! I wanted to see the casting. Like Rodin!
JOSEPHINE
Not like Rodin. August Rodin was a genius. This is
just a senior project.
JEAN-LUC
Maybe you are a genius too!
JOSEPHINE
Jean-Luc, why are you here?
JEAN-LUC
I cannot live without you.
JOSEPHINE
You are a fool.
JEAN-LUC
I am a fool, in love with an English. I am ruled by
my heart! What can I do? You make me a slave to my
passion.
JULIE
Jean-Luc, did you come here by bicycle?
JEAN-LUC
No, I took the Society auto-bus.
JULIE
Then you have return ticket. So you should go home!
JEAN-LUC
I do not understand you, English. You are beautiful.
You are intelligent. But you have no philosophy of
love. Remarkable!
JOSEPHINE
What do you mean? Like Aristotle?
JEAN-LUC
No, like Descartes. Rousseau. We think, but we also
feel. That is separate from thinking. And we should
think, think!, about what we feel. Then we can decide
if we should ruled by our reason, or by our passion.
JOSEPHINE
So what does that mean for me?
JEAN-LUC
It means that I saw you and I cannot forget you. I
think you are beautiful. I think you are intelligent.
And I think your casting is up next.
JOSEPHINE
Oh my! Yes, that’s me.
They all watch as the bronze is poured into the sand mold. As
the flow continues, a glowing gap appears on the side,
creeping up the mold. Liquid bronze flows out of the gaps and
cracks, but the mold does not break. Finally the pouring
finishes and the cauldron moves on to the next mold
Josephine collapses into crying.
JEAN-LUC
It’s OK! It’s OK. The mold did not break.
JULIE
You can fix it! Let it cool and you can fix it.
JOSEPHINE
(jagged crying)
It’s never going to be right! They won’t let me
graduate! They are going to send me back to Montana!
JEAN-LUC
(hugging her)
It’s OK. It’s alright. Like she said, let it cool. We
can fix it in the morning. Come on.
Jean-Luc leads Josephine down the bleachers, heading towards
the back door. Julie gets up to go with them but Jean-Lug
raises his hand, open palm to her, to signal ‘stay there’.
Julie sits down.
Jean-Luc and Josephine walk through the streets of Montreal,
it might be raining, and they duck under cover of awnings
when the downpour comes.
INT. JEAN-LUC’S APARTMENT - LATER
They end up at his apartment, in the Jewish Quarter, with
deli’s, bakeries, and coffee shops around every corner. It is
a modest but functioning neighborhood. The apartment is
upstairs, above a sporting goods/hockey equipment store.
Jean-Luc puts a hotplate on, to heat some water for
tea/coffee.
JOSEPHINE
I can’t believe my whole year has gone to pieces.
JEAN-LUC
(pours a French-press coffee)
Did it, though?
JOSEPHINE
Yes! You saw it. The thing is in pieces.
JEAN-LUC
But the one thing is not the measure of your art,
your progress.
JOSEPHINE
Yes, it is! That is what I get the grade on.
JEAN-LUC
But you don’t need the grade. You are an artist.
JOSEPHINE
I’m not an artist until they say I am an artist.
That’s how it works.
JEAN-LUC
Then you are right. You are not an artist. My
mistake.
JOSEPHINE
What do you mean? Why do you say it like that?
JEAN-LUC
No, No, You are right.
JOSEPHINE
What?
JEAN-LUC
If you need their approval, their certification, to
say that you are an artist, then you are not an
artist. You are an amateur, a dilettante.
JOSEPHINE
I am not a dilettante!
JEAN-LUC
Then what are you? A shop girl? A grocery store
clerk?
JOSEPHINE
How did you know I worked in a grocery store?
JEAN-LUC
Lucky guess.
JOSEPHINE
No, I need the certification so that I have the
backing of the,....., the...
JEAN-LUC
Official people?
JOSEPHINE
Yes! I need the backing of the official art world.
JEAN-LUC
Then you are merely an illustrator. You should work
at the magazine, Montreal Anglaise! Or is it, Montana
Today?
JOSEPHINE
I’m not going back there.
JEAN-LUC
But you are not an artist, if you must have their
approval. Have you learned nothing from them? Have
they not shown you the philosophical dialogue, the
debate of art? I mean, Rodin, he was responding to
the Greeks, the Romans. He was the modern artist. But
who are you?
JOSEPHINE
Why are you saying this? I want to go home. How do I
get home?
JEAN-LUC
You should lie down.
JOSEPHINE
I’m not lying down, with you.
JEAN-LUC
Not with me. Not now. Just rest. I will sit here and
sip coffee, and look at the light through the window.
I just want you to rest.
JOSEPHINE
I will rest when I’m dead!
She gets up to go.
Jean-Luc advances and grabs her. He puts his arms around her
and kisses her.
JOSEPHINE
Get away from me!
She pulls away.
JEAN-LUC
I’m sorry.
Josephine pulls herself away from him. She moves to sit on
the bed. She sits and sighs.
JOSEPHINE
I just need to rest, someplace safe.
JEAN-LUC
You are safe. It is safe here. I won’t touch you.
Just lie down and relax.
Josephine lies back, closes her eyes and is quickly asleep.
Jean-Luc pours some more coffee and sits by the window,
watching her and looking out at the street.
INT. BEAUX ARTS STUDIO - MORNING, NEXT DAY
Josephine’s bronze casting is cooled and out of the sand. She
is standing next to the misshapen hulk, looking for the
figure she modeled.
FONTAINBLEU
(approaches from behind)
Well, well. Hmm. Bit of a mess. Crack the mold?
JOSEPHINE
Some of it spilled.
FONTAINBLEU
(inspecting)
These things happen. Hacksaw and grinding tool, you
will be right the way there.
JOSEPHINE
(Incredulous)
Really?
FONTAINBLEU
Trim there, and you’ve got the arm. There, and you
have the hip. Sand up the face some, and you are
right on track. You are not far off. Well done!
JOSEPHINE
You mean that?
FONTAINBLEU
Some other castings are perfect. Some are not worth
the sand for the mold. But as usual, each one
represents the artistic talent of the sculptor. And
yours, while rough and amateur, shows so much
promise, of talent, intuition and, well, art, that I
see this project and I wonder what you will do next.
What is your next project?
JOSEPHINE
I’m still working on this one.
FONTAINBLEU
Of course, of course. It’s just, well. It’s just that
you have talent. You have skill. But do you have your
voice?
JOSEPHINE
Do I?
FONTAINBLEU
You are young. It is good that you master the skills.
You can grow into your voice.
JOSEPHINE
Thank you, Mr. Fontainbleu.
FONTAINBLEU
Carry on.
We see Josephine wielding a grinding tool, cutting off
flashing, smoothing rough edges.
INT. INSIDE A SMALL RESTAURANT NEAR UQM - EVENING
Otto and Josephine are sitting across from each other with
plates of Italian food, with red-check table cloths.
OTTO
Jo?
JOSEPHINE
Hmm?
OTTO
Are you going to say anything, or do I have to do all
the talking tonight?
JOSEPHINE
What do you want me to say?
OTTO
How do you like the spaghetti? What happened with
your art thing? What did you think of our protest at
the rally last weekend? I don’t know. Anything.
JOSEPHINE
The food is fine. My art thing came out OK. The
protest was silly. And I think it might rain. There.
Is that enough for you?
OTTO
Jo, what’s the matter? I’ve never seen you like this.
Is it something I said?
JOSEPHINE
I don’t think this is a good idea. I should go home.
OTTO
Home? Jo, wait, there’s something...
JOSEPHINE
What, Otto?
OTTO
There’s something, some things, I think we should
discuss.
JOSEPHINE
Go on.
OTTO
I mean we’re both graduating. We have to think of the
future. We’ve been together for almost a year. I
guess I wanted to know if, well, you had real
feelings for me.
JOSEPHINE
(incredulous)
Wait, are you... is this... hold on, what’s going on?
OTTO
Well, if you are going to be like that, I guess I
have to just plunge in. Jo, what would you think of
us getting an apartment this fall? And after that,
maybe think about....being permanent?
JOSEPHINE
You mean, get married? To you?
OTTO
That’s about the size of it, yes.
JOSEPHINE
(moves to get up)
I don’t think we should do this right now.
OTTO
Jo, honey! Sit down.
JOSEPHINE
(standing, raising her voice)
No! I will not sit down. I’m going home.
OTTO
Honey, you’re making a scene.
JOSEPHINE
(loudly)
Thank you for dinner, Otto, but I am not going to get
married, and certainly not to you.
OTTO
What are you talking about.
JOSEPHINE
Otto, I think I really saw you last weekend, with
your friends, at the party and the rally. I really
saw you, the real you. And I don’t want to be with
that person. You are arrogant, condescending and
don’t give a damn about my art. You want a pretty
little wife, in a pretty little house, in a quiet
neighborhood, while you go work at a big bank
someplace. You want to be the big, important man,
with your pretty wife waiting at home.
OTTO
Jo, sit down! For God sake! Get a hold of yourself!
JOSEPHINE
Well I don’t want that. I don’t want to be that. But
don’t worry! If you throw your wallet in any
direction here, I’m sure there will be several good,
solid Canadian girls just looking for Mister Right.
You’re a good catch, Otto! Just not for me. Goodbye!
All the heads in the restaurant swivel to watch her exit.
OTTO
(stunned)
Check, please!
EXT. OUTSIDE JEAN-LUC’S APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT
Josephine has walked to Jean-Luc’s building. She stands below
his window, outside and call to him.
JOSEPHINE
Jean-Luc! Jean-Luc! Are you there?
Louisa St. Ann comes to the window and pulls the curtain
aside.
ST. ANN
You are looking for Jean?
JOSEPHINE
Louisa, yes. Can I come up? I just broke up with my
boyfriend.
ST. ANN
Oh my! Yes, of course! I will buzz you in.
Josephine goes up and into the student apartment building.
INT. INSIDE JEAN-LUC’S APARTMENT - NIGHT
JOSEPHINE
Louisa, what are you doing here?
ST. ANN
Josie, what are you doing here?
JOSEPHINE
I needed to be someplace but I didn’t want to go
home.
ST. ANN
And so you came here?
JOSEPHINE
I stormed out of a restaurant, a date with my
boyfriend of a year, because I realized he was just
another ordinary guy, in a sea of ordinary life. I
didn’t want that.
ST. ANN
But why here? Why Jean-Luc?
JOSEPHINE
I have been thinking about what he said after my art
disaster. He seemed to understand, seemed to see me.
Nobody ever did that for me.
ST. ANN
Oh yes. Jean-Luc will see you alright. He sees all
the pretty girls.
JOSEPHINE
And you? Are you, and he...?
ST. ANN
On and off. I have known Jean-Luc since we were
twelve. He is from my same town. We grew up together.
I suppose we will get married eventually, but right
now he wants to be with different girls. Today it’s
you.
JOSEPHINE
But he said he was crazy about me.
ST. ANN
Yes. He says that.
JOSEPHINE
I should go.
ST. ANN
You can stay if you want. He will be back soon. We
were out of wine. We are working on the campaign
action for the voting day, coming up.
JOSEPHINE
Lesage?
ST. ANN
We just volunteer with the campaign. Do you want to
help?
JOSEPHINE
Actually, No, I don’t want to get involved in
politics.
ST. ANN
That’s too bad. I think a campaign would be good for
your art.
JOSEPHINE
Yeah, well, I’m going to go. Thank you for talking to
me.
ST. ANN
Good night.
Josephine heads out and down the street.
INT. INSIDE THE BEAUX ARTS GALLERY - DAY - WEEKS LATER
It is three days after the election, Saturday June 25, 1960,
clear, warm and bright. It is the day of the showcase of
artists from the graduating class.
Each artist stands behind or near their work, to answer
questions of the audience.
Josephine and Julie are placed next to each other, so that it
looks like Josie’s Native Man is hunting Julie’s bison. The
bison all have different colors, flags, symbols and markings.
A big press contingent is swelling in the gallery, with
flashes going off and men talking into microphones.
JULIE
I can’t believe all of these people!
JOSEPHINE
Something is up. There is no way all this press is
for us. Hey, here comes Fontainbleu!
FONTAINBLEU
Good morning, ladies. Everything looks good, I see.
JOSEPHINE
Why did you set them up like this, like he is hunting
her bison? Nobody else’s is like that.
FONTAINBLEU
Julie, I love what you did with the bison. Swiss
flag, American flag, Quebec flag, and the zebra
stripes, giraffe spots. Marvelous! Excellent work!
JULIE
I realized that I had to break out of the
conventional mold of realism, and take a position in
the symbolic context;
creating, as you said, tension and conflict.
(she winks at Josie)
FONTAINBLEU
(delighted)
Ohhh! I couldn’t have said it better myself. You have
really stretched the boundary of civil propriety.
JULIE
Well, uh, yeah. That’s what I was going for.
FONTAINBLEU
And Josephine. The bronze figure is a revelation in
primitive art. The Native voice is not heard enough.
The figure of the man with dignity is a shocking
expansion of the artistic landscape. Now, anything is
possible.
The press swells around Josephine and Julia, while
Fontainbleu scans the crowd. Then, Fontainbleu sees Lesage,
newly elected Prime Minister of Quebec.
FONTAINBLEU
Monsieur! Monsieur Premier!
LESAGE
Ah, Fortesque!
Lesage approaches Fontainbleu and the artists.
FONTAINBLEU
Premiere, I welcome you to Beaux Arts.
LESAGE
Ah, Fortesque, if I had known there were artistes
such as these...
(stares at Julia)
I would have found my way so much earlier.
FONTAINBLEU
So, Miss Webster has a figure, native and brave.
LESAGE
Mighty hunter..
FONTAINBLEU
And Miss Hathaway has the bison of the plains.
LESAGE
I see. There is the give and take of the hunted and
the hunter. So raw. So alive.
FONTAINBLEU
Just so.
LESAGE
But the hunter will prevail. Like the badges on the
buffalo, the province doesn’t matter when you are
dead. Charge the hunter and take a spear in the head.
Lesage stands next to the buffalo with the Canada flag, while
press people take pictures and make notes.
FONTAINBLEU
They are students.
LESAGE
(hamming it up for the press)
You see the Native man? He is the Canadian! He is the
man who looks at the English world and says “Non!”
We look at the world of our French forefathers and,
must we ask, ‘How did you survive?’ How did they
maintain their dignity, in the face of English
oppression? Through strength. Through action. That is
our mandate for Quebec: Strength and Action!
FONTAINBLEU
I’d be glad to talk about it with you.
LESAGE
(to Josephine)
I’d like to know what you think. Bank of Montreal
Hotel, room 232. Come up after lunch.
(tosses her the key)
Lesage leaves, and the press follows.
Josephine pockets the key. Julie stares at her.
JULIE
What the hell was that? Did the Premier of Quebec
just make a pass at you?
JOSEPHINE
Maybe he just wants to talk about art.
JULIE
He wants to get inside your sweater, is what he
wants!
JOSEPHINE
Maybe my prospects are looking up. It could be a good
career move to be involved with a famous politician.
FONTAINBLEU
(approaches)
Give me the key.
JOSEPHINE
What key?
FONTAINBLEU
Just give it to me. I will not stand for a politician
poaching our students.
JOSEPHINE
We just graduated.
JULIE
We’re not students anymore.
FONTAINBLEU
Just give me the key. I will deal with this matter
myself.
JOSEPHINE
(realizing Fontainbleu is
gay)
You want him for yourself, don’t you? Isn’t that
against the law?
FONTAINBLEU
Not for artists. Are you going to give me the key, or
not.
JOSEPHINE
Not.
Josephine and Fontainbleu stare at each other, feeling the
power shift between them.
FONTAINBLEU
Then I must warn you: do not start a fire that you
cannot put out.
JOSEPHINE
I’m from Montana. I am familiar with wildfires. And
how to put them out.
FONTAINBLEU
Miss Webster, you are talented, really gifted, as are
you Miss Hathaway. It has been my honor to work with
you both. Now you must excuse me.
Fontainbleu exits.
JULIE
What the hell was that?
JOSEPHINE
I don’t know and I don’t care. I am going to see the
PM.
JULIE
AFTER lunch. Let’s go eat.
JOSEPHINE
Right. Food first.
EXT. SUNNY PARK OUTSIDE THE ACADEMY DES BEAUX ARTS - LATER
Julie and Josephine have baguette sandwiches with ham and
butter, the popular Montreal street food, with Swiss cheese
and mustard. They are sitting on a bench below a shady tree,
watching all the people go by.
JOSEPHINE
This kind of feels like the end.
JULIE
It seems like there is a lot more
to say.
JOSEPHINE
But here we are. We graduated and I
broke up with Otto. And I finished
my casting.
JULIE
What about Jean-Luc?
JOSEPHINE
Louisa says he’s just playing the
field. Whether that’s true or not,
I don’t really care. I don’t want
to get into the middle of their
world.
JULIE
Are you going to go back to
Montana?
JOSEPHINE
Not if I can help it. Are you going
to go back to Saskatoon?
JULIE
Not if I can help it!
JOSEPHINE
Let’s get an apartment here. We can
share.
JULIE
I was going to say that all along
but I thought you were going to
marry Otto.
JOSEPHINE
You thought that too?
JULIE
You didn’t? Sweet child. Anybody
could see that coming a mile away.
He likes you and he’s a good catch.
JOSEPHINE
He’s a snob and a philistine. I
didn’t even realize a person could
be both culturally lazy and be
condescending about it in the same
breath. I don’t have any time to
waste on Otto.
JULIE
But he wants to marry you.
JOSEPHINE
He’ll marry the next thing that
swishes by him in a skirt and some
heels.
JULIE
Even if it’s Fontainbleu?
JOSEPHINE
Ha! Ok, probably not him.
JULIE
(laughs)
Did you see him swoon over Lesage?
He was like a schoolgirl.
JOSEPHINE
I guess I never noticed it but it
was there all along. Gosh, a
pervert.
JULIE
But he knows art.
JOSEPHINE
What do you want to do now?
JULIE
Finish this sandwich and then let’s
us go get an apartment.
JOSEPHINE
(coy)
Before or after my lovers’ tryst
with the new Prime Minister?
JULIE
You’re not really going, are you?
JOSEPHINE
(holds up the key)
I have to put on my big girl
panties but I’m going.
JULIE
He just wants to use you. You know
that, right?
JOSEPHINE
Julie, I see now that you are the
only one for me. You have been
there all along, you and me. We’ve
got to stick together. But I want
to have some fun and I want to get
to the top.
JULIE
The top of what? The only thing
climbing on top is that man
climbing on top of you!
JOSEPHINE
The top of everything! And when the
door opens, I’m going through it!
Besides, it’s not like me and Otto
were holy saints. But I’m careful.
My sister got pregnant from fooling
around with a local boy, so I know
I have to look out for myself.
JULIE
Oh, you’re naughty!
JOSEPHINE
Jules, I was raised on a farm. I
know what the bull wants. And you
know what they say about Montreal?
JULIE
Good girls go to heaven. Bad girls
come to Montreal!
JOSEPHINE
(laughs)
I guess that’s us!
JULIE
That’s us!
JOSEPHINE
Ok, I’m going to go see lover-boy.
JULIE
Are you sure you want to?
JOSEPHINE
It’s the next chapter, darling!
JULIE
Fly, girl, fly up to the sky.
JOSEPHINE
Julie?
JULIE
Yes?
JOSEPHINE
One last thing.
JULIE
What’s that?
JOSEPHINE
Kiss me.
JULIE
What?
JOSEPHINE
Kiss me, before the moment is
passed.
Julie leans in and Josephine kisses her. They hold the kiss
for a moment and then separate.
JULIE
That was nice.
JOSEPHINE
You got butter on me. What will
Lesage say?
JULIE
(bursts laughing)
You’re crazy!
JOSEPHINE
(teasing)
I think you are mentally deranged!
JULIE
You’re a nut-case!
JOSEPHINE
You’re not all there, my dear!
JULIE
Go! Just go. Go see your hot new
man. He is cute. Is he married?
JOSEPHINE
Today, I don’t care. I’ll see you
later.
Josephine gets up to go.
JULIE
Be careful, will you, for me?
JOSEPHINE
Yes, dear. Bye.
Josephine walks toward the Bank of Montreal Hotel.
JULIE
Don’t get lost, little girl. Don’t
get mixed up in the big city. I’ll
still be here, waiting.
She sits for a moment, watching Josephine, then gets up and
walks the other way, into the sunny afternoon.
END