Swingout: A Lindy Hop Swing Dancer Screenplay

By Christopher C. Odom

Fade In:

int. savoy ballroom – day

superimpose

“Harlem, May 22, 1927.”

THE FLETCHER HENDERSON ORCHESTRA

plays on the stage.

Curtis (V.O.)

We just got news Charles Lindbergh had safely crossed the Atlantic Ocean landing in Paris-

ALEXANDER “ALEX” WASHINGTON,

A young wide-eyed dreamy African-American 13-year-old stands amidst a crowd watching two African-American couples battle it out on the dance floor.

Curtis (v.o.) (cont'd)

There were only two couples left in the 1st Annual Harvest Moon Swingout.  They were me--

"CURTIS" MOORE & BIG MABEL (23-years-old) dance.

Alex

You go, Curtis!

Curtis (V.O.) (Cont'd)

With Big Mabel.  And Fancy Feet with Priscilla--

"FANCY FEET" JEFFERSON & PRISCILLA JOHNSTON (33-years-old) dance.

Curtis (v.O.) (cont'd)

Charleston was the rage back then, but people had started to do the Breakaway.  And that's when it hit me.

Big Mabel

bumps into 

Curtis

He Breaks Away without letting go, pulling

Big Mabel

back into him.

Curtis

That's it!  Let's Swingout like that again.

They repeat the action several times while Freestyling. 

Curtis and Big Mabel

win the contest by maddening applause. 

Charles Buchanan,

42-years-old, owner of the Savoy, makes his way to the center of the stage.

Mr. Buchanan

The judges have made their decision.  The winners of the 1st Annual Harvest Moon Swingout are Curtis Moore and Big Mabel.

Curtis and Big Mabel are bombarded by the crowd and carried off on hands and shoulders.

Ext. savoy - day

The crowd carries Curtis and Big Mabel outside of the Savoy.

Big Mabel

I can’t believe we beat Fancy Feet and Priscilla.  All I wanted to do was dance.

Curtis

I am the King of Swing.

Int. savoy ballroom - day

Fancy Feet sits on the edge of the dance floor with his hands over his head. 

Priscilla caresses him affectionately.

Priscilla

Let’s go home.

Priscilla puts her arm around Fancy Feet, helps him up, and leads him to the door.

Ext. savoy ballroom - day

Curtis and Big Mabel sign autographs and pose for pictures. 

A REPORTER pushes through the crowd towards Curtis.

reporter

What was the step you were doing?

Fancy Feet and Priscilla

walk out of the ballroom and onto the sidewalk near Curtis and Big Mabel.

Curtis

ponders for a moment.  He sees a

newspaper

The headline reads:

“CHARLES LINDBERGH HOPS THE ATLANTIC.”

Curtis

It was the Hop--the Lindy Hop.

reporter

Where did you get that move?

Fancy Feet and Priscilla

stare into Curtis’s mouth.

Curtis

I made it up all on my own.

Curtis makes eye contact with

Fancy Feet

Fancy Feet

Mother Fucker.  Curtis was only doing variations on my Breakaways.

He shakes his head.

Fancy Feet (cont'd)

He used me like a blueprint.

Priscilla

Let’s retire.

Fancy Feet and Priscilla

walk away.

Curtis (V.O.)

And that's pretty much how Swing dancing started.

GERALDINE WITHERSPOON,

a sexy 33-year-old blonde, appears in the crowd.

She makes EYE CONTACT with Curtis.

They exchange alluring smiles.

She seductively disappears into the crowd.

Alex,

approaches Curtis.

Alex

I want to learn to dance just like you.

Curtis

I don’t give lessons.

Alex

I go to every dance contest and performance you do.

Big Mabel

Aren’t you little Alex, Mother Washington’s boy?

Alex

Yes, ma'am.

Big Mabel

I know her from church.  A real God fearing women.  When I was sick, she helped take care of my kids.  I owe her one.  We rehearse every afternoon down at the Savoy with Richard and Little Mabel.

Curtis

I don’t let people watch me rehearse.

Alex

Please!

Big Mabel

He’s just a kid.  All he wants to do is dance.

Alex

I don’t even know how to dance.

Curtis

No.

Big Mabel

Come by the Savoy after school.  Be sure to tell Ms. Clarke Curtis said it was OK.  Now run along.

Alex grabs Curtis’s hand.

Alex

Thanks.

Alex

skips off through the crowd.

Curtis

Remind me to change your nickname from Big Mabel to Big Mouth.

Ext. small’s restaurant – day

Geraldine walks into Small’s.

Int. Small’s restaurant - day

Curtis and Big Mabel finish eating lunch. 

MABEL,

a 20-year-old simple waitress, clears away a few dirty dishes.

Big Mabel

Didn’t the helpings used to be bigger here?

Curtis

No, you just used to be smaller.

Big Mabel

You were always three biscuits and two sausages tall.  I guess little elves don’t grow.  Excuse me while I go to the little girls room.

Big Mabel leaves the table.

Curtis

While you’re there, be sure to ask someone where the moose’s manger is.

Geraldine

grabs Mabel’s attention.

Mabel comes back to the table and clears away the rest of the dishes.

Curtis

Mabel, could I pay for the check now, please?

Mabel

Already been paid for.

Curtis

By whom?

Mabel

Some fancy White lady.

Curtis

Where is she?

Mabel

(points at window)

There.

Ext. small’s restaurant - day

Curtis runs out of the restaurant.

He stops Geraldine.

Curtis

Excuse me.  Aren’t you Geraldine Witherspoon the famous actress?

Geraldine

How about a drink?

Geraldine gently nudges her chest forward causing Curtis to glance at her breasts.

Curtis

It’s good to be the King.

Ext. savoy ballroom - day

Alex runs down the sidewalk and through the front doors of the Savoy.

Int. savoy ballroom - day

the lionel hampton orchestra

rehearses on stage.

Curtis & Big Mabel and RICHARD "CRAZY LEGS" JENKINS & LITTLE SALLY (21-years-old), practice a routine.

Curtis

Richard, I have an idea for a new exit for Big Mabel and I.

Big Mabel

Another new move?  I can barely remember the last move you came up with.  Can’t we just dance?

Richard

I like it when we don’t look the same.  Show us your move?

Curtis

I promise this is the last one, and then we’ll just polish what we already know.

Big Mabel

This is the last time.

Curtis

Since I’m so small, wouldn’t it really be funny if you carried me off stage.

Big Mabel

Oh, hell no. 

Little Sally

Let me try it with you, Curtis.

Alex

walks into the ballroom and takes a seat next to the edge of the dance floor.

Alex

I think it’s a great idea.

Curtis

Kid, you can watch, but not talk.

(to Big Mabel)

Try and pick me up.

Curtis

jumps into Big Mabel’s arms.

Big Mabel

Get down!  I can’t hold you.

Alex

What about if you got on her back?

Big Mabel

You aren’t supposed to be talking.

Richard

I’d like to see it.

Curtis jumps on Big Mabel’s back.

Big Mabel

Get off my back.

Curtis

Do you have me?

Big Mabel throws Curtis into the floor. 

Big Mabel

Don’t ever do it again.

Little Sally

Are you all right, Curtis?

Big Mabel

What about me, Little Sally?

Curtis

Legs are stronger than arms.  I don’t want to just sit on her back.  I’ll have to think up something more creative.

Big Mabel

I don’t like this move.

Curtis

It was a good idea kid.  Wait until you see what we do tomorrow.

Curtis

pats Alex on the back.

Curtis (v.O.)

Now, that I look back, that day was probably the first sign Alex was different.

dissolve to:

montage

Int. savoy ballroom - day - 1929

Alex (15-years-old) watches Curtis and Big Mabel (25-years-old) Lindy Hop.  He makes suggestions.

dissolve to:

Int. savoy ballroom - day - 1931

Alex (17-years-old) watches Curtis and Big Mabel (27-years-old) switch partners with Richard and Little Sally (25-years-old). 

Little Sally smiles and holds onto Curtis affectionately.

Alex claps.

dissolve to:

Int. savoy ballroom - day - 1933

Alex (19-years-old) clumsily Lindy Hops with Little Sally (27-years-old). 

Curtis (29-years-old) and Richard (27-years-old) watch and jeer.

dissolve to:

Int. savoy ballroom - day - 1935

Curtis & Big Mabel (31-years-old) and Richard & Little Sally (29-years-old) complete a performance before a large crowd at the Savoy.

They travel BACKSTAGE

where Alex (21-years-old) waits with towels and water.

dissolve to:

Int. savoy ballroom - night - 1937

Alex, now 23-years-old, Lindy Hops with Big Mabel (33-years-old) amidst a crowded dance floor.  He is good.

Curtis (33-years-old) Lindy Hops with Little Sally (31-years-old). 

She is in bliss.

Richard (31-years-old) shakes his head.

end montage

Ext. savoy ballroom – day

LEONARD “LENNY” Cleveland, 

a 45-year-old intimidating African-American male with a single streak of white hair in his head, strolls into the Savoy.

Int. savoy ballrooom - day

As Lenny passes by the front office, the cashier,

MS. SIMMS,

a matronly 40-year-old African-American woman, stops him.

Lenny

Tell everybody I’m not here today.

ms. Clarke

There’s a gentleman downstairs who wants to speak with you.  The name is Fillmore.

Lenny

You’re helpful.

Lenny walks DOWNSTAIRS.

A well dressed Caucasian 37-year-old society man,

MR. FILLMORE,

sits at a table sipping on a cocktail. 

Lenny offers his hand.

Lenny

I'm the Floor Manager here at the Savoy.  What can I do for you?

Mr. Fillmore

I need a couple of Lindy Hoppers for a party in Manhattan Wednesday night.

Lenny

Sorry, I’m all booked.

mr. Fillmore

If I don’t get any Lindy Hoppers, my fiancée will leave me.

UPSTAIRS IN THE BALLROOM

Curtis rehearses with Big Mabel, Richard, and Little Sally. 

The erskine hawkins orchestra

rehearses on the stage.

Big Mabel

trips through a Free Spin.

Curtis

Stop thinking about lunch and try it again.

Big Mabel

Why don’t you climb down off of your Big beanstalk, Jack, and let me take a break?

Richard

I think we could all use a break.

Richard and Little Sally

leave the dance floor and take a seat.

Curtis

I’ve never lost a Harvest Moon Swingout and don’t plan to.

Big Mabel

If I don’t break, I will break.

Curtis

I didn’t realize buffalo could be broken.

Big Mabel

I never knew munchkins could talk.

Big Mabel

walks off of the dance floor and kicks off her shoes in a booth.

Curtis

Please.  They have health codes here.

Lenny

walks into the ballroom.

Lenny

Curtis, can I have a minute of your time?  It’s business.

Big Mabel

No problem, we’ll give you two plenty of time--

Curtis grabs a seat next to Big Mabel and grabs her arm.

Curtis

Anything you say to me you can say in front my people.

Lenny

folds his arms and stares silently at Curtis. 

Big Mabel

struggles and breaks free from Curtis’s grasp. 

She walks away. 

Richard and Little Sally

join her.

Curtis

(to Lenny)

No. 

(to his Lindy Hoppers)

You can come back now.  We’re finished.

Lenny

Curtis, I’m giving you one last chance to reconsider merging your team with my team.  I need a couple--

Curtis

How many ways are there to spell “N” “O”, hell no?

Lenny

Fine.  Mark my words Curtis Moore Snowden.  You’ll regret the day you decided not to become one of Lenny’s Lindy Hoppers.

Curtis

I’m feeling regretful right now.

Lenny

storms out of the ballroom dreaming of his day of glory.

Ext. savoy ballroom – night

MARQUEE

“Billie holiday & jimmie lunceford.  last night of first round trials for harvest moon Swingout.”

Alex waits in line with his 19-year-old partner, FREDA FITZGERALD, who is as pretty as she is feisty. 

They are accompanied by another couple, RICHARD (21-years-old) and MARGARET (19-years-old).

TICKET WINDOW

MS. CLARKE

Hello, Alex.  It will be 85 cents each, please.

Richard

I thought it was 30 cents.

MS. CLARKE

It’s 30 cents before eight o’clock.

Alex

(to Ms. Clarke)

No problem.  Where do we sign-up for the contest?

Freda

Do you really think we have a chance?

Alex

All of the better Lindy Hoppers, like Curtis, have already qualified in the previous rounds.  Trust me.

Alex pays Ms. Clarke for everyone.

Int. savoy ballroom - night

A 22-year-old Billie Holiday sings an upbeat song with her band at the 140TH STREET STAGE.

Alex

This joint is jumping.

Willy

There’s colored people in here dancing with white folk.

Alex

The Savoy Ballroom is the only integrated place in the entire country.

Willy

You mean I get to dance with White women?

Alex

I want to say hello to Curtis.

Freda

Let’s dance?

Margaret

Freda, come with me to the ladies room first.

Willy

Why does it always take two women to go to the bathroom?

Freda

rolls her eyes at Willy as

Margaret

leads her away by the hand.

Alex

When are you and Margaret going to get hitched?

Willy

I’m still young and playing the field.

Int. ladies room - night

Margaret and Freda

fix their makeup in the mirror.

intercut to:

Margaret and Freda in ladies room with Alex and Willy in ballroom

Freda

What are you talking about?  He’s got your nose wide open.

Willy

What’s up with you and Freda?

Freda

We just dance.

Willy

Washington, just dance?  Right.

Freda

We just dance.

Margaret

You mean to tell me you ain’t never--

Alex

Never.

Willy

Not even a little--

Freda

Just dance.

Pages 1 - 17

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Christopher C. Odom is an Award-Winning Writer, Director, Producer and Author who earned his Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting from the University of California, Los Angeles. An Associate Member of the Writers Guild of America, west Independent Writer’s Caucus, Christopher has won numerous screenwriting and filmmaking awards. His work has been nationally televised and screened in cities worldwide, including Tel Aviv, Berlin and Cannes.

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