THE SIGNIFICANT SIGNIFICANT OTHER
A Short Project for Screenwriting Class
FADE IN
INT. -- BURKHARDT-LEHMAN RESIDENCE - LIVING ROOM -- EVENING
SHEILA and STEVEN sit in separate leather armchairs. Sheila mid-twenties, long
auburn hair, big worried eyes, under-achiever. Steven, her fioncee, good-
looking, mid-twenties, spectacles, intelligent, worldly wise, social climber, a
vague likeness to Clark Kent. Shiela sits nervously on the front of her chairs.
STEVEN
Nice place your folks have! Goes with the double-
barreled name and all.
SHEILA
Yeah. I know. I always used to be embarrassed about
bringing people home here.
STEVEN
Why?
SHEILA
Oh, I don't know. I guess I'd worry they'd like my
parents better than me.
STEVEN
Sheila, I want to marry you, not your parent's stuff.
SHEILA
I know. Sorry.
STEVEN
Anyway, I can' wait to meet them. I mean, you've always
been kind of mysterious about them.
SHEILA
Yeah, I know. Sorry.
STEVEN
Uh, oh, here they come now, I think. Or is that the
butler coming back? I can't believe they have a butler,
I mean who has a butler?
The door opens, and Rene enters, a tall, cheerful middle-aged man with a
perfectly trimmed salt-and-pepper mustache and a full head of hair. Steven and
Sheila both leap from their chairs.
SHEILA
Dad, this is Steven. Steven, Dad.
Rene and Steven shake hands. Rene keeps Steven's hand in his a moment while he
looks him in the eyes.
RENE
Nice to meet you, young man. Sheila has told me so much
about you.
Rene looks at Sheila, and raises his eyebrows in a questioning look, which
Stephen intercepts.
STEVEN
Nice to meet you too Mr ...
RENE
Oh, please call me Rene. I apologize I'm alone here. We
had a problem with the plumbing upstairs so I was sent
down to you as a sort of advance guard, so to speak.
Please sit down. Would you like a drink? Perhaps a
(pronouncing the words with distaste)
"brewski"?
STEVEN
What are you having?
RENE
Why, I believe I'll have a bourbon.
STEVEN
I'll have the same, sir.
RENE
Well, you're either an accomplished drinker or you're
trying to flatter me. Not sure I like either.
STEVEN
(smoothly)
Actually, bourbon's my favorite tipple, but I usually
only drink on social occasions.
RENE
Well that would be a pleasant surprise after ...
SHEILA
Dad!
Rene moves to the sideboard to make the drinks. The door opens suddenly and in
walks JOSEPH, tall, slim, swept back hair, strong features, mid fifties. Sheila
looks desperately at Steven, then leaps up.
SHEILA
Dad - this is Steven, Steven .... errrm ... this is my
other Dad.
Steven's eyes show momentary shock, but he rises from his seat and advances to
meet Joseph.
STEVEN
Pleased to meet you, Sir.
JOSEPH
(with massive curiosity)
And you, sir.
RENE
(joining them with a tray of drinks)
Well, well, well, here we all are then. And if I didn't
know better, I'd swear that Steven is rather surprised
at finding Sheila has two Daddies. But his composure
serves him well.
JOSEPH
Let's all sit down, shall we?
Rene and Joseph take the two armchairs, while Sheila and Steven sit next to each
other on the sofa.
STEVEN
(whispering to Sheila with some acidity)
Thanks for sandbagging me.
RENE
So tell me, Stephen, who are your family? Do we know
them?
SHEILA
Stephen's Father owns a law-practice!
JOSEPH
I see. Is that so, young man?
STEVEN
Well, yes. It's a little practice in the City.
RENE
(suddenly)
What's your last name, if you don't mind?
STEVEN
Pritchard.
RENE
Your father isn't by any chance Robert Pritchard.
STEVEN
Yes, he is actually.
JOSEPH
Of Pritchard, Pritchard, Owens and Mensky. Well, Sheila,
it appears you've hooked a live one this time. I have to
say I'm quite taken aback.
Sheila grins with triumph, finally starting to look relaxed. She puts her arm in
Stephen's. Stephen leaves his arm in Sheila's for a second, then pulls it out,
but Sheila doesn't seem to notice. Rene and Joseph look at each other.
RENE
You're not the other Pritchard of "Pritchard and
Pritchard" are you?
STEVEN
(laughing)
No, I'd be hard put to have made partner by the age of
twenty-five, even in my father's law firm.
SHEILA
Steven's a corporate defense lawyer in the company.
JOSEPH
Really. Well I must admit to being pleasantly surprised.
Some of the other young gentlemen Sheila has introduced
us to have been ... somewhat less accomplished.
RENE
Yes, tradesmen and so forth. We were beginning to wonder
if Sheila was ever going to find herself someone
worthwhile. A
(with emphasis)
significant, significant other, so to speak. Sheila, it
now appears we've done you an injustice.
JOSEPH
Yes, dear. Our apologies. Who'd have thought you were up
to it, old girl. Now, dear, could you just step out and
check on cook. That's a good girl.
All eyes follow the glowing Sheila as she practically levitates out of the room.
As soon as the door swings shut, both Rene and Joseph lean forward.
RENE
My dear boy ...
JOSEPH
... what on earth are you doing with our girl?
RENE
You're really out of her league. Have you introduced her
to your father yet?
STEVEN
(bemusedly)
Errr, no ... I ...
RENE
Good, then it's not too late.
Rene walks over to the bureau, and pulls out a big leather appointment book. He
scans a few pages.
RENE
Let's see, next Tuesday might do. No that's the symphony
board meeting. Err, Wednesday, Thursday ... yes
Thursday.
Rene looks at Joseph for confirmation.
JOSEPH
Thursday it is. Eight o'clock, and we'll have a little
dinner party here. A morning suit is fine, since you may
not have time to go home to change. Let's see, we can
invite Patricia Harriman-Smithers, errr ...
RENE
Bubbly Fox-Weathergil, errm, I think Mary Moremount is
back from Kenya, errrm ...