Where have all the heroes gone
- rodiecommunication
- Aug 11
- 5 min read
ACT I
An office in a high rise. There is a modern desk and chair plus a couch and a coffee table. On the desk is a Mac laptop and a pile of papers. There is a take away coffee container cup on the desk. A young man in his early thirties is standing at the floor to ceiling window looking out at the cityscape and talking on his mobile.
CARLO
OK dude. Yeah, I get it, but it's basically another Riverdale. So, the question is ... do we need another Riverdale?
(Listens to the voice on the other end)
OK ... one last pitch, but dude - the word from the top is to be better and ... I'm not so sure this is better. OK - see you then. This is a favour OK. No promises.
A young lady comes in. it's Stella, a creative partner
STELLA
Carlo. There's this guy here to see you. George somebody
CARLO
Oh shit. He's the cowboy show dude.
STELLA
Whatever ... should I send him in?
CARLO
Yeah. I'm only seeing him because he's an old colleague of dads. shouldn't take long. Can you sit in and remind me of the next meeting when I give you this look.
(Stella laughs)
STELLA
Not the face. Please?
CARLO
I'll promise if you don't laugh out loud. This guy has a pretty bizarre script from what I remember. BIZARRE ... bring him in.
Stella disappears and reappears with a man who could be in his late fifties. He has stepped out of a 1950's cigarette commercial, wearing a dark suit, hat and tie. He carries a briefcase.
George (shaking Carlo's hand)
Thanks so much for seeing me.
CARLO
That's OK John. Any friend of my dad is a friend of mine.
GEORGE
(George sits on the couch and puts his briefcase next to him.)
Well that's nice. It's George by the way and, I did have some good times with your Dad. He was quite a writer.
CARLO
Yeah, he often spoke of you.
GEORGE (laughing)
Yeah? He probably told you what a nice guy John was.
STELLA
Poor old Carlo. He sees so many people, he ...
GEORGE
Hey ... just making a joke. It's great you have given me some time for my script. It's a modern fairy-tale with characters from the past. They've come to save us.
CARLO
(Carlo looks at his apple watch)
You're pitching already. That's good.
GEORGE
Time's money kids and I don't want to waste any. We live in an era devoid of heroes. Tom Mix is a time traveller and …
CARLO
(butting in)
I absolutely agree George, but Tom Who?
GEORGE
Tom Mix was the forerunner of Gene Autrey ... I can see by your faces that you don't know who these guys were.
CARLO
Cowboys? OK George set it up.
GEORGE
The USA is dying, and Tom turns up to save us from the leaders we have today.
CARLO
Is this an anti Trump scenario?
GEORGE
Yes, and more ...
CARLO
Do you have a treatment you can leave?
GEORGE (opening his briefcase)
Right here - but let me tell you the story.
CARLO
It's interesting George. It might just not fit the kind of stories that are selling now. Leave the script. We'll read it and get you back in if we think it's got legs.
GEORGE (putting the script down on the table and getting up)
Of course. Good of you to see me.
STELLA
Thanks Mr Price. Good to meet you. Ah ... Carlo, you have that meeting!
George shakes hands with them and leaves the room.
STELLA
What was that? Ten minutes for a cowboy story? Where do they come from?
CARLO
He worked with my father on teleplays. Some quite good for their time. Maybe he has got a story.
STELLA
Yeah, but who's going to relate to a silent movie star? Heroes have changed. Cowboys don't cut it anymore.
CARLO
They still sell.
STELLA
Only if they're dysfunctional.
ACT 2
A bedroom. Spacious and well designed. Carlo is asleep. A figure enters the room. A giant of a man, tall and imposing is standing next to a high-backed armchair. He is dressed in a long cream overcoat unbuttoned to reveal western clothing, boots and spurs. He wears a gun belt with two holsters carrying pearl handled six shooters. On his head is a tall ten-gallon hat.
Carlo wakes, rubs his eyes and blearily looks at the man.
CARLO
Jesus ... fuck.
TOM
Relax partner. I ain't here to hurt anyone.
CARLO (sitting up)
How did you get in here? I'm calling security.
TOM
Well George sent me. He said you hadn't ever heard of me. Why ... I'm Tom Mix. The greatest cowboy star of my time. Hell. Come to think about it ... anytime!
CARLO
This is a dream.
TOM
Sure Carlo buddy. It's a dream. By the way ... with a name like Carlo, are you Eyetalian or Mexican maybe? I'm parched from all this time travelling. Got any whiskey?
CARLO
You're not real. This is a dream. I'm going to wake up.
TOM
Well that's kinda the point to all this. Old George says y'all have to wake up. Says the country is in a mess. The good old US of A. Where's the whiskey?
CARLO
I don't have any Tom. Anyway, you’re not real.
TOM
Good then ... give me some fake whiskey. I'll make it real. Mind if I sit?
CARLO gets up and sits on the edge of his bed.
CARLO
OK. I won't call security. This is the craziest pitch I've ever witnessed. Tell me again why you are here ... and, are you going to shoot me with those things?
TOM
With these things. Shit no. I ain't ever shot no-one with nothing. These are fake. Toys. Props. I don't like guns. And I don't like the NRA neither.
(Carlo getting interested now)
CARLO
OK. Say you are real. You are not a figment of my imagination. You are an actor.
TOM
Now you're getting it. Correct on all three counts. But I'm here because of George and your dad. And ... I'm not an actor ... I'm a star. Literally.
CARLO
My father’s been dead for many years.
TOM
no-one dies partner. We just all go off into that big space in the sky. But up there everything becomes crystal clear. By the way, your dad says hi. He's a star too and he's concerned.
CARLO
Concerned? About what?
TOM
Like I said ... the NRA, the KKK, the fake what do you call it ... digital world. And Mr T Rump. The biggest shyster since snake oil salesmen. The world is in a parlous state young fella. Somebody needs to take a stand. Want to take a little trip?
CARLO
As long as this is a dream ... why not.
Tom smiles and gets to his feet. His spurs jingle.
BLACKOUT.
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