Document 858qp1o8xv0bBN5KKO00OqeXe
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Yc m * ,!' V. 10056 (51?) 8i?-570C<
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LIA-76270
i-_ v 11. t cit
Lj.acx, racing \:g to ciose-up o;
mall radio on i d/v'J u'
. \f ci
sofa. Easy in bad ground is wall,
plaster oracled a little, paint
peeling a little -- too nany
coats wit-Loat chipping -- then
PULi BACK 0:0 SBGT radio,- t-s.;).LC
top with perhaps a snail calendar,,
an opened .letter, a cerrre deg,
and the co~i of the sofa, oh a eh is
MUSIC IXTRG, 4 BARS 04 A
POP-ROCK VAM!, MEDIUM TEMPO. THEM A VOICE LIKE
THAT OF O.i
TO AX ARB.?.
EXT CITS MI CAT
HEAR OVER THAT LITTLE TABLE
RADIO TOOTED TO THE LOCAL
BLACR--0RILTT1D STATUE.
UP of pair.tl chi-os Langinc iron
1 /' ceiling. TILT slowly doer. wall
\ past calendar portrait. of Sir,, Xing
Y> v r.'or- t - -vy ( A v
to overhead shot past single
C \* .1.1 J i . i
L _ ^. , 1.
*. \j
t \lr t * O' ' - V / * 4
with radio, etc., MOVE IX, end
explore the apartment, the stairs
leading up to it, the walls, the
baseboards, the hitchon cabinets,
etc., of an apartment of people not
LAXD1.0RR 1A1T
* "amNi
,U .* * . . O. >.!-- - ^
' -
AT,v;rr- rrirjp; ;** 7\ i ; V ` f-; ` ` '
EATIX ' PAIR? AMD TLAT. TOOK HIM TO THE LOTTO.' COKVdLSICK v'('IftvT
LIA-76271
people struggling with too little
THE GHETTO MAIARIA
money, too many problems, too little help -- the plaster cracks are not
WHY, LORD, WHY? WHY, LORD, WHY?
grotesquely huge and paint chips not a month1s accumulation --
down the ha.ll, in the bathroom, etc.
J, noth the neglect of slovenly tenants,
1 '< it"
but that of a landlord, of a ghetto,
\
or a exuy, or a natron.
ONE SECOND FLASH OF A SHALL COFFIN
V,-
ivy OLD HAMA US I'D To TE
shots of the sofa taken through the
, , V . . . ' , . ,_ ;r,a;',3 or legs qr^ cn arrs-ana-ua n 1 e
T'.LIEH I'D CONE ROHE SCRATCHED AND CRYI IT'
group, prison-like effects of close-
ups through bars of a baby crib, the GOT TO EAT A LITTLE LI
flattened sanddun.es on the surface of BEFORE YOU LIE
a high chair painted five times
without sanding, walls painted many
V7ELL MY BABY DID
times ever wallpaper that has begun
AND rJY BABY DIED
to peel from the plaster it covers.
Include the art of the poor -- Dr. Ling, a framed Ebony cover of
RE AND IYYR.Y
vr/v.'** \*.t ./ ' .. ).
rv./- **i'j*ji'**. *>.*../
LIA-7627
President Kennedy, old family mem
WHERE THE BABY LIES
bers, graffiti on entranceway
("SUGAR LOVn' KING PLEASURE" - "THE
. AND MARY CRIES
EMPERORS"), a potted plant
struggling against all odds, etc.
/
finally to shot of windowsill,, with
AND I WATCH PAINT CHIPS PEELIN'
paint flakes, ECU SHOT past raagni-
FROM THE CEILIN'
. fied flakes to young black boy
BY THE BABY'S BED
approaching, si3.1 to look out window.
fingers loosening paint chip,- to
. (MUSIC VAMP CONTINUES FOR
mouth it absent-mindedly, almost like
4 PARS)
a toothpick. \ i 1
Last shot held, not a still, but
MUSIC REPEAT OF LAST 8 BA!
very quiet.
\
.BEFORE FINAL VAMP '
Over the, last shot is seen the light
(CORRESPONDING TO LYRiC
effect of a cloud o;c shadow darhen\
ing the shot
'"PAINT CHIPS PEELING FROM , THE CEILING BY THE BABA'S
TITLE superimposed on shot: "THE CHILD MOLESTER"
VAMP CONTINUING, START FA]
DISSOLVE CIV STEEICKING-LETTER
EFFECT TO
.'
...
' .w..
tlA- 76273
Close-up of black-bordered postalcard type announcement of death and funeral. Then card is moved suddenly. CUT TO
VAMP FADES OUT
.
Shot of Anderson (waist up) standing
in his home by the omnipresent table
where mail is put. He's in suppressed
anger. Looks up.
ANDERSON
This is a story about a chil
NOTE: The following pictures show the actual people wa111 see
moles ter - a killer loc se in
our n eighb erhood
in your
house . It 's a mystery story
There are victims ....
Family-type snapshot of Matthews
family - picnic or holiday.
ANDERSON1S VOICE (OFF)
i
\
Brace of six side-by-side pass-.
,.. there are heroes ...
portish stills of man and woman in
.
medical whites, a "good" Health Dept, official, an Urban League
i
rep, etc.
--
.ANDERSON'S VOICE
... there are villains . , ,
LIA-76274 '
pair t c h ips
FILM SCRIPT - Per. 5
Erace of six as above, with land
lord, ir.en & women in medical whites,
"bad" housing man, etc.
I./,- ANDERSON'S VOICE
.
Continuation of shot of the boy at
'll
: V
and there is the x;.iier .
the window, mouthing the paint chip.
ANDERSON'S VOICE
' ' ... Lead Poisoning.
Legend "LEAD POISONING",
JA.CKS0N FIVE VOCAL OPENING
maybe some optic effect like using
SCREAM OF "SI? A DEE EGO DAH"
skull and crossbones for "0" in
- C, E-Flat, G, F, E-Flat, C.
"roic-onino-11
B~Fiat, etc. FADING LON UNDE
.\
Waist up shot of Anderson, with
death announce
in hand
ANDERSON This killer strikes again c:r.d again even in the same house because this killer usually 1 like something else ... somet not .serious ... (deprecating! ... a little fever, a little crankiness, a little loss of appetite, a little vomiting -
little things all little chi!
have ... little things. LIA-76275
PA Tin1 CHIPS FILM SCRIPT - Pg. G
Anderson looks at death annoucement, puts it into his shirt pocket angrily. Looks up.
. Anderson reach for jacket (in_ nearby closet, or over a chair) black armband on sleeve. Camera
ANDERSON (continuing) Except when it1s your child and they add up to Lead Poisoning.
t ANDERSON :l
; This killer can be caught, put away ... by you. As a matter of
fact, only. by you. There 1 s a \'
reward ... the lives and health of our children. That's a very big reward. Let me show you our mystery story ....
follows as he gets to his front door, opens it, tu^ns back.
Holds door open, camera goes past him at the door, FADE OUT AS---------------------------------------:----------
. JvNDERSCN ... Watch for the clues.
LIA-76276
SOUND OF.. DOOR CLOSING IS LIKE DOWNBEAT FOR START OF CHANNEL OF SONG PLAYING ON THAT RADIO WHICH IS TUNED TO THE SAME SOUL STATION EVERY DAY 7>JU, DAY.
PAINT CHIPS FILM SCRIPT
Per. 7
DISSOLVE OR CUT TO Exterior of the child's window, showing him looking, mouthing. CUT TO Child's view out the window to street. Mother walks into view, returning home with small package of groceries, a quick purchase and she's hurrying home. She looks up at window as she walks, apparently sees child, smiles. She enters front door.
DURING THE FILM WE 1LL HEAR THE SONGS ONE WOULD HEAR ON THIS RADIO, THOUGH WE'LI, ATTEMPT TO MAKE THE SELECTION APPROPRIATE TO THE ACTION OF THE FILM.
Eoy at window sees her, leaves window, goes to apartment door, looks at it. He's a somber child, or seriouslooking anyway.
,
'.V' v
^.
LIA-76277
PAINT CHIPS FILM 3CRTPT - Pq-. 3
Mother opens apartment door, enters,
checks hoy, tired smile, puts pack
age down, comes to kiss boy. and held
his face in her hand. .
.. "'
MOMMA'
I*'..
'..Now, that wasn't long, was it?
.Alright?
He looks .at her, not whining hut
not smiling or returning the kiss..
Shov/ the windowsill, the old and
.* .
delapidated condition of the house,
though it's clean - paint peeling,
'
plaster cracked, etc.
POLL BACK to shov/ kid has thrown up.
;
STOP ACTION (it Js a clue) Momma all ' ; -
:
: - t "
sympathy, goes to get something to
' .
clean up. Boy stays. Momma returns
and wipes the area around the
. .. .
windov/. As wipes windov/sill, tooth
.
k. .
marks are revealed - STOP ACTION ~
She picks'up kid, holds, comforts.
, MOMMA
`
- Whatsamatter,. baby? Tummy hur
; ` Here, Momma rub it a little.
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r
PAINT CHIPS FILM SC AIPT - Per. 9
Eoy1 s fete<2/ v/hiney.
`
;
MOMMA
. ' Baby, you got to stop putting
. everything in your mouth.
Takes-him to lay him on sofa
-(gently chiding)
. . You spend less time eating that
_
.'
. nasty old string and dirt, you
have more time to practice
ta.lk.mg, you hear?
She turns radio down a hi t, sitting on side of sofa, rubbincr
.RADIO: O.C. SMITH "WIFE, MOTHS
him, comforting him, humming with
. .' x
radio music. Goes to bedroom to
look at the baby, maybe two years
old. Sound asleep.
;
hi '. :
;'
Returns to sofa. Kid has gone to
.. .
window, she goes to rub his head ~
he p'ulls av/ay irritably.
'
STOP ACTION"
'. '
1
i- MOMMA
. .';
-.OH, you mad at Momma now. Why
;
- you mad at Momma? Momma didr.
. ' . .
-;
hurt you. You mad at Momma?
LIA-76279
PAINT CHIPS FI IM S C RIP T - Pa. 10
Starts to pat him, kid sits on floor,
picks up paint chip, looks at Mcrnma,
puckers mouth in pout.'
MOMMA
(One hand up)
' Alright, alright. You sure man
."
, have a mean old Momma, make you
- : feel so bad. (Smile) -(No respc
Momma starts toward kitchen.
Close-up of kid fingering the
RADIO: . HAWKINS.
paint chip.
Cut tc Momma in. kitchen, fired, re
signed, starting dinner, humming
snatches of "JOY". Reaches into
cupboard absentmindedly, takes out
box of laundry starch, puts a pinch .
in her mouth STOP ACTION, then DISSOLVE TO
'
Man's hands held beneath kitchen
sink faucet, rinsing lather (check
Matthews' occupation'for dress) - '
hands reach for dishtowel from
holder (three-arm). PULL PACK to see DAD. Momma.enters kitchen with baby in arm side-sling style.
LIA-76280 *
r
lb. IDT C yjjy SCPi'PT -- Po. I.-!
DADDY - What's the matter with the boy
Essie?
MOMMA
, . .1 don't know, he's just kind c ; poor, three, four days novr.
Daddy makes a boxer's stance at the
baby, then "bites" baby's hand
'.
, DADDY
What say. Champ?
Daddy brings high chair to table.
Momma puts baby in as Daddy sits
and kid comes in to sit at table
DADDY
. . Hey, Number One Son. How's my
'
man?
`
Kid. silent.. As dinner is served
and eaten. Dad makes decision that
kid is to see a doctor, if this has
.
been going on for a few days
(questions re cold, fever, over-
;'
eating, etc. - things that parents
;
check first, finding boy has been
.~
vomiting, stomach hurts, etc.)
:
LiA-76281
PAIHT CHIPS FILM SCRIPT - Per. 12
FADE OUT OR DISSOLVE
DADDY Don't worry, son. Doc. ____ will fix you-up in no time.
Doctor's office - Doctor asking questions as he examines the hoy, probing, checking, listening, etc. Dr. is no slouch -- thorough exam. Informs Momma that it looks' like with the little stomach ache and vomiting and listlessness, kid has a bit of virus or gastroenteritis
MOMMA What's gastroenteritis. Dr.?
,'
' ' ,,.
-DOCTOR
' Well,' it's a 3.ittle inflammatic
_ - of the intestine -- not unusual
. with the constipation you say 1
.been having.-
Doctor goes on to prescribe
'
medicine, checking if there has
::
been any trouble'withantibiotics,
etc. Make the point that the Doctor .
is sincere', thorough,. patient,
LIA-76282
sympathetic, PUT STILL DID LOT
PAINT CHIPS PILM SCRIPT
13
CATCH THE POSSIBILITIES.OF LEAD POISONING, BECAUSE IT'S A "LOW- . PRESENCE" THING. Maybe mild purgative and some vitamins, etc. (check proper medication with, doctors or hospital). Momma gather 3 /lid , t akes h:Lm home / draggi:ng ba:by.
Arrive a t home , kid li es on sof looks up cl L, ce iling. Paint chi; Close-'CO of JO fl inn chip that has fallen on b-ed (sofa) - kid ;ab s e! mir.dedly fingers chip - STOP ACTION .
Meanwhile Momma has set baby on floor, and goes to kitchen. Baby
\
pulls self up to chair. Momma re turns and sees baby leaning against chair seat. Close-up of baby's mouth on chair seat, shot past the . close-up-magnified irregularities in the surface of a much-painted surface - STOP ACTION. Cut- to Momma smiling a little at the baby.
LIA-76283
PAINT CHIPS FILM SCRIPT - Pq- 14
;
maternally, then turning to hid on sofa.
He's sleeping. Momma looks relieved.
FADS OUT AND SOME SHOT OF WINDOW OR
CALENDAR, ETC. TO SHOW CHANGE OF
'
SEASON FROM WINTER TO SPRING OR SUMMER
(SUMMER BETTER) FROM NOW ON THE CLOTHES
WILL EE LIGHTER.
Each to a shot of the window, which is
now open - nc kid. Momma coming down
the street with package, as before,
but in summer clothes. Momma looks up.
Empty window. Slight concern on Momma's
face. Cut to kid on sofa, in convulsion.
Momma walking slightly faster. Baby,
sleeping in crib. Momma enters front
door.
'.
Convulsion.1
y
Momma coming in apartment, stops,
horrified.
Convulsion] STOP ACTION]
Momma grabs child, looks in on sleeping
baby, knocks frantically on neighbor's
door, tells her
LIA-76284
PAINT .CHIPS FILM SCRIPT
per. ] -i
Neighbor, in pin curlers ana house coat, or newly washed hair, hurries uo get her car keys. Meanwhile Moravia grabs two children, starts down stairs.
Shot from the window to street, of two women getting into car with bids and taking off fast;
T
Hospital - crisp, efficient and well done, sc none can say "Neil, tnat was a schlock-hospital. - now at OURS".,..-, etc. Momma comforts herself and baby during examination of kid, find plumbism, make sure, treat it soon and well.
Part of hospital bit is them telling
Momma how lead stays in body, but not telling her that the disease is likely
i i (/
/l
to reoccur in this child, and not telling \-
her to have the other child tested.
STOPSI - :i n appreprlata places.
LlA-16285
Momma and child return home, child "cured". .Momma on phone to lemdlord with orders from Health Department. (This is not a contradiction with the previous paragraph, because too often people are given orders to follow without an explanation of the WHY of these orders, and also the poor, the black, the Puerto Rican, all lost in the complexities of bureaucracy, intimidated by the petty bureaucrat. euc. minute, v/nat :ne hell do^ ill this moan?")
Landlord, sighing, "OK, OK, what will they want next?" .
Painter comes to home. Momma tells painter to scrape, like in her orders.. Painter, a little nasty, cays he's been called to paint, what the.hell's the difference, he5c very busy, and he's only following orders ~ STOP I
LIA-76286
p a in t c h ip s
TT.L:-1 777.T7 T
Per. 17
Painter painting over the old paint,
explaining it's interior paint and'the
law says there can't he more than 1%
'\ lead an enterror oair.t, snows the label
\
to Momma, who finally accepts it.
Painter starts to paint - STOP! Momma,'
resigned, starts to say more, then decides
not to
STOP: Continos
th the cry of
the baby ("How he 1s cranbv, must be the
paint small") - STOP!
'
SOUHDi AMPeimnJr, olnbl 7-i?FP.0ACk.II\G
u
At the window, Momma's distraught face, looking out anxiously. Cut to her view of ambulance pulling up, narrowly averting' crash with Father's car, as it arrives. Ail pile into door and up stairs.- Wild action as babies are taken out, both with convulsions, or one with.convulsions and one with coma. .
Hospital ' Key scene in which we see hospital is efficient,' but not looking for rxcevious
. LIA-76287
PAINT CHIPS FILM SCRIPT - Per. 13
history of lead poisoning or pica, treating for the symptom, not listening to the father, who first asks politely about lead poisoning, is put off, then he growing more insistent and referring to Urban League Show. He's "handled" by the staff, but still.steaming calls Anderson, who comes and the fight is on. Only by pressure, loudincuthing (important to show this), and threats are results -ootaineo.. iCrds a.rc bemgr treated but Anderson vows to continue this.
Anderson on phone and in offices of Housing, Health, landlord. Buildings Dept., etc., everybody ho can see -- the polite apathy, the need for a "study", and the thinly masked in-' difference-antagonism shown by bureaucrats toward the poor, the black, the non-English speaking etc.
< '
LXA-16288
PAI;\T CHIPS FILM SCRIPT - Pq. 19
Through this bring out the lack .of effective instruction to Momma, and the lack of follow-up, that the caserecord would indicate.
Hospital - the bad news. One child is dead, the other brain-damaged. Vi'ails, recrimi tiens, etc Anderson vows to check ail, including' the Housing Bureau business. K painter comes to the house, and CHIPS FIRST
Back- to house. A laying-out.. Candles,
small coffin in the room (point up the
irony that the kid finally got a iead-
-free house in' time for his funeral) v>
Relatives, friends, neighbors, Anderson.
Shots cf brain-damag'ed baby, or (if it's
too scon) have someone explain the absence, what's happened, what to expect.
SILEHT, EXCEPT FOR VOICES'OF MOuRHFRS
f
Final shot is of the.newly chipped and
painted windowsill-..
' ..'
t
-
Li A-76289
MOVE IN to show through window to sidewalk in front of house. Over the,final shot grows the legend "THIS IS THE END"'
CUT TO Anderson, sober, coning out of house, still wearing armband. Door re-opens and TWO MOURNERS enter from, house - Dr. & Mrs. _(preferably a
r black doctor working in the Lead Belt). Anderson turns to them, all giving the slight head shake that is all one can do in the face of premature death. They get into Dr. 's -car, start off. '
Inside car- - three sitting silently a while, looking cut - some views of passing neighborhood - play grounds, school, etc.,-then back to them.
CAR MOTOR, RADIO PLAYING
JACKSON 5 "I WANT YOU BACK"
AT LOW VOLUME - SOME STREET
.SOUNDS .
''
ANDERSON How do you fight this molester?
LIA-76290
PAINT CHIPS FILM SCRIPT - Per. 21
DR.'S WIFE . Child killer, you mean.
During the following cut away to <
the stop-action frames of the story
Dr. says three things, basicef.. RECOGNIZE, RUN, AND SCREAM. E-
itself, so that the appropriate
recognition of pica, possible
dialogue is matched to the "missing
clues, etc. because v/hen you s-.
clues" - or "missed clues" .
/. . real symptoms, a lot of damage
.
i: ,v' -'v
.
has already been done. This i; by parents and children, espec:
in baby-sitting situations.
. RUN - at first signs of early
\_
f* .'1 . -\ V .. .
. ... ,
clues. Don't wait around to .en
. sure - RUN for blood or urine
Z.
tests to determine amounts of lead (mention where free tests
's/ . \i *
%
;.
. -' * . ` * ' . .
available, if possible). . SCREAM - for housing, labeling
paints, enforcement of legislal
/
\ \ U ' fl and especially scream againsu \
/*
( indifference of a white midale-
V ' V' ` /JL-
^ class-oriented and probably
V racist. bureaucracy - scream fot
l\i*\.V-n \
*u
\
! .f'. ('
l'-1' ./
*
.i i[
. * iv!:'
-
teats, scream fer doctors
LIA-76291
PA I .Cl CHIPS FILM SCRIPT - Pa. 2 2
o
\.
Doctor`s car arrives at Anderson's house, \stops, he gets
i'
out, they wave, car goes off.
considering lead j.'oisoning in early diagnoses, scream against "probable lead poisoning" diagnosis by doctor or hospital scream for treatment, for props instruction after treatment, fc follow-up to that instruction, for caseflading, scream at land
/
lords, -Health Dept., Buildings Dept., scream for Urban League, he or cal Sciicol, NAACP lav, yarn, \ for the Panthers, Legal Lid SCEEnM unnl re cures arc gotoer. SCREAM DOR THE LIVES 0? THZ CHILDREN!
A thoughtful Anderson enters his' house, camera follows him into house. He removes jacket, takes death announcement from pocket, looks at it, puts it on mail table, looks no.
OPENING VAMP OF "PAINT CHIPS" FADES UP TO LOW. THE SONG OR
PART OF IT WILL PLAY UNDER THE
LIA-76292
PAINT CHIPS F.iJ.N SCNT.-'C
Per. 23
,oox3 oiz, as though thinking
FOLLOWING, ADDING LYRIC AFTER ."LAST LINE OF DIALOGUE, PAID PLAT
THROUGH A SLOW FADE ENDING SEQUENCE.
ANDERSON It's not a pretty story. No 'happy ending - yet. This tire ' the killer escaped. No one saw the clues till it we.s too 1 Did yon see them? Have you seethem in your house? In your neighborhood? '
. (Into a more capsuled reviev.g
: C
stressing RECOGNIZE, RUN, SCREA
Remember, to support this kilie all you have to do is --- nothi:: .Fight this killer, for the children. Protect them as tkov they were your ov/n. They are.
LIA-76293
PAINT CHIPS FILM SCRIPT
Pa. 24
Shots of the apartment with paint/
etc./ as in the opening sequence,
but intercut periodically with
inserts of the small coffin, the
hospital, the coma, the brain
damaged child, baby lying in crib,
etc. -- all during a slow
FADE OUT.
MUSIC RISES IN VOLUME, LYRICS ARE HEARD FROM "WHY, LORD, WHY' then cut to "ME AND MARY ..." THROUGH THE PLAY OUT DURING THE SLOW FADE
LIA-76294
LIA-76295