Mulholland Dr.

EXT. LAX AIRPORT

The girl and the old lady exit the terminal with their bags.
An older gentleman has joined the old lady. They stop at the
taxicab stand. The old lady takes the blonde girl's hand.

OLD LADY
It's time to say goodbye, Betty. It's
been so nice travelling with you.

BETTY
Thank you, Irene. I was so excited and
nervous. It was sure great to have you
to talk to.

IRENE
Now, remember I'll be watching for you on
the big screen.

BETTY
(smiling)
Okay Irene. Won't that be the day.

IRENE
The best of luck to you, Betty. Take
care of yourself and be careful.

BETTY
Okay I will. Thanks again.

Betty and Irene give each other a hug. The old gentleman nods
to Betty and takes Irene off. Betty smiles after them.
Suddenly someone is grabbing her bags. She turns abruptly to
find she is next in line and her cab is waiting. She turns
once more and waves at Irene as her bags are loaded into the
trunk of the cab.

CAB DRIVER
Where to?

BETTY
(smiling excitedly)
1612 Havenhurst.

CAB DRIVER
Got it!

They get into the cab and close their doors. The cab pulls
away.

CUT TO:

EXT. STREETS - LOS ANGELES - DAY

Betty goes from the right side of the cab to the left side of
the cab looking at every building, tree and sign. Each street
sign seems to be magical to her and she says the names to
herself as they pass by. She sees La Tijera, La Cienega,
Venice Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, Olympic Boulevard, Wilshire
Boulevard, etc., etc. until they reach Fountain and turn
right. Betty's heart is pounding when she sees Havenhurst
and the cab turns left. In the middle of the block on the
right the cab pulls over and stops. Betty sees her new
home ... an ancient, gorgeous courtyard apartment building,
built during the golden age of cinema.

CUT TO:

EXT. 1612 HAVENHURST

The cab driver puts Betty's bags down on the sidewalk next to
her. She can barely stop looking at the building long enough
to pay the cab driver who then goes off and drives away.
Betty picks up her bags and enters, as if in a dream, through
an ornate iron gate to a courtyard with a beautiful working
fountain at its center. A sign on a door to her right reads
Manager and she rings the bell.

An older, once very beautiful, woman wearing heavy make-up
and smoking a cigarette in a silver holder opens the door.
An unbelievable raspy voice comes out through the dark screen
of the still closed screen door.

MANAGER
Hi there...ten bucks says you're Betty.

BETTY
I am, Mrs. Lanois. It is Mrs. Lanois
isn't it?

MRS. LANOIS
In all my living glory, baby.

BETTY
Pleased to meet you.

MRS. LANOIS
You can call me Coco ... everybody does.
Stay there, I'll get the key.

BETTY
Okay, Coco.

Coco returns with the key and opens the screen door inhaling
a huge drag off her cigarette. She starts off into the
courtyard and Betty picks up her bags and follows. As Coco
speaks smoke comes out of her with every word.

COCO
I guess it was your grandfather, was
it ... he called me to check in, said you
were on your way and for you to call when
you get in. Nice man... farmer I hear.

BETTY
Yes, he is. He raises corn.

COCO
Damn lot of corn raised in Hollywood
these days too.

BETTY
Well, I ...

COCO
You don't have to tell me. It's written
all over that pretty face of yours.. You
came here to be an actress. I just hope
you'll remember there's never been a
great poem called "tits and ass."

BETTY
I...

COCO
You probably don't remember her, but
Louise Bonner lives right over there in
number 29. When she isn't drunk she runs
a damn good acting class.

BETTY
Have many famous actors and actresses
lived here? I was meaning to ask you
that.

COCO
Honey, all the great ones came through
here at one time or another.

A haunting music begins to swell.

COCO (cont'd)

People say in the springtime when the
wind blows the smell of the jasmine you
can still feel the presence of everyone
of them.

BETTY
I guess I've come to quite a place.

COCO
Sweetheart, you don't know the half of
it.

The music fades.

Coco looks down suddenly. On the cobblestone courtyard in
front of her she sees a fresh product of waste from a dog.
She angrily turns up to an apartment on the second level.

COCO (cont'd)
(yelling up)
WILKINS! ... (no answer) ... THAT DOG CRAPS
ONCE MORE OUT HERE AND I'LL BAKE HIS
BUTT FOR BREAKFAST!!

Coco turns back to Betty.

COCO (cont'd)
You don't have pets do you?

BETTY
No, I don't.

COCO
That's good. They're allowed, but I
don't like 'em...for obvious reasons.
One man used to live here that had a
prize fighting kangaroo. You wouldn't
believe what that kangaroo did to this
courtyard ... let's see your Aunt's
apartment ... it's a good one.