THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTYscreenplay adaption byRichard LaGraveneseMARCH 24, 1994, FIRST DRAFT
Our story begins in 1965, on a hot afternoon in August.
FADE INEXT. IOWA LANDSCAPE - DAYRolling green hills, lush farmland, vast open space. Not ahouse or sign of life in sight. On a long dusty road, a TRUCKis driving across the screen. Clouds of dirt follow in itstracks -- its motor, the only sound we hear.
INT. TRUCK - DAYFRANCESCA JOHNSON is sitting in the front seat of the pick-uptruck. Her expression is distant. Her eyes are sad, as ifhiding a burden she can hardly bear. Her husband, RICHARDJOHNSON, is driving.
RICHARDYou feeling better Franny
FRANCESCAYes. I'm fine. It's just this heat Ithink.
He nods, satisfied. He turns on the radio as the VOICE OFDINAH WASHINGTON sings a bluesy, haunting love song, "I'LLCLOSE MY EYES."DINAH WASHINGTON(SINGS)"I'LL CLOSE MY EYES... TO EVERYONEBUT YOU... AND WHEN I DO... I'LL SEEYOU STANDING THERE..."(CONTINUES)RICHARD(surprised)What station is this
FRANCESCAIt's a Chicago station. I found itthe other day.
RICHARDKinda pretty. Is this uh... jazzkinda singing
FRANCESCA(nicely)I don't know. Can we turn it off? Ihave such a headache.
RICHARDSure.
Richard shuts it off. Francesca turns her face away from himto look out at the vast expanse out of the countryside.
EXT. JOHNSON HOUSE - DAYThe truck stops in front of an isolated FARM HOUSE. A woodengate stands twenty yards from the front door. A barn and ahot house sits on either side, surrounded by acres and acresof beautiful pasture.
CAROLYN JOHNSON, a sixteen-year-old girl, steps out from thevegetable garden with an arm full of vegetable. She watchesher parents exit the truck.
Francesca carries her groceries, walking briskly through thefront gate and entering the house.
Richard grabs a bag of feed from the flatbed and strolls moreleisurely. When he walks through the front gate, he noticessomething on the ground and picks it up. It is a BUTTON withRED NATURAL surrounding it. As if it had been torn from apiece of clothing. His daughter approaches him.
RICHARDYour mother isn't feel well. I wantyou to help her out tonight withdinner.
she nods)Tell Michael to put this feed away.
He puts the feed bag down. She exits. He enters the house.
INT. FRONT HALL - DAYRichard enters the front hall opposite the stairs to thesecond floor. To his left is the living room. To his right,through an archway is the kitchen. He moves towards the stairwhen he suddenly hears the kitchen radio turned on and "I'LLCLOSE MY EYES" continues. It puzzles him. He looks to thekitchen. Francesca is obviously there but we can't see her.
He is about to call to her when his son, Michael, yells
MICHAEL (O.S.)Dad! You bought the wrong feed
RICHARD(irritated)What
He exits through the house to the back door.
INT. KITCHEN - LATERThe family-- Francesca, Richard, Carolyn and their seventeen-year-old son MICHAEL -- are eating supper. No one speaks.
FRANCESCASo what are you going to do with theprize money
CAROLYNI don't know. I might save up for oneof those hi-fi stereo players likePeggy has.
Francesca nods. Silence again. She asks her son
FRANCESCAAre you seeing Betty tonight
MICHAEL(eating)Nah.
Silence. She is used to her son's one syllable answers.
RICHARDOh! Frannie, is this yours
He places the button with red material on the table. Hidingher surprise, Francesca takes the button.
FRANCESCAYou found it! I got my dress caughton that damn gate. You must have eyeslike a hawk.
FRANCESCA (cont'd)You must all be tired. You got homeso early. What time did you leaveIllinos this morning
RICHARD'Bout 4:30.
FRANCESCAWell you should all go to bed early.
I'll do the cleaning up.
This last remark she addresses to her daughter. Everyonereturns to their silent eating.
INT. JOHNSON HOUSE - NIGHTThe house is asleep and dark except for a bright light comingfrom the kitchen. Carolyn quietly exits her bedroom in hernightclothes. She was awakened by noises coming from thekitchen downstairs.
INT. KITCHEN -She enters to find the lights are on. An empty cake pan anda half-used bowl of frosting sitting unwashed in the sink.
She hears the motor of the truck being turned on. She movesto the front hall and looks out through the door to see
The truck driving away. She calls out
CAROLYNMom
But she gets no response. She stands there wondering whereher mother could possibly being going this time of night, aswe -DISSOLVE TO
THIRTY YEARS LATER - SAME LOCATIONCarolyn, thirty years older, stands in the same doorway ofthe same house thinking back to that evening her mother actedso strangely.
A LAWYER is unpacking a briefcase in the living room off thefront entrance.
Carolyn sees a car with Florida plates driving up to thehouse. She smiles.