The Butcher
Script
Scene One
(A garden in a hospital. A crippled old man
who is sitting on a wheelchair is sleeping. A nurse wakes the old man.)
NURSE (sympathetic) How
are you this morning, Charlie ?
OLD CHARLIE (coughing)
I'm very ill, you stupid girl. That's why I'm in hospital.
NURSE Haven't you slept well
?
OLD CHARLIE No, I haven't. I
have had a nightmare.
NURSE What did you dream of
?
OLD CHARLIE My memories are
killing me.
NURSE What memories do you mean
?
OLD CHARLIE (thinking)
I'm a very little boy. Home is a butcher's. My father is a butcher. He's
cutting meat. (sound of knife and melting with scene 2)
Scene Two
(A butcher's. Charlie's father and mother
are working. Sound of knife)
OLD CHARLIE'S VOICE My mother
is taking some meat into the freezer. She's singing a song.
MOTHER (singing) My bonie
is over the ocean, My bonie is over the sea, My bonie is over the ocean,
so bring back my bonie to me.
FATHER Why are you so happy
? Who's your bonie ?
MOTHER It's not your business.
FATHER Of course it's my business
! You are MY wife !
MOTHER (laughing) I know
I am your wife and I don't like it !
FATHER (angry, shouting)
Don't make me mad! Why did you marry me?. Don't you know I'm a very dangerous
man?
MOTHER See how scared I am!
Do you know something ? This evening I'm going out with him.
FATHER (mad) Stop it ! You
are going too far !
MOTHER (daring) You don't
know how far I can go, but you'll learn.
FATHER My wife isn't going anywhere
with another man.
MOTHER I' ll do what I want
! (She throws a loaf of meat at him)
FATHER (He takes the meat off his
face and throws the knife at his wife) Die, you fucking bitch ! (He
stops to think and realises what he has done) What have I done !!
OLD CHARLIE'S VOICE I remember
I like it. My father kills my mother and I like it. I don't understand,
but I like it. I want to be my father.
Scene Three
(A butcher's shop. Charlie is cutting meat.
His wife is taking some meat into the freezer. The assistant is sitting
on a chair and she is eating a sandwich. A salesman is taking boxes of
meat into the shop. The butcher's son is trying to help.)
SALESMAN Where can I put this
?
SON Can I help you ?
CHARLIE Go home and do your
homework. We are working here.
WIFE Let the boy be.
CHARLIE Don't defend him You
are spoiling him. If he always does what he likes, he will become a bad
boy. He never does his homework.
SON That's a lie ! I ALWAYS
do my homework, because I'm a very clever boy. Not like you, a common butcher.
SALESMAN Do you know something,
Charlie ? If my son speaks to me like that, I kill him, for real.
WIFE Stop that crap ! Go and
kill your children, and let my son be.
ASSISTANT (chewing) My
father often speaks to me like that but he never kills me, so don't worry.
WIFE Who do you think you are
? Finish your sandwich and go back to work. That's why we pay you.
SALESMAN What do you want for
next week, Charlie ?
CHARLIE I want the same as usual:
Some pork and half a cow.
WIFE And don't forget the chicken.
SON Mom, I'm going home because
I'm getting bored.
WIFE Ok, go home but remember
to do your homework. Wait ! I'm coming with you.(to Charlie) Don't
be late (Son and Mother go.)
ASSISTANT (Assistant comes
back) Are you alone ?
SALESMAN (coughing) I'm
going, too, bye !
CHARLIE Ok, bye, David, see
you next week ! (to assistant) Don't be silly. They will find out
!
ASSISTANT (sexy, unbuttoning
her gown) Are you taking me home ? Don't you want to be with me ?
CHARLIE Of course I want, but
my wife is waiting for me.
ASSISTANT Can you come this
evening ?
CHARLIE Sure I can. I like the
idea...(pause) But my wife will ask questions.
ASSISTANT You can lie.
CHARLIE I'll do anything for
you. (They embrace and hold hands)
(They come appart when Customer 1 comes
in.)
CUSTOMER 1 Good afternoon. Can
I have some hamburgers ?
CHARLIE We are closing now !
ASSISTANT It's time to go home
CUSTOMER 1 Please, please, my
wife is pregnant and she has a whim.
ASSISTANT I don't care if your
wife is pregnant or not, but it's time to close.
CHARLIE (to assistant)
You can go home. I'll make the hamburgers myself. (The assistant goes)
CUSTOMER 1 I see your wife is
NOT in the shop.
CHARLIE That's none of your
business.
CUSTOMER 1 The new girl is very
beautiful, and YOUNG !
CHARLIE What do you mean ?
CUSTOMER 1 Do you know something,
Charlie ? I've got eyes ! I can see what's happening.
CHARLIE You have already seen
a lot ! You don't need your eyes anymore. (He rushes over the customer
and takes out his eyes. The customer falls on the floor and starts to scream.)
CUSTOMER 1 (screaming)
I can't see ! I can't see a shit !
CHARLIE (Bending to kill
him.) But you still can speak, and you make too much noise !
(Suddenly, the butcher's father's voice
is heard)
FATHER'S VOICE Charlie, you
are a very good son. Your father is happy. (Charlie looks up in amazement)
Scene Four
(Charlie's taking the victim's corpse into
the freezer. Customer 1, an old woman, comes in.)
C2 Good afternoon, Charlie.
How's your wife ?
CHARLIE I'm sorry Mrs Moore,
but I'm closing the shop.
C2 No thanks, I don't want no
lamb chops ! I only came to see your wife.
CHARLIE Come another day then
because she isn't here now.
C2 No, I don't like cow, thank
you. I'd like to talk to your wife.
CHARLIE (Shouting) My
wife is not here. Are you deaf ?
C2 No, I'm not going to bed
yet. Why are you shouting at me ? I'm just a poor old woman.
Charlie (Shouting again)
You are a pain in the arse ! That's what you are !!
C2 I'll tell your wife you called
me a horse !
CHARLIE I hate poor old women
! (Charlie strangles her. The old woman tries to scream)
CHARLIE I'll make hamburgers
with your meat.
C2 (For just a moment, the
woman can say a few words) I don't like hamburgers. (She dies)
CHARLIE'S FATHER'S VOICE You
are better than me now.
(The assistant comes back)
ASSISTANT (Scared) What
is this, Charlie ? What's happened ?
CHARLIE (Looking at his hands,
covered in blood) I don't know. I wasn't conscious. I killed two people.
I went mad. He knew about us.
ASSISTANT And what did the old
woman do ?
CHARLIE I don't know very well.
She made me nervous, and I went mad again! I strangled her with my own
hands.
ASSISTANT What are you going
to do ?
CHARLIE What do you mean by
YOU ? You are part of this too !
ASSISTANT Me? I didn't do anything
! YOU killed them.
CHARLIE (Menacing) If
you love me, you must help me.
Assistant (Scared) Ok...
What can I do ?
CHARLIE We cut their bodies
and make first class hamburgers. Later, we sell them, so nobody knows where
they are.
ASSISTANT But I hate blood !
CHARLIE (With a mad expression
on his face) Would you like to be a hamburger ?
ASSISTANT (Scared) Ok,
I'll help you.
Scene Five
(Charlie's home. His son is playing on the
computer. Charlie's wife comes in.)
WIFE Please, stop playing on
the computer and do your homework.
SON Wait a moment, mom. I'm
finishing right now.
WIFE Y don't want to wait a
moment. Finish now.
SON Daddy always lets me play
on the computer for as long as I like.
WIFE But I am not your father,
so finish now, please !
SON Why isn't daddy home yet
? It's very late !
WIFE Don't change the subject
and stop playing !
(The bell rings)
SON That must be daddy. This
means I can play a little longer.
(Wife goes)
Scene Six
(At the flat door. Charlie's wife opens the
door. Salesman appears.)
WIFE (surprised and annoyed)
Oh, I thought it was my husband.
SALESMAN Excuse me, Ma'm, but
it's just him I wanted to talk about.
WIFE (upset) Don't tell
me he had an accident ! Did he cut his finger ?
SALESMAN Don't worry about your
husband, Ma'm ! He's all right. It's you I'm worried about !
WIFE Me ? Why me ?
SALESMAN It's your husband,
you know...!(pause)
WIFE Will you please make up
your mind ? WHO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT !??
SALESMAN If you let me speak,
you'll know,
WIFE Speak then. I'm wasting
my precious time.
SALESMAN (After a silence)
Ok, I'll be quick. Your husband has an affair with his assistant.
WIFE Are you crazy ? Why are
you telling me that ? How do you know ?
SALESMAN Because I saw them
in the shop. They were kissing.
WIFE That's impossible ! He
would never do it.
SALESMAN I swear.
WIFE Now you said what you wanted
to say. Good evening.
(She closes the door and leans on it, thinking)
Scene Seven
(Customer 5, a pregnant woman, on the phone.)
C5 Hello, is it the police ?
(silence) Could I report a missing husband ? (silence) He
went out five hours ago.(silence) He went to the butcher's for some
hamburgers.(silence) It's just down here in our street. (silence)
I saw him go into the shop, but I didn't see him go out. (silence)
From the window.
Scene Eight
(At the police station, two officers are
sitting at their desks. One is speaking on the phone, and the other is
chewing gum.)
O1 (on the phone) And
you say he didn't go out ?
(silence) Is there another way out, back
door, perhaps ? (silence) Don't worry ma'm, we'll have a look. (He
hangs the receiver)
O2 Who was it ? Another woman
who lost her husband ?
O1 Bingo ! You are a very clever
boy.
O2 Do you want to go now ?
O1 Let's go and have a hamburger.
O2 A hamburger ? You don't like
hamburgers.
O1 It's because we're going
to a butcher's.
O2 Is the husband a hamburger
?
O1 Ha, ha, ha ! You are very
funny. (He looks at his watch) I think it's very late already !
We'll do it tomorrow.
Scene Nine
(The butcher's early in the moring. C4 is
coming in.Charlie is talking to the assistant.)
ASSISTANT What time did you
get home ?
CHARLIE When the bar closed.
I had some beers.
ASSISTANT Did your wife say
anything ?
CHARLIE She was sleeping already.
ASSISTANT Shh ! Shut up ! A
customer is coming in.
C4 Good morning, Charlie, how
are you ?
CHARLIE What do you want ?
C4 I just tried to be nice.
CHARLIE Be nice to your mother
!
C4 I'll fucking piss on your
darn father !
ASSISTANT Please, don't fight
! Stop it !
CHARLIE (Pushing the assistant
away.) I'll cut you in slices, and I'll make steaks !
C4 You'll kiss my arse !
CHARLIE (Rushing over him,
knife in hand) I'm sure you'll like it !
(Camera focuses on assistant's face.
She's screaming.)
ASSISTANT Don't do it !
Scene Ten*
(C3 is looking through the shop window from
outside. Suddenly he screams and starts running.)
Scene Eleven*
(Officer 1 and Offficer 2 are walking in
the street, and see C3 running. They stop him.)
O1 What are you doing ? What's
wrong ?
C3 (Stuttering) I just
saw a murder !
O2 (Showing his badge)
We are police officers. Show us the way.
C3 It's at the butcher's. He
killed a customer. I just passed by and saw it all !
(Suddenly, C5 appears)
C5 Are you police officers ?
Did you find my husband ?
O1 If this guy is right, your
husband is minced meat now.
C5 Oh, my poor dear John. I
can't believe it ! (She starts to cry)
O2 Don't wory, we'll catch the
bastard.
C3 Come on, hurry up. He'll
kill somebody else !
Scene Twelve
(The butcher's Charlie's. wife and son just
came in.)
WIFE What's this pool of blood
? What did you do ?
SON How exciting ! A murder
! And my daddy is the murderer. Nobody will bully me at school. I'll be
popular.
CHARLIE Will you shut up, please
? (Mad) Or I'll make hamburgers with you all !
ASSISTANT It wasn't him! It
wasn't him! It was an accident !
SON Com on, don't say stupid
things. Nobody will believe it ! He's all covered in blood !
(The police come in)
O1 (Aiming at Charlie with
a gun) Don't move ! Freeze ! I'll shoot you if you move a finger !
O2 Where are the corpses ?
CHARLIE Ok, I give in, but I
made hamburgers with them.
C3 Ugh! And I wanted to buy
hamburgers !
SON Oh, now I understand why
they were so delicious.
WIFE You are right, they had
a different taste.
(The police officers handcuff Charlie)
O1 Now you can't eat anymore
hamburgers like these. I'll take him to prison.
ASSISTANT Please, don't take
him away ! I love you Charlie !
WIFE So that was true ! You
deserve it !
* Cut out from completed film because of lack
of time.
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