funny how it's actually Fresh Air

Sherman Alexie’s Screenplay for the movie Smoke Signals

I shall attest the fact that my humanities class did something for me.


We HEAR the last few moments of an instrumental synthesized disco dance song and the first few words of a female disc jockey.

FEMALE DISK JOCKEY
[V.O.]
Good morning to all you insomniac disco lovers out there. It’s 2:45 a.m. on a hot Bicentennial Fourth of July in 1976. I hope you’re all curled up with a patriotic lover. I’m sending this next song out to all of you. And just remember, sweethearts, when you get that disco fever, it burns.

* FADE IN:
1 * EXT. HOUSE–NIGHT

We are looking into a pitch-dark room through an open doorway.
We can see only shadows of shadows.
But then a flicker of flames, just a spark, and then the fire begins to grow.
As the flames grow, CAMERA PULLS AWAY and reveals more and more of the house.

2 * EXT. DIRT ROAD–NIGHT

CLOSE ANGLE ON ARNOLD JOSEPH, a large Coeur d’Alene Indian man in his thirties.
He is watching the house burn.
His face is illuminated by flames.
He is silent and still for a moment, then makes his decision and runs toward the burning house.

3 * EXT. DIRT ROAD–NIGHT

CAMERA FOLLOWS Arnold Joseph as he is running down a dirt road toward the house that is now engulfed by flames.
We also SEE for the first time other INDIANS stumbling around the burning house.
They are coughing, crying, and screaming.

4 * EXT. BURNING HOUSE–NIGHT

Arnold runs up to the burning house.
INDIANS are stumbling around the house.
They are coughing and gagging from the smoke.
Arnold stops a COUGHING INDIAN MAN.

ARNOLD JOSEPH
Where’s Arlene? Where’s Arlene? Where’s my wife?

The coughing Indian man cannot speak. He shakes his head and runs away.
ANGLE ON Arnold trying to get in the front door, but the flames and smoke drive him back.
ARLENE JOSEPH is carrying the BABY VICTOR JOSEPH, just a few months old, in her arms when she stumbles up to Arnold.
She had already exited the house.

ARNOLD JOSEPH
Arlene, are you okay? Are you okay?

ARLENE JOSEPH
There are people still in there!

We hear a scream coming from inside the house.
There is no way Arnold can makes it into the house.
ANGLE ON Arnold Joseph as he runs around the house looking for a way to get inside.
ARNOLD’S POV on a pair of hands banging outside a second-story window.
The hands hold a baby.
The baby is quiet.
The hands thrust the baby upward into the sky.
The baby is BABY THOMAS BUILDS-THE-FIRE, also just a few months old.
Baby Thomas, wrapped in a blanket, is drifting freely upward toward the night stars…
Arnold Joseph looks up, his eyes widen, his mouth falls open…
Arnold runs across the we grass, slipping and sliding…
Arnold running, his hands outstretched as if he were trying to catch a football.
Baby Thomas falling, blanket on fine now, with the burning house behind him.
The crowd of Indians, there heads turning to follow Arnold’s race to catch Baby Thomas…
Arnold diving to make the catch…
Baby Thomas hits Arnold’s hands and falls through…
The crowd of Indians staring with flames dancing on their faces…
Arnold stars down at Baby Thomas…
ARNOLD’S POV down on Baby Thomas, who is oddly conscious and still staring back at Arnold.

5 * INT. BURNING HOUSE–NIGHT

CLOSE ANGLE ON the radio as the flames engulf it.
We HEAR the music crackle and fade out under the weight and heat of the flames.

6 * EXT. BURNING HOUSE–MORNING

The house has burned down to it’s frame.
Arnold and Arlene Joseph are standing beside each other.
Arnold still holds Baby Thomas.
Arlene holds Baby Victor.