Rushmore (1998)

INT. CLASSROOM DAY

A private day school. Twenty 10th grade boys are sitting in
desks in geometry class. They are dressed in school uniform,
light blue shirts and khakis. The boys look dazed and
sleepy.

The teacher, MR. ADAMS, is at the front of the room,
finishing a complicated equation on the chalkboard.

MR. ADAMS
Except when the value of the x coordinate is less than or
equal to the value of the -- Yes, Isaac?

A boy named ISAAC has raised his hand

ISAAC
What about that problem?

Isaac points to a startling and intricate arrangement of
huge numbers and strange symbols filling up a forgotten
corner of the chalkboard. The heading above it says Extra
Credit.

MR. ADAMS
Oh, I really just put that up there as a joke. That's
probably the hardest geometry problem in the world.

ISAAC
How much extra credit is it worth?

MR. ADAMS
Well, I've never seen anyone get it right before, including
my mentor, Dr. Leaky at MIT. So I guess if anyone here can
do it,
(pause)I'd see to it that none of you ever have to open
another math book again for the rest of your lives.

There is some quite murmuring. The name Fischer is repeated
over and over. The boys begin to look to a student in the
back row.

Unlike his classmates, he wears the Rushmore school blazer
with insignia on the breast pocket and a Rushmore rep tie
knotted tightly. His hair is smartly parted and swept back.
He is extremely skinny and pale. He is MAX FISCHER.

Max has a cup of coffee on his desk and he is reading the
Wall Street Journal.

MR. ADAMS
Max ? You want to try it ?

Max looks up.

MAX
I'm sorry. Did someone say my name?

Everyone laughs. Max smiles slightly. He buttons his blazer
and straightens his tie. He picks up his cup of coffee and
takes a sip. He goes to the chalkboard and sets to work.

The boys watch with nervous anticipation. Mr. Adams compares
Max's progress with e notes in his book. Max's equations
quickly fills up most of the chalkboard. He finishes it with
a flourish, throws his piece of chalk in the trash, and
turns to face the
class.

Everyone looks to Mr. Adams. Mr. Adams raises an eyebrow. He
nods.

The classroom erupts into wild, ecstatic applause. Everyone
surrounds Max, cheering, as he walks calmly back to his
desk. They hoist him into the air.

CUT TO:

Max with his eyes closed, smiling serenely, listening to the
applause. He mutters:

MAX
Gentlemen, gentlemen, please.

A little hand grabs Max's arm and shakes him. Max opens his
eyes. The person shaking him is his chapel partner, DIRK
CALLOWAY, a fourth grader with neatly white hair. Max looks
around.

They are in chapel, surrounded by rows of boys in school
uniforms. Dirk puts his finger to his lips.

DIRK
Shh.

Max rubs his eyes and sits up in the pew. The applause dies
down and Max looks to the pulpit as the guest chapel
speaker, HERMAN BLUME, steps up to the microphone.

Mr. Blume is a tough looking guy about fifty years old in a
black suit. He begins his chapel speech.

MR. BLUME
You guys have it real easy. I never had it like this where I
grew up. But I send my kids here. Because, the fact is,
whether you deserve it or not: you go to one of the best
schools in the country.

Max's eyes light's up.

MR. BLUME
Rushmore. You lucked out.

Max leans forward to the railing and begins to listen
intently.

MR. BLUME
Now, for some of you it doesn't matter. You were born rich,
and you're going to stay rich. But here's my advice to the
rest of you: take dead aim on the rich boys. Get them in the
crosshairs. And take them down.

Some of the students and faculty begin to look at each other
with puzzled expressions. Max is nodding and taking notes on
the flypage of a hymnal.

INSERT HYMNAL:

Rushmore -- best school in country.
rich kids -- bad?

MR. BLUME
Just remember: they can buy anything. But they can't buy
backbone. Don't let them forget that. Thank you.

Mr. Blume leaves the podium. Max leaps to his feet and leads
the applause. The organ starts and everyone stands up.

EXT. QUADRANGLE DAY

Mr. Blume and the headmaster, DR. GUGGENHEIM, come out of
the chapel among the throng of students.

Dr. Guggenheim wears a wool coat and smokes a pipe. He is
very dashing with silver hair and a warmly patronizing
manner. He walks with his hands clasped behind his back.

Two Jack Russell terriers follow quickly at his heels.

DR. GUGGENHEIN
Are you free for graduation, Herman? Maybe you could give us
an encore. (whistles to the dogs) Nicholas! Copernicus!

MR. BLUME
(lighting a cigarette)
I don't give a shit. I paid for the whole damn natatorium.
The least these little pricks can do is hear me out.

MAX
Mr. Blume.

Max has appeared beside them. Dirk tags along behind him.

MAX
My name's Max Fischer. I just wanted to tell you, I strongly
agree with your views concerning Rushmore.

MR. BLUME
You don't say. Tell me something. How long have you gone
here?

MAX
Ten years.

MR. BLUME
Then you've been living in a dreamworld for ten years.

MAX
I know it, sir.

Max smiles broadly. They each notice that their haircuts are
identical, neatly parted on the side.

MAX
Your speech was excellent. Except I disagree with your ideas
about rich kids. Because. After all, we don't choose who our
fathers are. But that's really my only criticism.

MR. BLUME
(hesitates) Thank you.

Mr. Blume looks at Dirk staring up at him. Dirk says softly:

DIRK
Hello.

MAX
This is my chapel partner, Dirk Calloway.

MR. BLUME
(shakes Dirk's hand) Nice to meet you, Dirk.

MAX
Thank you for coming today, sir.

Max shakes Mr. Blume's hand. Mr. Blume smiles. But Max
doesn't go. He just stands there. Searching for the words.

MAX
I really. I think it is. You're right about Rushmore. Look
around. It truly is a great school.

Mr. Blume nods. A little uneasy.

MAX
Anyway, nice to have met you.

Max goes. Mr. Blume and Dr. Guggenheim watch him walk away
with Dirk.

MR. BLUME
What's his name again?

DR. GUGGENHEIM
Max Fischer.

MR. BLUME
He's a sharp little guy.

Dr. Guggenheim looks across the lawn at Max and his chapel
partner. He says wistfully:

DR. GUGGENHEIM
He's one of the worst students we've got.

INSERT COVER OF THE RUSHMORE YEARBOOK:

It is called the Rushmore Yankee. The masthead says Max is
editor-in-chief. There is a photograph of him laughing,
surrounded by his staff.

We cut to a series of pictures of:

The French Club, Debate Team, lacrosse, golf, drama,
Astronomy Society, Glee Club, student council, Model United
Nations, Stamp & Coin Club, Gun Club, Bombardment Society,
calligraphy, fencing kung fu, beekeeping, and J.V. water
polo.

Max is president or captain of virtually every one of these.

Other photographs show Max pole-vaulting, dancing at the
Christmas ball, and giving a thumbs up from the cockpit of a
Piper Club.

TITLE:
September

INT. DR. GUGGENHEIM'S OFFICE DAY

A paneled room with wooden floors, an old electric fan in
the windowsill, and paintings of ducks and geese on the
walls. Dr. Guggenheim is seated at his little oak desk. Max
sits across from him and in an antique leather armchair.

DR. GUGGENHEIM
We're putting you on what we call sudden death academic
probation.

MAX
(pause) And what does that entail ?

DR. GUGGENHEIM
It entails that if you fail another class, you are going to
be asked to leave Rushmore.

MAX
I see.
(raises an eyebrow)
In other words, I'll be expelled.

DR. GUGGENHEIM
Right.

Silence.

MAX
Dr. Guggenheim. I don't want to tell you how to do your job.
But the fact is no matter how hard I try, I still might
flunk another class. And if that means I have to stay on for
a post-graduate year, then so be it. But if --

DR. GUGGENHEIM
We don't offer a postgraduate year.

MAX
Well. We don't offer it yet.
(pause)
And what about the fact that I'm probably dyslexic?

DR. GUGGENHEIM
You're not dyslexic.

MAX
Well, I'm a terrible speller.

DR. GUGGENHEIM
Just bring up the grades.

Max sighs. He looks out the window and says quietly:

MAX
Do you remember how I got into this school?

DR. GUGGENHEIM
Yeah, I do. You wrote a play.

MAX
That's right. A little one act. And my mother read it and
felt I should go to Rushmore. And you read it, and you gave
me a scholarship, didn't you ?

Dr. Guggenheim nods.

MAX
Do you regret it?

DR. GUGGENHEIM
No, I don't regret it. But I still might have to expel you.

Max nods. He smiles sadly and whispers:

MAX
Couldn't we just let me float by? For old times' sake?

DR. GUGGENHEIM
(grimly) Can't do it, Max.

EXT. QUADRANGLE. DAY

Max and Dirk come out the door into the cold. They head
across the grass.

MAX
They want to kick me out, Dirk.

DIRK
(concerned) Oh, no. Not again. What are you going to do?

MAX
The only thing I can do. Try and pull some strings with the
administration, I guess.

DIRK
(pause)
Maybe you ought to get a tutor.

MAX
I don't have time for a goddamn tutor. You know my schedule.

INSERT SIGN WRITTEN IN CALLIGRAPHY:

BACKGAMMON CLUB.
Founder: Max Fischer.

INT. LIBRARY DAY

A long table in the Rushmore library. Max is reading a
library copy of a book about Jacques Cousteau. He is also
playing backgammon with a freshman named ALEX.

ALEX
Did you hear they're teaching Japanese next year?

MAX
That's the rumor.

ALEX
And they're canceling Latin.

MAX
What? I tried to get Latin canceled for five years. "It's a
dead language," I'd always say.

ALEX
Well, I guess they finally heard you.

Max shakes his head as this sinks in.

MAX
At least I saved Dirk from the horror.

Max turns the page of his book. There is a little note
written in the margin in pencil with an arrow pointing to
the text. Max frowns. He turns the book sideways to read it.

INSERT FRAGMENT OF NOTE IN BOOK:

which reminds me of a quote from Henry James: Try to be one
of the people whom nothing is lost.

Max's frown disappears. A change comes over his face. His
eyes glaze over dreamily. He looks to Alex.

MAX
Who's Henry James?

ALEX
I don't know.

Max looks back at the book. He studies the quote. He gets up
and goes to the check-out counter. He shows the book to the
LIBRARIAN.

MAX
What does this mean?

The librarian reads the Henry James quote.

LIBRARIAN
It means try to be worldly.

MAX
You mean like smart.

LIBRARIAN
More or less. Yeah.

MAX
I'd like to see a list of all the people who've checked out
this book in the past year.

The librarian goes through the cards in a little wooden box.

INSERT SCRAP OF PAPER:

Miss. Cross, 1st grade, room 121

INT. HALLWAY. DAY

Max walks down a hallway in the lower school. He is carrying
the little scrap of paper, checking room numbers as he
walks.

He looks in some of the rooms. He sees kids sitting at
tables with scissors and paste. Kids watching a movie on
science. Kids curled up on mats during naptime.

And then he sees room 121. He goes up to the door and looks
through the window.

A class of first graders is sitting Indian-style in a little
circle on the floor. The teacher is in a tiny little kids'
chair, reading aloud from Kidnapped. She is twenty-eight.
She wears a cardigan sweater and her hair pulled back like a
ballet dancer. She is MISS CROSS.

Max's eyes are glued to the glass. He cracks open the door
an inch to listen to her voice.

MISS CROSS
I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both; and
I believe they both get paid in the end.
(darkly:)
But the fools first.

She looks up mysteriously. She turns the page and continues:

MISS CROSS
Chapter fifteen. The Lad with the Silver Button.

INT. BLUME INTERNATIONAL CONCRETE. DAY

Mr. Blume has a gigantic office with paintings of battle
scenes and Viking ships, a coat of armor and a statue of a
discus thrower. The concrete plant is outside the window.

A portrait of the Blume family hangs on the wall behind Mr.
Blume's desk. His wife and twin sons are all fair-skinned
redheads. Mr. Blume is dark and sullen. He is smoking a
cigarette in the painting.

Mr. Blume sits at his desk with a silver military issue. 45
automatic disassembled in front of him. He is cleaning it
and drinking a Bloody Mary. His SECRETARY buzzes him on the
speakerphone. Mr. Blume pushes a button on it.

MR. BLUME
Yeah?

SECRETARY
Mrs. Blume wants you to pick up the twins from school at --

MR. BLUME
Tell them to take the fucking bus.

SECRETARY
OK.

INT. CAR. DAY

Max is sitting in a parked Jaguar with Dirk's mother, MRS.
CALLOWAY. She is beautiful. She is dressed in tennis clothes
and wears a terrycloth visor.

Max is wearing a fluorescent orange crossing guard's belt
with a badge at the shoulder that says Patrol Chief. He
hands Mrs. Calloway his phone number.

MRS. CALLOWAY
Thank you, Max. I told Mr. Calloway the other day how
fortunate we are to have someone like you looking out for
Dirk.

MAX
My pleasure. I'm just trying to impart some of the
experiences I've accrued to help Dirk. There he is now. Nice
talking with you, Mrs. Calloway.

They shake hands. Max gets out of the car and puts his hand
on Dirk's shoulder.

MAX
How'd the math test go?

DIRK
What math test?

MAX
I thought you had a math test today.

DIRK
No. Did you turn in your paper on the Berlin Airlift ?

MAX
Yeah, I got an extension.

Dirk gets in the car and drives off. A seventh grader named
BOBBY goes over to Max.

BOBBY
How'd it go?

MAX
I shook hands with her.

BOBBY
Big deal.

MAX
And I gave her my phone number.

BOBBY
Buchan said he'd have already banged her by now.

MAX
He said that?

Max looks across he yard at MAGNUS BUCHAN, the burly foreign
exchange student from Scotland. He is seventeen. He has a
straw in his mouth and he shoots a little blowdart at a
little kid's neck.

Half of Buchan's ear was blown-off in a hunting accident.

MAX
That's a really crude thing to say. That's Dirk's mother.

BOBBY
But I thought that's why you picked Dirk as your chapel
partner.

MAX
(looks at Bobby, pause)
What are you, a lawyer? All I'm saying is that gorilla is a
guest at our school for the year, so respect our women the
say way we would in his jerkwater country.

Mr. Blume pulls up in a brand new black Bentley.

MAX
Mr. Blume!

Max goes over to Mr. Blume's car.

MAX
It's Max Fischer.

MR. BLUME
(weary) Hi, Max.

They shake hands through the open car window.

MAX
How's the concrete business?

MR. BLUME
Oh, I don't know. By the time you hit 45 you're been fucked
over so many times you don't really care anymore.

MAX
I'm sorry to hear that.

Mr. Blume sighs deeply. He stares out the windshield.

MR. BLUME
What's the secret, Max?

MAX
The secret?

MR. BLUME
Yeah. You look like you've got it all figured out.

MAX
(pause)
I don't know. I think you just gotta find something you love
to do, then do it for the rest of your life.
(shrugs)
For me, it's going to Rushmore.

Max looks very serious. Mr. Blume smiles and nods.

MAX
Hey, Ronny. Hey, Donny.

Mr. Blume's red-headed twins RONNY and DONNY come over to
the car. They're Max's age but much more thick and solid.

RONNY
Shotgun.

Donny gets in the front seat anyway. Ronny hollers:

RONNY
I said shotgun, Donny!

MR. BLUME
Get in the back, Ronny.

RONNY
I said, "Shotgun." Get in the back, Donny.

Donny punches three different buttons on the dash that crank
up the AC full blast. Mr. Blume's hair dances in the cold
burst of air. He shuts off the AC.

MAX
See you tomorrow, Mr. Blume.
(looks off)
Mrs. Reynolds!

Max goes over to shake hands with somebody else's parents.
Mr. Blume looks at Max fondly.

MR. BLUME
Did you invite that kid to your party?

DONNY
(shocked)
Max Fischer?

RONNY
Come on, Dad. There's gonna be girls there.

DONNY
I'd rather die. Pull your head out of your ass.

Mr. Blume turns Donny quickly like he is going to attack
him. Donny cowers grinning in the backseat with his fists
up. Ronny pipes in:

RONNY
Remember what Mom said. Hugs not hits.

INT. AUDITORIUM. DAY

The school auditorium. The stage is bare except for two
folding chairs. A tall senior plays FRANK. He is wearing a
stocking cap and sunglasses. A fat kid plays WILLIE.

FRANK
Wait a second. What time did the old lady place the 911
call?

WILLIE
Ten-fifteen.

FRANK
(snaps his fingers)
That's it.

Frank jumps out of his seat.

FRANK
Meet me on the corner in ten minutes.

WILLIE
Where are you going?

FRANK
I'll tell you in the squad car.

He heads towards the wings, then stops.

FRANK
Oh, and, Willie. You were wrong about Enrique Sanchez. He
died in his sleep.

He exits.

MAX
Excellent!

Willie looks into the darkness beyond the stage. Max emerges
and quickly climbs the steps onto the stage. He is followed
by Dirk who is holding a script.

MAX
Excellent. Irving?

The stage manager is a wavy-haired sophomore named IRVING.
He comes out from the backstage. Max pulls some money out of
his pocket and hands it to him.

MAX
Get some rootbeers for anybody who wants one. I don't want
one. OK. Next scene. (looks at Dirk's script) Frank, you
enter stage right with a bag of cocaine.

INT. BARBERSHOP. DAY

A small, clean barbershop. MR. FISCHER is a white-haired man
of sixty-five in a white a white barber's shirt. He has
finished giving a buzzcut to a twelve year-old boy named
GORDON.

GORDON
May I see the back, please?

Mr. Fischer holds up a hand mirror so Gordon can see the
back. Gordon nods. Max comes in rolling a Japanese ten-speed
at his side.

MR. FISCHER
Hey, Max. How was your day?

MAX
Hm. I'd say
(thinks for a second)
98% good, 2% not so good. I need a signature on this
geometry test, by the way.

Max leaves his test on the counter and rolls his bike into
the back room. Gordon gives Mr. Fischer ten dollars.

GORDON
Thank you very much.

Gordon goes out the door. Mr. Fischer looks at the geometry
test. Max comes out of the back room drinking a glass of
chocolate milk with a straw.

MR. FISCHER
Hm.

MAX
I know.

MR. FISCHER
A 37.

MAX
Pathetic. Just pathetic.

MR. FISCHER
Well. It could have been worse. You were right more than a
third of the time.

MAX
(exploding)
Come on, Dad! That stinks! I can do better than that!

MR. FISCHER
Of course, you can.

MAX
For once, will you please try not to look on the bright
side?

MR. FISCHER
Sit down and let me give you a trim.

Max sighs deeply. He sits down. Mr. Fischer signs the
geometry test. He puts a pale blue smoke over Max and gives
him a haircut.

MAX
Do you think I'm stupid?

MR. FISCHER
No! You're just not very good at math.

MAX
But I'm failing English and History, too.

MR. FISCHER
(pause)
Well. Maybe you'd be better off at a school where there's
not so much emphasis on academics.

MAX
What, like barber college?

Mr. Fischer is stricken. Max says quietly:

MAX
No, I love Rushmore. I don't want to go someplace second
rate. Besides, it would ruin my chances of getting into
Oxford.

Silence. Mr. Fischer looks very sad.

MR. FISCHER
I wish I knew how to help you. But I just don't. I'm sorry,
Max.

Max looks at his dad. Mr. Fischer looks down at the floor.

Mr. FISCHER
You want to see the back?

MAX
No, thanks. You know how I like it.

INT. THE FISCHER'S HOUSE. NIGHT

An Archie Bunker-type house. Max and Mr. Fischer sit on the
sofa in front of the TV having TV dinners.

MAX
You think I'm spending too much of my time starting up clubs
and putting on plays?

MR. FISCHER
I don't know. It's possible.

MAX
I should probably be trying harder to score chicks. That's
the only thing anybody really cares about. (sighs deeply)
But it's not my forte, unfortunately.

MR. FISCHER
It'll happen, Max. It's just. You're like one of those
clipper ship captains. You're married to the sea.

MAX
Yes, that's true.
(pause)
But I've been out to sea for a long time.

EXT. SOCCER FIELD. DAY

Miss Cross is sitting on the bleachers watching her class
play Capture-the-Flag. She opens a book. It is 20,000
Leagues under the Sea. She puts a cigarette in her mouth and
searches in her pocket for a lighter.

A lit match appears in front of her. Max is holding it. He
is wearing a maroon beret, Miss Cross looks at him
curiously.

MAX
Hello.

MISS CROSS
Hi.

Miss Cross lights her cigarette on Max's match.

MISS CROSS
I like your hat.

MAX
Thank you. You're a teacher here, aren't you?

MISS CROSS
Uh-huh.

MAX
What subject do you teach?

MISS CROSS
Well, I teach first grade, so I do all the subjects. Except
music.

MAX
And this is your first year at Rushmore, I take it.

Miss Cross nods.

MAX
I see. How long have you been a smoker, if you don't mind me
asking?

MISS CROSS
(surprised)
Hm. Let's see. How old are you?

MAX
Fifteen.

MISS CROSS
Since I was your age.

MAX
(shocked)
You're kidding.

Miss Cross shakes her head. Max can't believe this.

MAX
You should quit.

MISS CROSS
You're right.

MAX
(going back to his book) And I should mind my own business.

Miss Cross laughs. Max looks back up.

MAX
Where'd you go to school, by the way?

MISS CROSS
Harvard.

MAX
Really? That's a coincidence. My top schools where I want to
apply to are Oxford and The Sorbonne. But my safety is
Harvard.

MISS CROSS
(smiles)
That's very ambitious.

MAX
Thank you.

MISS CROSS
What are you going to major in?

MAX
Well. I haven't decided for sure. But probably a double
major in Mathematics and Pre-Med. What was your major?

MISS CROSS
Latin-American studies.

MAX
Ah, that's interesting. Did you hear they're not going to
teach Latin here anymore?

MISS CROSS
This was more like Central America.

MAX
(pause)
Sure. Central America and whatnot. But moving on: they're
gonna cancel Latin. They've got to make room for Japanese.

MISS CROSS
Really? That's too bad. All the Romance Languages come from
Latin.

MAX
They do, don't they?
(pause)
Like French, probably.

She nods. She smiles.

MISS CROSS
Nihilo sanctum estne?

MAX
That's Latin, isn't it?

MISS CROSS
Yeah.

MAX
What does it mean?

MISS CROSS
Is nothing sacred?

Long pause. Looking right at her.

MAX
Sic transit gloria. Glory fades. I'm Max Fischer.

Max slides down the bench and puts out his hand.

MISS CROSS
Hi.

They shake hands.

INT. LUNCHROOM. DAY

A crowd of MIDDLE SCHOOLERS has gathered around Max. He is
holding a clipboard. One of the kids finishes signing a
piece of paper on it.

MAX
Good. Now you.
(points to the next kid)
Sign here.

The kid signs.

INSERT PIECE OF PAPER:

A long list of signatures. Many of them are written in
little kid's handwriting. Some are neater. Across the top,
it says PETITION. This is written in calligraphy.

CUT TO:

The administration conference room. TEN TEACHERS sit in
chairs around a long table. Max stands before them finishing
a speech. The petition is tacked-up on the wall behind him.

MAX
In summation, I have only one question: is Latin dead?
Nisilum sacnus (pause, looks at his notecards) estne? Only
you can say. Thank you for your time.

Applause.

INSERT ANNOUCEMENT:

Thanks to part of the efforts of 10th class member Max
Fischer, Latin will now be a required course for grades 7
through

INT. HALLWAY. DAY

Max and a bunch of other kids are reading this announcement
on the bulletin board. Max is smiling serenely. The others
are cursing and looking at Max with angry faces. Magnus
Buchan is one of them. He has a strong Scottish accent.

MAGNUS
Bugger off, Fischer. Ya bleedin' little bollocks.

MAX
Is that Latin?
Not bad, Buchan. Maybe you'll place out of your first year.

INT. GYM. DAY

Mr. Blume's son Ronny is in a wrestling mach. He has his
opponent in a chokehold and is slowly strangling him. Mr.
Blume looks on distastefully from the stands. Max is at his
side.

MR BLUME
What does your dad do, Max?

MAX
(frankly)
He's a neurosurgeon. Over at St. Joseph's. Personally, I
could never see myself cutting open somebody's brain. But he
seems to enjoy it.

Max shrugs. Mr. Blume nods.

MAX
You were in Vietnam, if I'm not mistaken, weren't you?

Mr. Blume nods. Max thinks for a minute.

MAX
Were you in the shit?

MR BLUME
Yeah. I was in the shit.

They look back out at the wrestling match. Ronny is crushing
his opponent's face into the mat with his fist. Mr. Blume
shakes his head.

MR BLUME
Tell me something, Max. What do you think of Ronny and
Donny?

MAX
(automatically)
I like them.

MR BLUME
(surprised)
Really?

MAX
Sure.

Ronny flips his opponent on the mat and flattens him with
his body. Donny screams encouragement.

MR BLUME
No. You're right. They're good kids.

Max nods solemnly.

WRESTLER
See you Sunday, Mr. Blume.

A stocky Wrestler with an ice pack on his arm walks by on
his way to the showers. Mr. Blume nods to him without
looking up.

MAX
What's Sunday?

Mr. Blume looks to Max. Silence.

MR BLUME
The twins are having a birthday party. And I'd love it if -

MAX
Oh, that's right. Yeah. I'm not going to be able to make it
to that one.

Max smiles very sincerely. Silence.

MR BLUME
Come work for me.

MAX
(stiffens)
What do you mean?

MR BLUME
I mean, I could use somebody like you. I could -

MAX
I may not be rich, Mr. Blume. And my father may only be a
doctor. But we manage.

MR BLUME
(hesitates)
I didn't mean it like that. I just -

MAX
No, thank you. I mean, I appreciate the offer. But I've got
everything I need right here at Rushmore. Besides, it
wouldn't be fair.

REFEREE
110s!

MAX
Excuse me, Mr. Blume. Nice talking with you.

Max pulls off his blazer. He is wearing wrestling tights
underneath. Mr. Blume looks surprised.

MR BLUME
You're on the team?

MAX
(shrugs)
I'm an alternate.

Max heads out to the mat, pulling on his headgear. Mr. Blume
calls after him:

MR. BLUME
What wouldn't be fair, Max?

MAX
(smiles crookedly)
We'd make way too much money working on the same team.

Mr. Blume smiles faintly. He watches as Max begins his
match. Max is outclassed and quickly gets pinned.

INT. HALLWAY - DAY

Miss Cross is shepherding her class into her classroom. They
are singing a song as they walk down the corridor. Across
the hall, a fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Guggenheim, comes out
of her classroom. She is a handsome woman in her late
sixties with black and silver hair.

MISS CROSS
Hello, Mrs. Guggenheim.

MRS GUGGENHEIM
Hi, Rosemary. Did you find a place?

MISS CROSS
Well, I'm just staying over at Edward's parents' house for
now. They're out of town.

MRS GUGGENEHIM
Oh. That's good.
(pause)
Edward was one of my students, you know.

Miss Cross smiles and nods. Silence. Miss Cross points to a
photograph in a collage on a wall.

MISS CROSS
I think I met that boy yesterday.

Mrs. Guggenheim looks at the picture.

INSERT PHOTOGRAPH:

It is black and white of Max in fifth grade singing a show
tune. His arms are opened wide and he has a top hat in one
hand and cane in the other.

MRS GUGGENHEIM
(frowns)
That's Max Fischer. How'd you get mixed up with him?

MISS CROSS
He introduced himself to me. I liked him, actually.

MRS GUGGENHEIM
(resigned)
Yeah, I know. So do I.

EXT. COUNTRY CLUB - DAY

Ronny and Donny set upon a pile of birthday presents at a
table by the pool. They are surrounded by kids in swimsuits.

Mr. Blume sits alone at the next table drinking a whiskey in
front of the demolished birthday cake. He has a tattoo on
his shoulder that says Semper Fi. There is a bucket of golf
balls in front of him and he absently tosses them into the
pool one at a time.

He looks over at Mrs. Blume. She has red hair just like the
twins. She is flirting with a pretty boy Tennis Pro. She
looks back to Mr. Blume coldly.

Mr. Blume gets up and walks around the pool. He pauses to
shake hands with a Big Man drinking a glass of Scotch. The
big man gives Mr. Blume a sudden shove toward the pool, but
hangs on to him so he doesn't fall in. The big man laughs.

Mr. Blume climbs up the ladder to the high dive. He sets
down his cocktail. He slips and falls and bangs his knee
hard on the edge of the board. He gets up quickly. There is
a bad cut on his knee and he is bleeding. He looks out at
the birthday party down below.

People begin to notice him up there.

He sprints down the board, bounces once as high as he can,
and sails out long through the air. He tucks into a cannon
ball. He nails the water with a huge splash.

Mrs. Blume gets up with a bitter look on her face and heads
for the ladies' room.

Kids gather at the edge of the pool to look down at Mr.
Blume playing dead at the bottom with golf balls all around
him. A little boy in a Speedo underwear swims to examine Mr.
Blume. Their eyes meet. The boy turns and swims away.

INT. CLASSROOM - DAY

Miss Cross' classroom. The walls are lined with fish tanks
that glow blue and make bubbling sounds. There are maps and
pictures everywhere. A model of a 747 hangs from the
ceiling. A record player plays the Vienna Boys' Choir at a
low volume.

There is only one Kid in the room. He is taking a test. Miss
Cross sits at her desk grading papers.

Max cracks open the door.

MAX
Miss Cross?

Miss Cross and the kid look back at Max. Miss Cross holds
her finger to her lips and gets up. As she walks past the
kid, she puts her hand on the top of his head. She goes to
Max at the door. She whispers:

MISS CROSS
He's taking a make-up test.

MAX
These guys have tests?

MISS CROSS
Of course.

MAX
I thought they just did coloring and stuff.

MISS CROSS
Oh, no. They're good readers.

MAX
I'm Max Fischer. We met the other day.

MISS CROSS
I know who you are. How are you?

MAX
Fine, thank you.

Max just stands there.

MISS CROSS
You want to help me feed the fish?

MAX
Yes, please.

Max follows her from tank to tank as she shakes out fish
food. They continue to whisper to each other:

MAX
I thought I would just let you know, as per our conversation
the other day -

MISS CROSS
Latin?

MAX
Right. The Romance Languages. I gave a little speech -

MISS CROSS
I heard about this.

MAX
You did?

MISS CROSS
Uh-huh. I understand you made a very convincing argument.

MAX
I thought you'd be pleased to hear they're going to continue
the Latin program.

She looks at Max. She sets down the fish food and shakes his
hand.

MISS CROSS
I'm very impressed.

MAX
Thank you very much.

Max picks up the can of fish food and shakes some into one
of the aquariums.

MAX
You need an assistant?

MISS CROSS
(smiles) Do we get to have assistants around here?

MAX
I doubt it. I'm on scholarship, though. Academic
scholarship. So sometimes, I get to do odd jobs.
(pause)
How did you decide to teach at Rushmore?

MISS CROSS
My husband went here.

Max drops the can of fish food into the tank. He quickly
fishes it out.

He picks some little bits of fish food out of the water and
throws them away. Pause.

MAX
I didn't know you were married.

MISS CROSS
Well, he's dead now. So I'm not actually married.

MAX
When did he die?

MISS CROSS
Last year.

Max nods. Silence.

MAX
My mother's dead.

MISS CROSS
Oh. I'm sorry to hear that.

MAX
She died when I was seven. (raising an eyebrow)
So we both have dead people in our families.

They look at each other for a minute.

MAX
Now what's going on in here?

Max kneels down and looks into one of the fish tanks. There
are a hundred little seahorses swimming around in it.

MISS CROSS
Those were just born.

A look of wonder comes across Max's face. He stares into the
blue water.

MAX
You really love fish, don't you?

Miss Cross nods. Max puts his fingers to the glass.

MAX
How much do these cost?

INT. BLUME INTERNATIONAL CONCRETE - DAY

Mr. Blume's office. HE is talking on the telephone. Max sits
in a chair across from him.

MR BLUME
I don't want any alloys. I want steel.
(pause)
I don't give a rat's ass if he did. (pause) Steel, Harry.

He hangs up.

MR BLUME
You change your mind? You want the job?

MAX
No. But I've got an idea. And need some money.

Mr. Blume's secretary buzzes him on the speakerphone.

SECRETARY
Mr. Blume, they're ready for you in Hydraulics.

MR BLUME
Come with me. Let's hear your idea.

INT. FACTORY - DAY

Max, Mr. Blume, and a big foreman named Ernie race across
the factory in a souped-up golf cart. They're squeezed
together with Max in the middle.

MAX
Rushmore deserves an aquarium. A first class aquarium where
scientists can lecture, and students can study marine life
in their natural -

MR BLUME
I don't know. What do you think, Ernie?

ERNIE
(skeptical) An aquarium?

MAX
A huge aquarium. An entire building.

MR BLUME
What kind of fish?

INT. FACTORY - DAY

Mr. Blume and Max, wearing hard hats, stand on a scaffolding
overlooking a huge cat of bubbling concrete.

MAX
(shouting)
Electric eels. Barracudas. Stingrays. Hammerheads. Piranhas.

MR BLUME
Piranhas?

MAX
That's right. Piranhas. I talked to a man in South America.

MR BLUME
Really. So you might have piranhas.

MAX
We will have piranhas.

INT. MR BLUME'S OFFICE - DAY

Back in Mr. Blume's office. They're seated as before. Max is
still wearing his hard hat.

MR BLUME
What does Guggenheim say?

MAX
Nothing. I felt I should go to you first.

MR BLUME
Why?

MAX
Because at this moment I feel our best strategy is to keep a
low profile. The more preparation I can do, the stronger our
case will be when we go to the administration.

Long pause.

MR BLUME
How much do you want?

MAX
$35.000 for the initial plans.

Max holds Mr. Blume's gaze. Mr. Blume picks up a pen.

MR BLUME
I'll give you $2500.

Max nods. Mr. Blume writes out a check, tears it off, and
hands it to Max. Max sticks it in his pocket like it is a
five-dollar bill.

RESEARCH MONTAGE:

All of the following events occur during school hours.

Max strides across the quadrangle with a determined
expression. He's got an armload of books on marine life.

Max watches a Jacques Cousteau film on 16mm in an empty
classroom. Dirk runs the projector.

Max visits a marine research facility and talks with a
Scientist. Max holds up a fish at the edge of a pool. A
killer whale jumps out of the water and takes it in its
teeth.

Max flies over Rushmore in a chopper with Mr. Blume. He
shouts out details of the landscape and Mr. Blume nods
enthusiastically. They are both eating sandwiches.

They set down on the soccer field. Kids come running out to
meet them. Max waves to them as he jumps out of the chopper.
He looks back to Mr. Blume and gives him a thumbs-up. Mr.
Blume smiles and waves as the chopper takes off.

Max walks with a young Architect among the trees between the
gym and the baseball diamond. They look at some blueprints.
Max pulls up third base and slides it over a few feet.

Max points to some beautiful fish in an aquarium in a pet
shop. The pet shop Owner reaches in with a little net.

Max pokes his head into Miss Cross's classroom. He holds up
two plastic baggies full of water with tropical fish
swimming around inside them.

Kids gather all around them as they put the new fish into
the aquariums. Max smiles mysteriously.

MAX
You need any help grading papers or anything?

INSERT BOOK REPORT:

The title is 'Young Ben Franklin'. Miss Cross writes
Magnificent! Keep up the good work! And draws two stars
across the top of the page with a red pen.

INT. MISS CROSS'S CLASSROOM - DAY

Max is staring at Miss Cross in a strange from a desk
opposite hers in the empty classroom. She looks up at him.
He continues to stare at her as if she were a statue.

Miss Cross rubs her eyes and sighs. She sets down her red
pen. She looks back at Max. He is still staring at her.

MISS CROSS
Max?

Max looks quickly down to his papers.

MAX
Uh-huh?

MISS CROSS
Can I ask you something?

MAX
Sure.

MISS CROSS
Has it ever crossed your mind that you're way too young for
me?

Max looks up. Miss Cross smiles faintly. Silence.

MAX
It's crossed by mind that you might consider that a
possibility, yes.

MISS CROSS
Not to mention that you're a student -

MAX
And you're a teacher. And never the twain shall meet. I
know, I'm not trying to pressure you into anything, Miss
Cross. I'm surprised you brought it up so bluntly.

MISS CROSS
I just want to make sure -

MAX
We've become friends, haven't we?

MISS CROSS
Yes.

MAX
Good. That's all that matters to me.

Max thinks for a second, then presses on:

MAX
And the truth is neither one of us has the slightest idea
where this relationships is going. We can't predict the
future.

MISS CROSS
We don't have a relationship, Max.

MAX
But we're friends.

MISS CROSS
Yes. And that's all we're going to be.

MAX
That's what I meant by relationship. You want me to grab a
dictionary?

MISS CROSS
I just want to make sure we understand each other.

MAX
I understand. You're not attracted to me. C'est la vie. I'm
a big boy.

MISS CROSS
Max. You're fifteen. Attraction doesn't enter into it.

MAX
If you say so. All I'm getting at is I've never met anyone
like you. Take that for whatever it's worth.

She thinks about this for a minute.

MISS CROSS
I think I can safely say I've never met anyone like you,
either.

MAX
You haven't, have you?

Miss Cross shakes her head. Max says quietly:

MAX
You want to shake hands?

She puts out her hand and they shake hands across the desk.
But they don't let go. They just look at each other.

MAX
I'm glad we had this conversation.

MISS CROSS
Me too.

They finally let go of each other's hands. Miss Cross looks
away. She's not exactly sure what they just decided.

MAX
By the way. Are you free? Thursday night?

MISS CROSS
Free for what?

MAX
Dinner.

She looks at Max strangely.

MAX
We're getting a group together after the play.

INSERT PLAYBILL:

SERPICO
A new play by Max Fischer.

INT. AUDITORIUM - NIGHT

A very realistic set for a New York tenement apartment.

Four men sit at a table. Three wear dark suits: O'Reilly,
Burnum and Fields. One has long hair, a beard, leather pants
and a big silver crucifix around his neck. This is Frank
Serpico. They are all played by high schoolers.

FRANK
I can't wear a wire! They're feeling me up every day!

O'REILLY
Come on, Frank. You'll have complete protection.

FRANK
(walking off)
I've heard that one before. I got to go put a dime in the
meter.

BURNUM
Look, Officer Serpico. If you agree to testify in open court
-

Frank wheels around and knocks the clipboard out of
O'Reilly's hands. He grabs O'Reilly by both arms. Fields
instinctively draws his firearm.

FRANK
Promise me one thing, O'Reilly. You're going to follow this
all the way. To the end (snaps) Of the line, (snaps) where I
got to be.

O'REILLY
(looking Frank right in the eye) So help me, God.

The audience is deeply engrossed. A row of small kids are
sitting on the floor very front.

Max watches from the wings. He looks out at the audience.

He sees Mr. Blume smiling proudly in the third row.

He sees Miss Cross sitting next to a big, curly-haired
Medical Student in surgical scrubs. She leans close to him
and whispers something in his ear. He smiles and nods and
whispers something back.

Max stares at them blankly as a shoot-out erupts onstage.

INT. BACKSTAGE - NIGHT

Frank comes offstage with a bandage of his cheek and a cane
in his hand. Max is waiting for him backstage. Max has on a
headset and carries a clipboard. He is extremely keyed-up.

MAX
What happened to the cannoli line?

Max follows Frank as Frank walks quietly toward the dressing
room.

MAX
You're supposed to say, "Forget about it, Sanchez -"

FRANK
(very angry) I made a mistake, all right? It doesn't make
any difference, anyway.

MAX
Hey, I'm letting it go. But don't tell me it doesn't matter.
Every line matters.

FRANK
(yelling) Get off my back!

MAX
Don't fuck with my play!

Frank turns around and punches Max in the nose. Max takes a
swing and misses and they wrestle as people try to break it
up.

INT. AUDITORIUM - NIGHT

The whole cast is onstage bowing as the audience applauds.
Some of the actors motion to the wings.

Max walks out on the stage. He has a bloody Kleenex in each
nostril. He waves to the audience. The applause roars.

INT. BACKSTAGE - NIGHT

The crowded dressing rooms. Actors are taking off their
make- up. Max is drinking a champagne cocktail and talking
with his father and an elderly Woman.

WOMAN
I thought the acting tonight was excellent.

MAX
It was better in rehearsals.
(to his father) I'll catch up with you later, Dad. I've got
a dinner to go to.

MR FISCHER
(interested) Oh, yeah?

MAX
(pause)
Yeah. Cast and crew only.

Mr. Fischer feels left out but tries not to show it.

MR FISCHER
OK. Well, have a good time.

Miss Cross walks over to Max through the crowd. Her friend
the medical student follows behind her. Max's expression is
polite but inscrutable.

MISS CROSS
That was great, Max.

MAX
I'm so glad you could come.

MISS CROSS
I want you to meet a friend of mine. John Coats. Max
Fischer.

MAX
(not looking at him)
Who's this guy?

MISS CROSS
(pause) John.

Max looks at John. John smiles. Pause.

JOHN
I really liked your play, man. It was really cool.

Max nods. He drinks a long sip of his champagne cocktail.

MISS CROSS
What happened to your nose?

MAX
I got punched in the face.
(to John) What's your excuse?

Mr. Blume comes over to them.

MR BLUME
Am I going to get to meet your dad tonight, Max?

MAX
Nah. The old man's on call tonight. Mr. Blume, I'd like you
to meet Miss Cross, and I didn't catch this young
gentleman's name.

INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT

A fancy restaurant. Max is having dinner with Mr. Blume,
Miss Cross and John. Max is drunk.

MAX
I like your nurse's uniform, guy.

JOHN
They're OR scrubs.

MAX
(pause)
OR they?

Mr. Blume laughs suddenly and wine goes up his nose. Max
glances to him slyly, then looks back at John.

MAX
Well, they're totally inappropriate for the occasion.

JOHN
Well, I didn't know we were going to dinner.

MAX
That's because you weren't invited.

MR BLUME
Take it easy, Max.

MISS CROSS
(angry) You're the one who ordered him a Scotch and soda.

MAX
What's wrong with that? I can write a hit play. Why can't I
have a drink when I want to unwind a little? So tell me,
Curly. How do you know Miss Cross?

JOHN
We went to Harvard together.

MAX
(shrugs)
And I wrote a hit play. And directed it. So I'm not sweating
it, either.

MR BLUME
(signaling the waiter)
I'm going to get the check.

MAX
What do you think you're doing?

MR BLUME
I'm getting the -

MAX
No, you're not.

The Waiter comes over. Max intercepts him:

MAX
I just wanted to thank you again for accommodating us. We
only expected to be a party of three, but somebody invited
himself along. I apologize.

WAITER
That's perfectly all right.

The waiter walks away. Miss Cross frowns.

MISS CROSS
You're being rude, Max.

MAX
No I'm not. I'm just trying to figure out why you brought
this gentleman to my play. And my dinner, which was
invitation only.

John reaches in front of Max for the butter. Max grabs his
spoon and swats John on the back of the hand.

MAX
Would you like me to pass you the butter?

Max hands John the butter.

MISS CROSS
What's wrong with you?

MAX
(raising his voice)
What's wrong with YOU?

Max is making a scene. People all over the restaurant are
watching. Max stares at Miss Cross.

MAX
You hurt my feelings. This night was important to me.

MISS CROSS
How did I hurt your feelings?

MAX
I wrote a hit play!
(pause)
And I'm in love with you.

John looks to Miss Cross. She doesn't know what to say. Max
looks drunk and dejected.

MAX
How do you like that, Curly?

EXT. PLAYGROUND - DAY

Miss Cross and her pupils are out on the playground painting
pictures. Each kid has an easel.

Miss Cross sees Mr. Blume standing under a tree at the edge
of the playground. He is wearing sunglasses and smoking a
cigarette. He moves slightly behind the tree. She stares at
him.

He waves. She waves back. He comes over.

MR BLUME
Hi.

MISS CROSS
Were you hiding over there?

Mr. Blume shrugs. He points at one of the paintings.

MR BLUME
What's that?

The artist looks up at Mr. Blume. He is a small boy with
jet- black curly hair and piercing eyes.

ARTIST
(makes a swimming gesture) It's a little swimming snake.

Mr. Blume nods.

MISS CROSS
What can I do for you, Mr. Blume?

Mr. Blume turns to Miss Cross and takes off his sunglasses.
Silence.

MR BLUME
Max wants to see you.

MISS CROSS
What for?

MR BLUME
To apologize, I guess.

MISS CROSS
He sent you here?

MR BLUME
Yeah.

She frowns and studies Mr. Blume for a minute.

MISS CROSS
Are you his messenger?

MR BLUME
No. He's my friend.
(pause)
You were right. I shouldn't have let him drink.

Miss Cross nods. Silence.

MISS CROSS
I don't think I should see Max anymore.

MR BLUME
He's not going to like the sound of that.

MISS CROSS
I know. But I think I let him get too attached.

Mr. Blume nods. Miss Cross looks uncertain.

MISS CROSS
Don't you think?

MR BLUME
(shrugs)
I don't know. You did your best.

Miss Cross smiles sadly to Mr. Blume. He puts his hands in
his pockets.

MISS CROSS
Tell him I'm sorry.

MR BLUME
OK.

They look at each other for a long minute. Miss Cross tucks
a strand of hair behind her ear. Mr. Blume says quietly:

MR BLUME
What's your first name?

MISS CROSS
Rosemary. What's yours?

MR BLUME
Herman.

Silence.

MR BLUME
Oh, yeah. He wrote you a letter.

He hands her a letter in a sealed envelope. She takes it.

MISS CROSS
Thanks.

They stand there in silence for another minute.

MR BLUME
OK. So long, Rosemary.

MISS CROSS
(smiles)
Bye, Herman.

Mr. Blume starts to go. He stops He looks back to Miss
Cross.

MR BLUME
Should we meet somewhere?

She hesitates.

MR BLUME
To talk about Max.

MISS CROSS
Yeah. I don't know.
(pause)
Maybe.

Mr. Blume nods. He turns away and walks off. She watches him
go. She looks at the envelope.

INSERT LETTER WRITTEN IN CALLIGRAPHY ON CRISP STATIONERY:

Max reads in voice-over.

Dear Miss Cross,

I would like to take this opportunity to formally apologize
for the events of the night of the twenty-third. I am not
accustomed to drinking alcohol. Please do me the service of
coming to the unveiling of a new venture I have undertaken.
I hope you will attend, if possible. I remain, your friend,

Max Fischer.

EXT. VACANT LOT - DAY

A crowd of fifty Kids in uniform has gathered around the
vacant lot beside the baseball field. Max stands with his
architect, smiling for the yearbook photographer. They are
holding a banner that says 'Cousteau-Blume Marine
Observatory Fund-raiser'. Max has on a hard hat. There are
two pick-up trucks and a porta-can at the back of the vacant
lot.

Max digs into the ground with a gold shovel. The shovel has
a ribbon around it. Flashbulbs go off. Everyone claps. Max
waves Dirk over.

MAX
Did you see her?

DIRK
She's not here.

MAX
Well, see if she's in her classroom.

The Contractor walks over to Max.

CONTRACTOR
Should we go ahead and take care of this tree?

MAX
Let's wait a few minutes.

Coach Beck goes over to Max. He is six four and wears a John
Newcombe mustache and an Adidas warm-up. He is frowning.

COACH BECK
What's going on here, Maxie?

MAX
Coach Beck. Good to see you. This is where they're building
the new aquarium. I'm in charge of the committee, if you can
believe it.

COACH BECK
This is the baseball diamond.

MAX
I believe it's being relocated a few feet over.

COACH BECK
(frowns)
I should've been informed about that.

Coach Beck walks off. Max answers some questions for the
School Reporters.

REPORTER
Is it true the aquarium will have piranhas?

MAX
(smiles) Where'd you hear that?

REPORTER
My source indicated that it was a possibility.

MAX
Yes, it's true. Excuse me, George.

Dirk has returned.

MAX
What's the story?

DIRK
(a little wary)
She has a substitute teacher today.

MAX
Why?

DIRK
She probably got sick.

MAX
(looks away)
You know she's not sick. Give me the phone.

Max dials on a cellular phone.

MAX
Hi, Janet. It's Max Fischer.
Is Mr. Blume there?
(pause)
Well, where is he?
(pause)
Goddammit, he's supposed to be here.
Let me know if you find him, please.

Max hangs up. He looks off and says in a steely voice:

MAX
I'm going anyway.

Max goes over to the contractor.

MAX
Chop it down, Mr. Chandler! We've got an aquarium to build.

Max talks to another reporter.

MAX
I don't give a shit about barracudas. But fuck it. I'm
building it anyway.

The sound of power saws fills the air as Dr. Guggenheim
appears at the edge of the lot with Coach Beck and a
Security Guard with a walkie-talkie. DR Guggenheim screams:

DR GUGGENHEIM
Max!

DR. Guggenheim sees the chopped-down trees and mangles
baseball field as he strides on to the lot.

MAX
Nice to see you, Dr. Gugg-

DR GUGGENHEIM
Max!
(seizing Max by the arm)
What do you think you're doing?

MAX
(pause)
We're having a fund-raiser for-

DR GUGGENHEIM
Shut those damn things off!

They turn off the power saws.

DR GUGGENHEIM
Tell me this isn't happening.

MAX
Dr. Guggenheim, I'd rather not have this conversation in
front of the crew.

EXT. QUADRANGLE - DAY

Dirk waits nervously on the steps in front of DR.
Guggenheim's office. He holds a hamster in his hands.

He gets up and goes to the windows. He looks inside.

Max is sitting in a little chair in the middle of the room
with his hard hat on. DR. Guggenheim and several other
faculty members sit around him. DR. Guggenheim is screaming
at him across his desk. Max is crying.

Dirk looks scared.

INT. HALLWAY - DAY

Max kneels on the floor in the hallway, emptying out his
locker. Papers and trash are scattered all around him. There
is a trashcan beside him. He is throwing away his books, one
at a time.

Mr. Blume opens the door at the end of the hallway. Max
looks up at him. Silence. Max looks up back to his locker
and starts throwing his books in the trash again.

Mr. Blume walks over to Max. He looks very sad. He kneels
down beside Max. He starts helping him pick up the trash off
the floor and put it in the trashcan.

TITLE:

October.

INT. GROVER CLEVELAND HIGH SCHOOL - DAY

Grover Cleveland is a public high school with two thousand
five hundred students.

Max sits in a front row of a math classroom. He is dressed
in his Rushmore uniform, with coat and tie, but his clothes
are wrinkled and his head has been shaved like a marine's.
His eyes have dark circles around them. He has a little
stack of index cards in his hand.

The teacher, Mrs. Whitney, stands at the front of the room.
She is about fifty with a horn-rimmed glasses and a slight
English accent. She has a bemused expression on her face.

MRS WHITNEY
We have a new student with us today. His name's Max Fischer
and he's actually asked to say a few words to the class.
Max? You want to take it away?

MAX
(standing up)
Sure. Thanks very much. I just wanted to introduce myself.

Max looks quickly at his notecards.

MAX
I'm Max Fischer. I'm a former student of Rushmore Academy,
which I recently got expelled from.

Max flips to the next notecard.

MAX
This is my first time in a public school. And I know you
probably think I was born with a silverspoon in my mouth.
But I'm no elitist. I think you've got some great
facilities, and I'm really looking forward to making the
best of it over here at Grover Cleveland.

Max sighs deeply. He rubs his eyes. His Classmates have no
idea what to make of him. However, one Asian girl in the
back row is smiling faintly. She has short-cropped hair. The
spine of one of her book covers says Margaret Yang.

MAX
One footnote: I noticed you don't have a fencing team. I'm
going to start one up. Let me know if you'd like to join.
Thanks.

INT. GROVER CLEVELAND HIGH SCHOOL - DAY

The wide halls of Grover Cleveland High School are lined
with orange lockers. A banner stretched down the wall says
'Murder the Mustangs'. A bustling throng of high schoolers
rush to class.

Max walks slowly, alone, down the middle of the hall. A
blonde cheerleader-type Girl asks him:

GIRL
Why are you so dressed up?

Max looks down at his clothes. Max looks back to the girl.

MAX
Are you insane?

The girl walks off. Margaret Yang catches up to Max.

MARGARET
Max?

MAX
Yes?

MARGARET
Hi. I'm Margaret Yang. I'm in Mrs. Whitney's class. I just
wanted to tell you I liked your speech. I don't think I've
ever heard of anyone asking to give a speech in class
before.

MAX
How unfortunate.

MARGARET
The silver spoon remark might rub some people the wrong way.
But I think I know how you meant it.

MAX
Glad to hear it. Goodbye, Miss Chang.

Max ducks into the men's room. Margaret walks quietly away.

INT. GYMNASIUM - DAY

A tiny figure dressed all in white stands alone at the far
end of the huge gymnasium with a fencing oil. He lunges,
parries, and thrusts.

The basketball team suddenly floods dribbling into the
gymnasium, throwing passes and taking free throws. Max stops
fencing as they take over the room. He watches them in
silence. He shakes his head. He walks off the court.

INT. HALLWAY - DAY

Max puts a quarter in a pay phone. He is still wearing his
fencing costume.

MAX
Janet. Max Fischer. Is he in?

EXT. RUSHMORE - DAY

Mr. Blume answers on his cellular phone as he gets out of
his car and walks across the lawn at Rushmore.

We intercut the two of them.

MR BLUME
Hey, Max. How's it going over there?

MAX
Terrible. Tell me something. When you talk to Miss Cross the
other
day, did you get the feeling-

The hall monitor Mr. Holstead comes down the hall toward
Max. He is a big, sturdy man about fifty years old. He wears
a striped tie and his sleeves rolled up.

MR HOLSTEAD
(loudly) Do you have a telephone pass?

Max holds up his hand for Mr. Holstead to wait a minute. He
covers his ear so he can hear Mr. Blume.

Mr. Blume is looking in the windows of different classrooms.
Kids look out at him curiously.

MR BLUME
I got to tell you, Max. I don't know what you see in her. I
don't think she's right for you.

MAX
What's that supposed to mean?

Mr. Blume sees Miss Cross inside teaching her class. He
stares at her in a glance. He whispers:

MR BLUME
Well, she's not that beautiful. She's not that interesting.
I mean, sure, there's something about her. But I see you
with someone-

MAX
Look, Mr. Blume. Your comments are valuable, but let's get
to the point. Will she see me again? Yes or no?

MR BLUME
(pause)
No.

MAX
I'm going to go see her. Hang on.

Max looks to Mr. Holstead.

MAX
I'm talking on the telephone.

Mr. Holstead reaches over and hangs up the phone.

MAX
Come on, man. That's rude.

INT. GROVER CLEVELAND HIGH SCHOOL - DAY

Mrs. Whitney watches from her classroom window at:

Max opens a red metal door on to the empty concrete
courtyard. He looks left and right. He sneaks across the
courtyard to the bike racks, quickly unlocks his bike, and
rides away.

EXT. RUSHMORE - DAY

Max rides full speed through the gates on to the Rushmore
campus. He flips one leg off his bike and glides in toward
the bike racks standing on one pedal.

Max locks up his bike and walks across the lawn.

MAGNUS
You better beat it, laddie.

Max looks up at Magnus Buchan sitting in a tree smoking a
cigarette, hacking at a branch with a pocketknife.

MAX
I hope you fall out of that tree and get stick in the ass,
Buchan.

MAGNUS
You know, I've watched you, Fischer. Showboat, always
talking, picking a kid like Dirk cause his mother's a great
piece and then getting nowhere. Like everything you do. Big
show. No results.

MAX
And what do you call getting a hand job from Mrs. Calloway
in her Jaguar?

MAGNUS
A bloody lie.

MAX
You think I got kicked out for just the aquarium? Nah. That
ain't it. It was the hand job. And I'll tell you another
thing. It was worth it. So eat your heard out, mick. I got
business to attend to.

EXT. PARKING LOT - DAY

Miss Cross comes out the door of the lower school with a
basket of books and papers. She stops in front of her wagon
and digs in her bag for the keys.

MAX
Or do you want me to go?

MISS CROSS
(looks around, sighs)
You can talk to me.

Miss Cross goes over to him. She stops a few feet away and
they stand there in silence.

MAX
I'm sorry I embarrassed you at dinner.

MISS CROSS
That's OK.

MAX
No, it's not. And please apologize to what's his name for
me.

MISS CROSS
I will. Are you OK?

MAX
I'm fine. But I miss Rushmore. I miss the seasons. And
watching the leaves change.

MISS CROSS
But it's only three blocks away.

MAX
I know. I miss seeing you.

MISS CROSS
(pause)
I miss you, too.

Max looks off into the trees. A squirrel leaps from one
branch to another. Max smiles and shakes his head. A
crashing noise is heard from the roof of the planetarium.
Someone ducks for cover, but Max and Miss Cross don't see
him.

Max reaches into his backpack and says mysteriously:

MAX
By the way, what time does the library close? I got an
overdue book to turn in.

Max takes out the Jacques Cousteau library book and hands it
to Miss Cross. She looks at it and starts to say something
but she stops. She opens the book and looks at it in
silence.

MAX
That's your handwriting, isn't it?

Max shows her the Henry James quote. Miss Cross nods.

MAX
Not bad. Except it's probably bad form for a teacher to
write in a library book.

MISS CROSS
It wasn't a library book when I wrote in it.

MAX
What do you mean?

MISS CROSS
I gave this book to Rushmore.

Max looks puzzled. Miss Cross shows him a little card inside
the front cover of the book.

INSERT LIBRARY BOOK:

In Memory of EDWARD APPLEBY
Class of '87

MISS CROSS
My husband gave me this book in the seventh grade. And he
went to Rushmore. So when he died I put it in the library
here.

MAX
So that's who that is. Edward Appleby.
(looks to Miss Cross)
You already knew him in the seventh grade?

MISS CROSS
I knew him all my life.
(looks to Max)
You remind me of him, you know?

MAX
I do? How?

MISS CROSS
Well. Weren't you in the Rushmore Beekeepers?

MAX
(frowns)
Yeah. I was President of them.

MISS CROSS
He founded that club.

MAX
(pause)
I get your meaning. I founded a few clubs myself in my day.

An acorn falls on Max's head. He looks up. There is no one
there, but a scurrying sound is heard. Max frowns.

MAX
What was that? A squirrel?

Mr. Blume is crouched just out of view on the roof. He looks
back over his shoulder and sees a small, white-haired,
Indian GROUNDSKEEPER looking at him. The groundskeeper is
holding a rake. Mr. Blume rises slowly. He whispers:

MR. BLUME
Is this the natatorium?

The groundskeeper frowns and shakes his head.

MAX
Do you think we can be friends again, Miss Cross? In a
strictly platonic way?

MISS CROSS
Of course, I do. Do you think you can make a go of it and
settle down at Grover Cleveland?

MAX
Yeah. But I need a tutor.

MISS CROSS
I'll be your tutor.

MAX
(looking into her eyes)
You will?

Miss Cross smiles and nods.

MAX
Thank you.
(pause)
What are you doing tomorrow?

CUT TO:

Mr. Blume sitting at the desk in his office. Max yells at
him over the speakerphone:

MAX
She's taking me to a field trip!

MR. BLUME
(hesitates)
Great! You need anybody to chaperone?

MAX
You'd take time out of your business to do that?

MR. BLUME
Business schmizness.

OCTOBER MONTAGE:

Max and Miss Cross ride in the backseat of a van full of
first graders. Max is telling a story and everyone is
laughing. Mr. Blume is up front quietly driving the van. One
of the first graders sits in the passenger seat staring at
him. They go through the front gates of the zoo.

Miss Cross stands at the front of her classroom drawing a
complicated geometric proof on the chalkboard. Max sits
alone across from her nodding earnestly and taking notes.

Max and Miss Cross play doubles against Mr. Blume and Dirk
on the court in the Blume's backyard. Max coaches Miss Cross
on her backhand. Mr. Blume watches her from across the net.
Mrs. Blume watches all of them from an upstairs window.

The Grover Cleveland Science Fair. Max sits proudly in front
of his project. It is a paper mache tidal wave looming over
a little coastal village with screaming peasants.

Margaret Yang is across the aisle being photographed with a
trophy for Best of Show. Her project is called Light, Color,
Sound and Magnetism. She is staring at Max, but he doesn't
notice her.

Mrs. Whitney hands Max a geometry test. It has a C+ on it.
Max looks quickly to Mrs. Whitney, surprised. She smiles and
shakes his hand.

A huge banner for the Grover Cleveland Owls is stretched
across the endzone of the football field. Max, dressed in a
shiny blue and grey jumpsuit, bursts through the banner and
onto the field doing cartwheels and flips. The football
teams scrambles out behind him.

Max points out to different parts of the crows and yells
football cheers. Dirk is sitting in between Mr. Blume and
Miss Cross in the stands. Mr. Blume stares at Miss Cross.
Miss Cross looks back and Mr. Blume and smiles. Dirk says
significantly:

DIRK
Where's Mrs. Blume tonight, Mr. Blume?
And your sons Ronny and Donny?

MR. BLUME
I haven't the slightest idea, Dirk.

INT. GROVER CLEVELAND HIGH SCHOOL. DAY

Max burst through a doorway followed by a little ENTOURAGE
of underclassmen that includes a sophomore named WOODY.
Woody has long hair and a Led-Zepplin shirt. He is carrying
a clipboard.

They go down the hallway and quickly pass Margaret Yang. She
is very nicely dressed in a grey turtleneck.

MARGARET
Hi, Max.

MAX
Hi.

Max keeps walking.

He stops. He turns back to Margaret Yang. He looks her up
and down. She is slightly uneasy. Max looks to Woody. Woody
shrugs. Max looks back to Margaret.

MAX
What was your name again?

MARGARET
Margaret Yang.

MAX
Are you free seventh period?

MARGARET
Well, I'm supposed to have guitar lessons.

MAX
(pause) Classical?

MARGARET
Rock.

MAX
You can get out of it.
(to Woody)
put Margaret down for 3:30 in the auditorium, Woody.

Max turns away and walks briskly down the hall with his
entourage. He calls back to Margaret:

MAX
And bring a headshot.

EXT. MISS CROSS' HOUSE. DAY

A nice two story house with a wide lawn and lots of trees.
Mr. Blume knocks on the front door and waits nervously. He
looks around the yard with his hands in his pockets.

The door opens. Miss Cross is holding a plate of sliced
carrots. She looks at Mr. Blume curiously and smiles.

MISS CROSS
Hi, Herman.

MR. BLUME
How are you, Rosemary?

MISS CROSS
Fine, thanks. I just got home and I'm having a little snack.

MR. BLUME
Having some carrots.

Miss Cross nods. Mr. Blume looks up at the house.

MR. BLUME
Nice house.

MISS CROSS
Yeah, This isn't mine. I'm' just kind of housesitting.
(pause)
Were you in the neighborhood?

Mr. Blume nods. There is an awkward silence.

MR. BLUME
Didn't Max have anything planned for us today? A trip to the
museum or something?

MISS CROSS
Did he? I thought he was rehearsing this evening.

MR. BLUME
Oh. That's right. His new play. He's going to be in this
one, isn't he?

Miss Cross nods. Mr. Blume shakes his head.

MR. BLUME
He's really making a go of it over at Grover Cleveland.

MISS CROSS
I think he's on track. It's nice, isn't it?

Mr. Blume nods. Silence.

MISS CROSS
You want a carrot?

MR. BLUME
Yeah. I'll have one of those.

Mr. Blume takes one of the carrots and has a bite of it.
Miss Cross watches him chewing. She smiles slightly.

MR. BLUME
Well. Max had said something about us all going to the
horseraces, so I'm sure I'll see you soon.

Miss Cross nods. Mr. Blume takes another bite of his carrot
and throws the rest of it into the yard. Miss Cross laughs.
Mr. Blume smiles and shrugs. He starts to go.

MISS CROSS
Or we could go for a walk, if you want.

Mr. Blume stops and turns around quickly.

MR. BLUME
Sure.

MISS CROSS
It's nice out, don't you think?
Kind of brisk.

Mr. Blume nods.

MISS CROSS
Let me get a sweater. I'll be right back.

She goes inside. Mr. Blume stands alone on the doorstep. He
rubs his hands together to warm-up.

INT. MUSEUM. DAY

A class of Rushmore FOURTH GRADERS file past a big painting
of a ship caught in a storm and disappear into the next
room. One of them immediately comes back and looks around
the corner. It is Dirk. He has seen something:

Miss Cross and Mr. Blume are sitting on a bench in front of
a Rembrandt. They are holding hands.

Dirk narrows his eyes.

EXT. RUSHMORE. DAY

Mr. Blume is parked at the curb, staring off into space.
Ronny and Donny jump into the car and slam the doors.

RONNY
Let's go.

Mr. Blume automatically puts the car in gear. He slams on
the brakes. Dirk is standing in front of the car, blocking
them. He stares at Mr. Blume. Mr. Blume rolls down his
window.

MR. BLUME
Dirk?

Dirk does not budge. Mr. Blume gets out of the car and
leaves it idling. He closes the door.

MR. BLUME
Dirk? What's wrong?

DIRK
I know about you and the teacher.

Silence. Mr. Blume looks very worried.

MR. BLUME
Does Max know?

DIRK
No. And I don't want him to know. I just want it to stop.
Right now.

They stare at each other.

DIRK
You're a married man, Blume. And you're supposed to be his
friend.

MR. BLUME
Look, Dirk. I am his friend -

DIRK
Yeah. And with friends like you, who needs friends?

Dirk turns and walks off. Mr. Blume looks puzzled.

MR. BLUME
Jesus Christ.

Mr. Blume sighs. He turns around and tries to open the car
door. Ronny and Donny have locked him out of the car. He can
see them inside laughing. He says fiercely:

MR. BLUME
Unlock it!

CUT TO:

Dirk walking across the lawn with a hard look on his face.
He walks past Magnus Buchan. Magnus is throwing Chinese
throwing stars at a tree trunk.

MAGNUS
Little Calloway

Dirk stops and looks to Magnus.

MAGNUS
You're standing up for the wrong bloke. Fischer ain't your
mate.

DIRK
(angry) What are you talking about, Buchan?

MAGNUS
(shrugs)
He thinks your mum's good for a bonk. That's why he picked
you as his chapel partner.

Dirk looks deeply wounded. But he doesn't want to believe
it:

DIRK
Who sold you that crock?

MAGNUS
He told me himself. He says she gave him a hand job in the
backseat of her bloody Jaguar.

DIRK
Max would never say that.

MAGNUS
(smiles) Yeah. You're probably right. After all, the son of
a brain doctor doesn't need to impress anybody.

Buchan laughs wickedly and fires off another throwing star.

INT. GROVE CLEVELAND HIGH SCHOOL. NIGHT

The school auditorium . Max is onstage dressed as a South
Central lowrider called Little Juan. He is opposite a senior
named 40 OUNCE and Margaret Yang, who plays Blue Eyes. While
they are rehearsing the scene a MESSENGER comes in with an
envelope for Max.

LITTLE JUAN
The killing has got to stop, esse. It's getting too loco. No
more gats.

40 OUNCE
Nigger, you're the crazy one. Motherfuckers be wanting to
kill you. Are you talking about getting rid of your gun?

LITTLE JUAN
It's time, homey.

BLUE EYES
Kiss me, Little Juan.

MAX
(suddenly out of character)
Then he kisses her and we're out. OK.
(pointing to the messenger)
Is that for me?

The messenger gives Max the envelope. Max opens it.

INSERT LETTER:

Written neatly in blue crayon on paper torn from a spiral
notebook. Dirk reads in VOICEOVER dripping with sarcasm.

Dear Max,

	I'm sorry to say that I have secretly found out that Mr.
Blume is having an affair with Miss Cross. My first
suspicions came when I saw them frenching at the museum, and
then I knew for sure when they went skinny dipping in Mr.
Blume's swimming pool, giving each other hand jobs while you
were taking a nap on the front porch. Why am I telling you
this now? Because you're such a good friend. Take care, pal.

						Fondly,

							Dirk Calloway

EXT. MISS CROSS' HOUSE. NIGHT

Mr. Blume puts on his jacket as he walks down the front path
from Miss Cross' house. He gets in his Bentley and starts
the engine. He looks in the rearview mirror and sees the
glowing red tip of a cigarette. He wheels around fast.

Max is sitting in the backseat smoking a cigarette.

BLUME
Max!

MAX
How was she, Herman?

BLUME
Jesus Christ!

MAX
Was she good? I bet she was. Although I wouldn't know cause
I never screwed her.

Blume flicks on the lights. Max has tears all over his face.

MAX
(with bitter contempt)
Going skinny-dipping while I took a nap. Are you
comfortable, Max? I'll just be out nude getting hand jobs
from the woman you love.

MR. BLUME
(frowns)
We never went skipping dipping.

MAX
Sure, you didn't. And next you're going to tell me you
didn't just walk out of her house at two o'clock in the
morning.

MR. BLUME
(pause)
I'm in love with her.

MAX
Well, I was in love with her first. And all that crap about,
I don't think she's that great, I don't think she's right
for you, Max. That was all bullshit, wasn't it?

Silence.

MAX
Do you think she's in love with you?

MR. BLUME
I don't know.

MAX
Well, I guarantee you she's not.
And she never will be.

MR. BLUME
Look, Max -

MAX
I saved Latin!

Max glares at Mr. Blume. He shakes his head.

MAX
What'd you ever do?

INT. CLASSROOM. DAY

Miss Cross' class. A little boy named BENJAMIN reads his
story in front of the class. Miss Cross sits in a chair at
the back. Max appears in the doorway.

BENJAMIN
On the planet I'm from the sun only comes out once a year.
That is -

Max coughs loudly. Miss Cross turns around. Max motions to
her. She holds up her index finger for him to wait.

BENJAMIN
That is why my skin is the color of a cloud, said the old -

MAX
(loudly) I just came by to thank you for wrecking my life.

Max slams the door.

Max stands alone smoking a cigarette in front of a pile of
leaves. A LAWN CREW is raking in the background.

Max strikes a match, throws it on the leaves, and watches
sadly as the leaves burn and smoke rises black into the
crisp autumn air. He takes off his Rushmore blazer and
throws it on the fire. He looks up at the sky and says
quietly:

MAX
Sic transit gloria, Mr. Blume.
Sic transit gloria.

EXT. PARK. DAY

A cold day. Dry leaves fall from the trees in the park.

Mr. Blume comes down the path to Max sitting alone on a
bench. Max is dressed in blue jeans, a plaid shirt, a ski
cap, and huge down parka. Mrs. Blume is wearing a topcoat
and gloves. Max stands up to shake hands with her.

MAX
Thank you for meeting me.

MRS. BLUME
(coldly) You're welcome.

MAX
Would you like a sandwich?

Silence. Mrs. Blume looks around the park.

MRS. BLUME
All right.

She sits down. Max takes two sandwiches out of his backpack.

MAX
I have tuna fish and I have peanut butter and jelly. I'm
sorry it's not something more exotic.

MRS. BLUME
I'll take the tuna fish.

Max gives her the tuna fish sandwich.

MAX
Milk or apple juice?

Max holds out the two drinks. Mrs. Blume just stares at him.

MAX
You want me to cut to the chase?

Silence. Max puts down his sandwich and gathers his
thoughts.

MAX
OK. As you know, Mr. Blume and I used to be friends.

MRS. BLUME
I have no idea what the relationship is between you and
Herman. Honestly, I find it very bizarre.

MAX
(taken aback)
What do you mean to imply?

MRS. BLUME
I'm not implying anything. You make a very strange couple.
It's too bad Herman doesn't have that kind of affection for
his own children.

MAX
Well, I'm sure he does.

MRS. BLUME
No, he doesn't.

MAX
I know you don't really mean that.

MRS. BLUME
(angry) Of course, I do.

MAX
From his perspective it's -

MRS. BLUME
Why did you call me?

MAX
That's what I'm trying to tell you.

MRS. BLUME
(icily) Please. Get to the point.

MAX
Gladly. Your husband's fucking a schoolteacher, pardon my
French. I thought you should know.

Silence.

MRS. BLUME
Why are you telling me this? Are you trying to hurt Mr.
Blume? Or are you trying to hurt me?

MAX
I have no reason to want to hurt you.

MRS. BLUME
Then you're trying to hurt Herman.

MAX
That's correct.

INT. THE BILBY-FLICKENGER HOTEL. NIGHT

The vast lobby of the Bilby-Flickenger. Mr. Blume is leaning
against the counter at the front desk. His luggage fills up
two carts behind him. A faint smile plays across his lips as
he stares off into space. The CONCIERGE is checking him in.

CONCIERGE
And how long will you be staying with us, Mr. Blume?

MR. BLUME
Indefinitely. I'm getting a divorce.

CONCIERGE
(typing away) Very good, sir.

Mr. Blume yells to the BELLMAN.

MR. BLUME
Yo!

The bellman looks up. Mr. Blume waves. The bellman waves
back. The concierge gives Mr. Blume his room key.

CONCIERGE
Here you are Mr. Blume. Charles will show you to your room.

MR. BLUME
Wonderful. Where's the pool, by the way? I might want to
take a dip before dinner.

CONCIERGE
It's on the roof, sir.

MR. BLUME
Terrific!

Mr. Blume gets on the elevator with the bellman. The bellman
looks at him and smiles.

BELLMAN
You certainly seem happy today, sir.

MR. BLUME
You bet your little ass I am, shorty. I lost my family. But
I gained a woman I love.

BELLMAN
Not a bad tradeoff.

INT. HOTEL ROOM. DAY

The living room of Mr. Blume's suite. Mr. Blume is dressed
in a bathrobe with the Bilbly-Flickenger stitched on the
pocket. He sits at his table having breakfast and reading
the newspaper. There is a little basket in front of him with
a jar of hone in it. A note attached to the jar says, "Enjoy
your stay."

A little bug flies around Mr. Blume's head. He swats it away
and keeps reading.

Two more bugs come buzzing around him. Mr. Blume looks up
and frowns. They're bees. Mr. Blume slaps at his neck and
jumps to his feet as he gets stung.

Mr. BLUME
Shit!

Bees are circling all over the room. Mr. Blume looks around
frantically. He sees something at the bottom of the front
door. It is a little plastic tube with bees crawling out of
it and taking off.

INT. BASEMENT. DAY

Max comes out of the freight elevator wearing a red room
service jacket with the Bilby-Flickenger stitched on the
pocket. He has a wooden box with Rushmore Beekeepers
stenciled on it. Max throws the jacket in a laundry cart and
goes out the back door.

EXT. GROVER CLEVELAND HIGH SCHOOL. DAY

Mr. Blume gets out of his car in the driveway at Grover
Cleveland. He opens the trunk and takes out a set of steel
cable cutters. He goes over to the bike racks and cuts the
lock off Max's ten-speed.

Mr. Blume lays the bicycle on the ground in front of his car
and runs over it. Then he throws the car in reverse and goes
over it again. He picks up the destroyed bicycle and takes
it back to the bike racks and wraps the lock back around it.

The small Indian groundskeeper we saw earlier on the roof is
driving by in a Volkswagen Beetle. He frowns at Mr. Blume.
Mr. Blume hurries back to his car.

EXT. BLUME INTERNATIONAL CONCRETE. DAY

The front gates of the concrete plant. Max rides up on an
old grandmothers' bicycle with fenders and a handlebar
basket. He's got a black duffel bag strapped to his back.

Max waves to the SECURITY GUARD. The guard waves back:

Max rides onto the lot and pulls over next to Mr. Blume's
Bentley. He leans his bike against the car door. He unzips
his duffel bag and slides underneath the car.

EXT. RUSHMORE. DAY

Mr. Blume pulls into the driveway to pick-up the twins from
school. There is a lot of traffic and kids are running
around everywhere. Mr. Blume taps the brakes. Nothing
happens. He flies toward the back of a parked station wagon.

He jerks the steering wheel and bounces up onto the
sidewalk. The car pops through a wooden fence and rolls
across the grass into the quadrangle.

The Indian groundskeeper is raking leaves as the car goes
past him. He watches as it crunches over some bushes and
scrapes against a stone wall. It rolls to a stop in the
middle of the quad.

Mr. Blume gets out of the car and looks at the damage. He
looks over at the white-haired Indian groundskeeper.

The groundskeeper goes back to raking.

EXT. PARKING LOT. DAY

Kids watch from classrooms up and down the hall as Max is
escorted away in handcuffs by the POLICE. Max has a hardened
expression on his face.

INT. POLICE STATION. DAY

The county lock-up. Mr. Fischer watches through bulletproof
glass as Max walks down a long, lonely corridor.

The door buzzes open. Max comes into the waiting room.

MAX
Thanks for bailing me out, Dad. Can you drop me off at
Rushmore? I got to go settle a score.

MR. FISCHER
(hesitates)
You think that's wise, Max?

MAX
(angry) Dad. Please. Stay out of it.

EXT. RUSHMORE. DAY

Max walks into the quadrangle with cold expression on his
face. It is Halloween and there is a jack-o-lantern on the
steps. Lots of kids are dressed in costumes.

Suddenly, Max is being pelted with rocks. He looks around
frantically and sees Dirk and a longhaired kid named TOMMY
STALLINGS as they set upon him.

Dirk is dressed as a sorcerer. Tommy has on a karate outfit
with a black belt. Max runs for cover behind some bushes.

MAX
What are you doing? Are you crazy?

DIRK
You're trespassing! This is private property!

More rocks sail past Max. A pinecone hits him on the head.

MAX
Wait a minute! Stop!

Max raises his hands in the air. Dirk motions for Tommy to
hold his fire. Max slowly stands up.

MAX
Let's have a truce for a second. I want to talk.

They meet out in the open. Tommy follows with a rock in each
hand. Silence.

MAX
What's this all about?

Dirk stares at Max or along minute.

DIRK
Did you say my mother gave you a hand job?

MAX
(shocked) What?

DIRK
(steely) Did you say it?

MAX
Who told you that goddamn lie?

Silence.

MAX
Never mind. I know who said it. And I'm going to stick a
knife in his heart. And I'm going to send him back to
Ireland in a bodybag.

TOMMY
He's from Scotland.

MAX
Well, tell that stupid mick he just made my list of things
to do today. I'm going to pop a cap in his ass.

INT. TEAROOM. DAY

A little salon with Persian rugs. There is a fire in the
fireplace and a harpsichord plays softly on the radio. Dr.
Guggenheim is sitting at a little table having tea with Max.

Dr. Guggenheim has several bottles of prescription medicine
in front of him and a blanket wrapped around him like a
shawl. He stares at Max stonily. There is a manila envelope
on the table in between them.

MAX
Did you receive the package?

Dr. Guggenheim motions to the envelope. Max nods.

MAX
Good. I just wanted to inform you about what's going on.

Dr. Guggenheim stares at Max with contempt.

DR. GUGGENHEIM
I never took you for an informer, Max.

MAX
(frowns)
What's that suppose to mean?

Silence. Max reaches out to take the envelope. Dr.
Guggenheim slams his hand on it and leans across the table
at Max.

DR. GUGGENHEIM
(fiercely) She resigned this morning.
Before I even got your little snapshots. So your latest
attempt at sabotage has backfired.

MAX
(pause) But she's one of the best teachers you've got.
(yelling) How could you let her resign?

DR. GUGGENHEIM
Why are you trying to get her fired?

MAX
You stupid old fool! I'm trying to win her back!

Dr. Guggenheim starts coughing and turning red. He knocks
the envelope off the table and the pictures spill out all
over the floor.

INSERT PHOTOGRAPHS ON THE FLOOR:

They're of Mr. Blume and Miss Cross kissing in the window of
a Chinese restaurant.

INT. MISS CROSS' CLASSROOM. DAY

A crew of MOVERS is rolling one of Miss Cross' aquarium out
of the classroom on a dolly as Max comes to the door. Miss
Cross is on the other side of the classroom taking down a
map from the wall. Her books and papers are stacked in
boxes.

Max watches her in silence for a minute before saying:

MAX
Miss Cross?

She turns around to look at Max. Silence.

MISS CROSS
Hi, Max.

MAX
You need any help?

MISS CROSS
No. I have it.

She pricks her finger and holds it to her mouth.

MISS CROSS
Dammit.

Max starts to go in the room to help her.

MAX
Here. Let me see.

MISS CROSS
No. Please, don't come in here. Look. I'm sorry I hurt you.
I'm sorry I love your friend instead of you. But just.
Please, Max.

Miss Cross has tears in her eyes. Max goes slowly toward
her.

MAX
You honestly believe you love Blume instead of me?

MISS CROSS
Yes.

MAX
You'll forgive me if I won't take your word for that.

MISS CROSS
Stop. If you don't stop with that ping-pong talk, I'm going
to lose it. Do you understand me?

Max takes Miss Cross' hand and kisses it. She pulls her and
away. Max tries to embrace her. They struggle and Miss Cross
overpowers Max. She holds his arms behind his back.

MAX
Let me go!

Max struggles some more. Miss Cross pushes him hard across
the room. Max smashes into some chairs and knocks over a
desk. He yells at her:

MAX
I got kicked out because of you!

MISS CROSS
You got kicked out because -

MAX
Rushmore was my life. Now you are!

MISS CROSS
That's bullshit!

Silence.

MISS CROSS
What do you really think is going to happen between us? You
think we're going to have sex?

Max looks shocked.

MAX
That's kind of a cheap way to put it, don't you think?

MISS CROSS
(pause)Not if you've never fucked before, it isn't.

MAX
(stunned) Oh, my God.

MISS CROSS
How would you put it to your friends? Do you want to finger
me? Or maybe I could give you a hand job in the back of a
Jaguar. Would that put an end to all of this?

Miss Cross moves towards Max with her hand outstretched. Max
retreats backwards, banging into desks and chairs. Miss
Cross stops.

MISS CROSS
Please. Get out of my room.

Max walks out of the room and stands in the doorway.

Miss Cross turns away and goes back to taking down her maps
from the wall. Max watches her for a minute.

Max leaves.

EXT. QUADRANLGE. DAY

Max comes out the door of the lower school in a daze. Magnus
Buchan is sitting on a bench eating some candy. He is
wearing the uniform of the Green Beret. He sees Max and
laughs.

MAGNUS
Fischer, ya spotty fucker!

MAX
Hello, Magnus.

MAGNUS
Got any hand jobs lately?

MAX
No, I haven't.

Dirk appears with some of his friends.

MAGNUS
Hey, Dirk! Look who's here. Your stepfather! Waitin' for
your mum so he can get a piece.

Dirk is very embarrassed. He frowns and looks at the ground.
Max stares at Magnus with bitter contempt.

MAX
Your mind is as warped as your ear, Buchan.

MAGNUS
(standing up)
Don't get nasty, brother.

Max breaks into a sprint straight at Magnus.

Magnus draws back and nails Max in the cheek. Max goes down
but gets right back up. They throw a flurry of punches at
each other's faces. Some kids come running over to watch.

Max tackles Magnus around the legs. Magnus throws a hard
punch straight down at the top of Max's head. Max goes limp
and collapses to the ground.

CUT TO:

Max's eyes opening. He is lying his back in a pile of
leaves. A bunch of little kids have circled around him.

Max's nose bleeds profusely. One of his eyes is swollen
shut. He's got several smaller cuts all over his face. His
shirt is torn more or less in half. He looks up at Dirk
standing over him. He lifts up his hand to Dirk.

MAX
We got him, Dirk. We got him.

But Dirk does not take Max's hand. He turns away.

EXT. CEMENTARY. DAY

Mr. Blume spots Max sitting Indian-style at the foot of his
mother's grave on a cold grey day. The simple epitaph reads:
Eloise Fischer, beloved wife of Bert and mother of Max.
Written below it says: the paths of glory lead but to the
grave. Mr. Blume approaches warily.

MR. BLUME
Max?

Max looks up. There is quite a sadness about him and his
voice has lost all feeling of possibility.

MAX
Hi, Mr. Blume.

Mr. Blume stands there in silence.

MR. BLUME
You wanted to meet?

MAX
When?

MR. BLUME
Right now. You said you wanted to meet to put an end to this
nonsense.

MAX
Oh. Yeah. I was going to try and have that oak tree fall on
you.

Max jerks him thumb over his shoulder. Mr. Blume looks at a
massive oak tree hanging precariously by the roots.

MR. BLUME
That big one? That would have really pancaked me.
(pause)
What stopped you?

MAX
(shrugs)
What's the use? She loves you.

Max gets up. They look at each other in silence.

MAX
So long Mr. Blume.

Max starts to walk away. Mr. Blume calls after him.

MR. BLUME
She's my Rushmore, Max.

MAX
(without stopping)
Yeah, I know. She was mine, too.

Max leaves the cemetery. Mr. Blume stands alone. He goes
over to the tree and taps it. It comes crashing down.

TITLE:
November.

THANKSGIVING MONTAGE:

Max walks down the street with his lunch in a brown paper
bag. He goes into the barbershop. He nods hello to his
father and puts on a white barber's jacket. He has a blank,
hollow expression on his face.

Max gives an old man a haircut while the old man reads the
paper. Max gives another old man a shave. Man combs another
old man's hair and holds up a mirror so he can see the back.

Dirk rides past the barbershop on his little French
three-speed. He circles back and looks at Max take the trash
out to the dumpster. Max doesn't see him. Dirk pedals away.

Margaret knocks on the front door of the Fischers' house.
Mr. Fischer opens the door. He and Margaret talk for a
minute. Mr. Fischer shakes his sadly. Margaret nods.

Mr. Fischer closes the door as Margaret walks out to the
sidewalk. She looks back at the house. Max is sitting on the
window, staring off into space. Margaret hesitates. She goes
across the yard to the window.

She taps on the glass. Max looks out to her. She waves to
him. Max closes the curtains.

Margaret turns away sadly and walks off down the sidewalk.

Max and Mr. Fischer sit in front of the TV having TV
Thanksgiving dinners as they watch a football game. Mr.
Fischer looks at Max. Max stares at the television set.

TITLE:
December.

INT. BARBERSHOP. EVENING

There is a wreath on the door and some blinking lights are
strung-up. The last customer of the day comes out and walks
away through the snow. Mr. Fischer is putting on his sweater
while Max washes some combs and scissors in the sink.

MR. FISCHER
It's been nice having your company here at the shop, Max.

Max nods.

MR. FISCHER
Have you put anymore thought into giving school another
shot?

Max shakes his head. Mr. Fischer puts on a hunting cap with
earflaps and a down parka. He zips it up. Pause.

MR. FISCHER
Max, I like being a barber. I'm good at it and I enjoy it.
But I always thought you'd try a different line of work.

MAX
Like what?

MR. FISCHER
I don't know. You talked about being a diplomat. Or a
senator.

MAX
Pipe dreams Dad. Nothing but pipe dreams. I'm a barber's
son.

Max turns on the radio and goes back into washing the combs
and scissors. Mr. Fischer sighs. He puts on his gloves. He
goes out the door.

Max flips the sign on the door from open to closed. He takes
off his barber's jacket and hangs it on the coatrack. He
goes into the back room.

He comes back into the room carrying a broom. He stops.

Dirk is sitting in one of the barber's chairs across the
room. Silence. Max starts sweeping the floor.

MAX
(not looking at him)
Hello, Dirk.

DIRK
Hi, Max.

MAX
What can I do for you?

DIRK
I thought I might get a haircut.

MAX
We're closed.

Dirk nods. Max keeps sweeping.

DIRK
Well, I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry I threw rocks at
you the other day.
(getting up) But I guess I'll go now.

Dirk sets a little gift-wrapped present on the counter.

DIRK
Merry Christmas.

MAX
Max stops sweeping and looks over at Dirk.

MAX
What in the hell is that?

Dirk shrugs. Max goes over to the counter and picks up the
present. He unwraps it. It is a Swiss Army Knife with an
inscription on it.

INSERT SWISS ARMY KNIFE:
Max Fischer
Rushmore Yankee
1985-1997

Max looks at the knife for a minute. He says wearily:

MAX
OK. Sit down.

Dirk sits back down in the barber's chair. Max puts his
white jacket back on and starts giving Dirk a haircut. There
is just a sound of scissors snipping for a minute.

DIRK
Have you heard the news?

MAX
I doubt it. I don't really follow the news anymore.

DIRK
Dr. Guggenheim had a stroke.

MAX
I'll send him a box of candy.

DIRK
Maybe you ought to go visit him.

Max stops snipping. Pause.

MAX
No, thanks.

Max starts snipping again.

EXT. BARBERSHOP. EVENING

Dirk comes out of the barbershop in a terrible haircut. He
waves to Max and rides off in his three-speed.

INT. BARBERSHOP. EVENING

Max waves back to Dirk. He reaches into the cooler and takes
out a bottle of Schlitz. He pops it open with the bottle
opener on the Swiss Army Knife. He drinks a sip and looks
out into the lightly falling snow. He says quietly to
himself:

MAX
I always thought I'd be the one to give him a stroke.

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM. NIGHT

Dr. Guggenheim is in his hospital bed with his eyes
half-shut and a bunch of plastic tubes sticking out of him.
Mrs. Guggenheim sits in a chair at the foot of the bed
reading a biography on Churchill. She looks exhausted.

Max appears in the open doorway. He has a bouquet of violets
in his hand. He knocks.

MAX
Mrs. Guggenheim?

Mrs. Guggenheim looks up. Her face brightens and she goes to
greet Max.

MRS. GUGGENHEIM
Hello, Max. How are you?

MAX
(desolate)
Fine, thanks.

Max starts to shake hands, but Mrs. Guggenheim hugs him and
kisses him on the cheek. Max is caught a little offguard by
this. There is lipstick on his cheek.

MRS. GUGGENHEIM
These are glorious. Let me put them in some water. Sit down.

She takes the flowers and points to a chair beside the bed.
Max sits down and stares at Dr. Guggenheim while Mrs.
Guggenheim puts the violets in a vase.

MAX
Should I say hello to Dr. Guggenheim? Or can he not hear
anything?

MRS. GUGGENHEIM
Oh, no. He can hear you.

MAX
OK.
(sadly)
Hello, old timer. It's Max Fischer. I was just thing about
you the other day. And Rushmore. And I -

Dr. Guggenheim's eyes suddenly open. Max is taken aback. Dr.
Guggenheim looks at Max suspiciously and whispers:

DR. GUGGENHEIM
What do you want?

Mrs. Guggenheim looks up quickly. Max hesitates.

MAX
I just came to pay my respects.

DR. GUGGENHEIM
(frowns) No, you didn't. You don't respect anybody.

Dr. Guggenheim tries to spit at Max, but his mouth is too
dry. Mrs. Guggenheim comes over to him.

MRS. GUGGENHEIM
Nelson?

Dr. Guggenheim mutters deliriously.

DR. GUGGENHEIM
Dammit. Goddammit.

Mrs. Guggenheim takes Dr. Guggenheim's hand and holds it. He
calms down. His eyes close and he relaxes. Silence.

Mrs. Guggenheim looks to Max.

MRS. GUGGENHEIM
That's the first thing he's said in ten days.

MAX
You think he recognized me?

MRS. GUGGENHEIM
I'm not sure.

CUT TO:

Dirk hidden in the bushes across the street from the
hospital. He checks his watch. He raises his binoculars to
his eyes and looks on mysteriously as:

Mr. Blume pulls into the parking lot in his Bentley.

INSERT NOTEBOOK:

5:25 Fischer arrives via old woman's bicycle.
5:47 Blume arrives via black Bentley.

INT. ELEVATOR. NIGHT

Max rides down in the elevator with a NURSE and a wheezing
OLD WOMAN in a wheelchair. The doors open in the lobby and
Max waits while the nurse wheels out the old woman.

Then he sees Mr. Blume in front of him, waiting for the
elevator. He has a bouquet of carnations in one hand and a
diet Coke in the other. He has a black eye under his
sunglasses. He is very disheveled.

MR. BLUME
Hey, amigo.

MAX
You look horrible.

MR. BLUME
You don't look too great yourself. Good to see you.

MAX
You here to see Guggenheim?

MR. BLUME
Yeah. Your partner told me he was under the weather.

MAX
(frowns) What partner?

Silence. Mr. Blume shrugs.

MR. BLUME
OK. If you want to play it that way. You getting off?

MAX
I'll ride up with you.

MR. BLUME
(getting on) Suit yourself.

Mr. Blume presses the button for the 14th floor. The doors
close and they go up. Mr. Blume takes out the little airline
bottle of vodka and pours some into his diet Coke. He swirls
it around and drinks a sip.

MAX
Who gave you the shiner?

MR. BLUME
Honestly? I don't actually know. It was either Ronny or
Donny. But I can't tell the difference anymore.

MAX
Well, he really clocked you.

MR. BLUME
Yeah? Well, kids don't like their parents to get divorced.

MAX
I don't blame them.

MR. BLUME
Me, either.

Silence.

MAX
How is she?

MR. BLUME
I wouldn't know.

MAX
Why not?

MR. BLUME
Because I haven't seen her in six weeks.

MAX
(frowns) What happened?

Mr. Blume shrugs.

MAX
She left you?

Mr. Blume nods.

MAX
How come? I thought she loved you.

MR. BLUME
So did I. I guess maybe I am too old for her after all.

MAX
(sadly) Maybe so. Maybe so.

MR. BLUME
She's still in love with the dead guy, anyway.

MAX
You mean Edward Appleby.

MR. BLUME
Oh, yeah. She's fucked up.

Mr. Blume lights a new cigarette. Max points to Mr. Blume's
first cigarette, balanced on the handrail.

MAX
You've already got one going, Mr. Blume.

Mr. Blume picks up his first cigarette and puts it in the
opposite corner of his mouth from the second. He smiles at
Max through the smoke. They get off to the 14th floor and
the doors open.

MR. BLUME
Adios, amigo.

Max waves good-bye. But Mr. Blume does not get off the
elevator. He bends over and puts his hands on his knees and
takes a series of deep breaths. The door starts to close. He
reaches out and holds them open. Max looks concerned.

MAX
Are you OK?

Mr. Blume looks up at Max. He laughs and shakes his head.

MR. BLUME
I'm kind of lonely these days.

Mr. Blume sighs. He gets off the elevator. The doors close
behind him as Max watches him walk down the hall.

CUT TO DIRK'S BINOCULARS:

Max comes out of the hospital and stands quietly in the cold
for a minute. He gets on his mother's old bicycle. He rides
off down the street.

EXT. THE FISCHERS' HOUSE. DAY

Max opens the Fischer's garage door. His smashed-up
ten-speed hangs from a peg on the wall. He takes is down and
carries it out off the garage.

INT. MISS CROSS' HOUSE. NIGHT

Miss Cross is sitting up in her bed reading Treasure Island
and listening to the radio. She is wearing pale blue
pajamas. There is a knock on her windowpane. She looks up.

She hears someone trying to open the window. She gets up and
pulls open the blinds. Max is outside on the roof wearing
his parka and ski cap in the falling snow. He waves.

MISS CROSS
Max!

Miss Cross opens the window.

MISS CROSS
What are you doing here?

MAX
(dazed)
I don't know. Jesus. They came at me out of no where. It was
-

MISS CROSS
What?

MAX
So sudden. I just -
(pause)
I'm sorry. Can I use your phone? I just got hit by a car.

Max points down at his destroyed ten-speed in the street
under a street lamp. Parts are scattered all around it.

MISS CROSS
Oh, my God. Are you OK?

MAX
(disoriented) What?

Miss Cross notices a little cut over Max's eye. She lifts up
the front of Max's ski cap. There is blood all over his
forehead. She looks shocked.

MISS CROSS
Come inside.

MAX
(climbing in) Thank you.

Max goes to Miss Cross' bed. He lies down and stares at the
ceiling.

Miss Cross goes into the bathroom. She puts on a white
bathrobe and gets some cotton balls and hydrogen peroxide
out of the medicine cabinet.

Max looks around the room.

MAX
So this is where it all happens?

MISS CROSS
(from the bathroom)
All what happens?

MAX
I wouldn't know.

Miss Cross comes back into the bedroom.

MAX
Why'd you dump Blume?

Miss Cross stops. Pause.

MISS CROSS
That's none of your business.

MAX
I know it's not. But I'm a little confused right now. I
mean. I thought you dumped me for Blume. Then I hear -

MISS CROSS
I never dumped you because we were never going out.

MAX
But it doesn't make any sense. I -

MISS CROSS
Well, I am confused, too. But why don't we just deal with
getting you -

MAX
Because it would help me if you would talk to me for a
minute. And tell me what happened.

Silence.

MISS CROSS
OK.
(pause)
Well. A. He's a married man.
And B. He hates himself.
I mean. He smashed your bicycle, didn't he?

MAX
(pause) My previous bicycle. Yes.

MISS CROSS
Well, what kind of person does something like that?

MAX
I don't know.
(pause)
War does funny things to men.

Silence. Miss Cross sits down in a rocking chair beside the
bed. She opens the bottle of hydrogen peroxide.

MAX
He thinks you dumped him because of Edward Appleby.

MISS CROSS
What does that mean?

MAX
I don't know. I mean. You live in this room.

Max looks around the room. There are trophies and ribbons, a
chemistry set, a poster from the Olympics, three large fish
tanks, a picture of Jacques Cousteau, and some model planes
in dogfights hanging from the ceiling.

MAX
With all his stuff. It's kind of --

MISS CROSS
I was married to him.

MAX
(pause) I know you were.

Silence.

MISS CROSS
Although I will say Edward has more spark and character and
imagination in one fingernail than Herman Blume has in his
entire body.

MAX
One dead fingernail.

Miss Cross fixes Max with a hard stare.

MISS CROSS
Right. One dead fingernail.

Silence.

MAX
How'd he die?

MISS CROSS
He drowned.
(pause)
How'd your mother die?

MAX
She got cancer.

Miss Cross nods. She sighs.

MISS CROSS
Lie still for a minute, OK?

MAX
OK.

Miss Cross pushes Max's hair back with her hand. She looks
at him for a minute. She touches the blood on his forehead
with a cotton ball. She stops.

MISS CROSS
Is this fake blood?

MAX
(pause)
Yes, it is.

MISS CROSS
You know, you and Herman deserve each other. You're little
children. Let me show you to the door.

Max gets up and goes over to the window. He climbs out onto
the roof. He looks back to Miss Cross.

MAX
That wasn't a very satisfying conversation.

Miss Cross shrugs. Silence.

MAX
All right. Goodbye, Miss Cross.

MISS CROSS
Goodbye, Max.

Max disappears into the darkness.

EXT. FROZEN POND. DAY

A few ICE SKATERS race around and do figure-8's on the
little frozen pond at the edge of town. Dirk is sitting on
his tackle box, fishing from a hole in the ice. He stomps
his feet, and even with his mittens on he has to blow into
his hands to keep warm.

Max sits with his bare hands resting on the ice.

MAX
People hate me.

DIRK
That's not true.

MAX
Guggenheim tried to spit on me.
Poor old guy couldn't even spit.
And Blume and Cross?
(shakes his head)
They can't stand me.
I ruined their whole relationship.

Dirk looks down at Max's red hands.

DIRK
You should put your mittens on.

MAX
(absently)
Oh. They're already numb. I'm surprised you don't spit on
me, Dirk.

DIRK
You're my friend, Max.

Tear's starts streaming down Max's face. Dirk looks worried.

MAX
I'm sorry about what I said about your mother giving me a
hand job. I just --

DIRK
I know, Max. Listen. I'm sorry I didn't take your hand when
Buchan kicked your ass.

MAX
(pause)
I got a few licks in. At the very least, he'll think twice
about spreading that kind of garbage.

DIRK
You should stand up.

MAX
I'm awfully comfortable.

Silence. One of the skaters begins to circle around Max and
Dirk closer and closer. She suddenly scratches to a halt
right in front of them.

The skater is a girl in white skates and grey tights and a
short camel's hair coat. She has a scarf over the lower half
of her face. She says to Max:

SKATER
Is this your handwriting?

She holds out a little piece of paper torn out from a spiral
notebook. Max stands up and takes it. There is a note
written on it in blue crayon.

INSERT PIECE OF PAPER:

Please come to the frozen pond at 3:30 PM this afternoon.
Thank you very much.

Max looks to Dirk. Dirk is putting a new worm on his hook.

MAX
No. But it looks familiar.

Max gives the piece of paper back to the girl.  She lowers
her scarf and we see she is Margaret Yang.

MAX
Do you know Dirk Calloway?

MARGARET
I don't think so.

MAX
Dirk, this is Margaret Yang.

Dirk nods. Margaret waves to him. Silence.

MAX
I heard about your science fair project on Action 13 the
other day. They said the Navy was going to buy it from you.

Margaret is polite but cold.

MARGARET
Not anymore.

MAX
Why not?

MARGARET
Because it was fake.

MAX
What do you mean?

MARGARET
(sighs)
I faked all the results.

MAX
Why?

MARGARET
Because it didn't work. I thought it would but it didn't.

MAX
(in disbelief)
You mean it was all bullshit?

MARGARET
Not all of it. Just the parts I didn't get right.

Max stares at her. It is as if he is seeing her for the
first time. He says quietly:

MAX
That's exactly the way I would have handled that situation.

MARGARET
Well. It's nothing to be proud of.

MAX
But it's true.

Max is completely hypnotized by her.

MARGARET
You were a real jerk to me.

MAX
(pause)
I know. I'm sorry, Margaret.

Silence.

MARGARET
Well. Anyway. Nice to see you.

MAX
Yeah. Nice to see you, too.

Margaret starts skating slowly away backwards.  Max waves to
her. She spins and skates off full-speed. Max watches her
go. Silence.

MAX
You set me up.

Dirk nods. Max says wistfully:

MAX
Not bad, not bad. The child has become the father of the
man.

Max looks out across the frozen pond. He pulls off his ski
cap and feels the cold air against his cheeks. Snowflakes
catch in his eyelashes.

MAX
We might have to get some hockey skates, Dirk.

DIRK
I already got you some.

Dirk reaches into his backpack and takes out a pair of
skates. He hands them to Max. Max looks at them for a
minute. He nods slowly. Something begins to change in his
face. He says with quiet intensity:

MAX
Do me a favor, will you?

DIRK
Sure. What?

MAX
(pause)
Pack up your goddamn tackle box.

Dirk smiles. Max grabs Dirk's fig pole and starts walking.
Dirk calls after him:

DIRK
You sure you don't want to stay here and feel sorry for
yourself?

MAX
I'll take a rain check.

Dirk grabs his tackle box and follows Max briskly off the
ice.

EXT. BARBERSHOP. DAY

Mr. Blume stands on the sidewalk in front of the barbershop.
He stares off into the distance. He has his hands in his
pockets and his hair is blowing in the wind.

Mr. Fischer is inside reading the sports page.

A cab pulls up and splashes water on Mr. Blume, but he does
not appear to notice. Max gets out of the cab. He is dressed
in a beautiful green velvet suit and bow tie. He smiles.

MAX
Thanks for meeting me, Mr. Blume.

MR. BLUME
What can I do for you?

Max hands Mr. Blume a little white cardboard box. Mr. Blume
frowns.

MR. BLUME
What's this?

Max shrugs. Mr. Blume starts to open the box. Max flinches
away like the box is going to explode. Mr. Blume stops. Max
smiles and motions for Mr. Blume to go ahead. Mr. Blume
opens the box. There are two little pins inside.

MAX
That's the Perfect Attendance awards and the Punctuality
Award. I got those at Rushmore. I thought you could choose
which one you like more, and you could wear that one and I
could wear the other.

Mr. Blume's face softens. He nods slowly. He studies the
pins and says quietly:

MR. BLUME
I'll take punctuality.

MAX
OK.

They put their pins in their lapels.

MR. BLUME
Thank you.

Max nods. He smiles.

MAX
Come on. Let's go inside.

Max motions to the barbershop. Mr. Blume looks confused.

INT. BARBERSHOP. DAY

Mr. Blume follows Max into the barbershop. Mr. Fischer looks
up from his newspaper.

MR. FISCHER
Well, looks what the cat dragged in.

MAX
Sorry, I'm late. I want you to meet somebody.
(looks to Mr. Blume)
Mr. Blume, this is my father, Bert Fischer.

Silence. Mr. Blume nods slowly.

MR. BLUME
Nice to meet you, Mr. Fischer.

MR. FISCHER
(smiles) Mr. Fischer's my father's name. Call me Bert.

MR. BLUME
(pause)
OK, Bert.

MR. FISCHER
Max tells me you could use a haircut.

Mr. Blume hesitates.

MR. FISCHER
Let's have a look at you.

Mr. Blume sits down in one of the barber's chairs and looks
in the mirror. Max and Mr. Fischer stand on either side of
him. Mr. Blume looks terrible. He sighs deeply.

MR. BLUME
I don't know, Bert.

MR. FISCHER
Don't worry. We might have to throw in a shave, too. Max?
Why don't you get Mr. Blume a cup of coffee?

EXT. BARBERSHOP. DAY

Max and Mr. Blume come out of the barbershop and walk
quickly down the sidewalk. Mr. Blume's hair is crisply cut
and neatly combed, but his clothes still look very
disheveled.

MAX
How much are you worth, by the way?

MR. BLUME
I don't know.

MAX
Over ten million?

MR. BLUME
Yeah. I guess so.

MAX
Good, good.

MR. BLUME
Why?

MAX
Cause we're going to need all of it.

DECEMBER MONTAGE:

Christmas decorations are evident throughout the following
scenes.

Max and Mr. Blume watch a Jacques Cousteau film on 16mm in
Mr. Blume's office. Ernie runs the projector.

Max and Mr. Blume visit a marine research facility. Mr.
Blume holds up a fish at the edge of a pool. A killer whale
jumps out of the water and takes it in its teeth.

Max and Mr. Blume sprint down the street and through the
park in warm-up suits. They hurdle bushes and dodge traffic.
They run into an empty football stadium and race up the
bleachers.

Max's young architect shows Max and Mr. Blume a miniature
baseball diamond field. The architect slides over the
diamond an inch and puts model of a building labeled The
Cousteau-Blume Marine Observatory in its place.

Max and Dirk skate around on the frozen pond during
complicated tricks and jumps.

EXT. VACANT LOT. DAY

A large crowd of Rushmore student, parents and faculty has
gathered around the vacant lot beside the baseball field. A
huge banner says The Cousteau-Blume Marine Observatory.
There is a huge bulldozer and a cement truck at the back of
the lot.

Max and Mr. Blume shake hands for the yearbook photographer.
Mr. Blume is holding a gold shovel with a ribbon around it.

MR. BLUME
She's not coming, is she?

MAX
(pause)
It doesn't look good.

MR. BLUME
Ah, shit, man. What the hell am I doing here?

Mr. Blume throws down his shovel and starts to walk off. Max
yells at him:

MAX
Dammit, Blume! How the hell did you ever get so rich? You're
a quitter!

Mr. Blume looks at Max in shock.

MR. BLUME
This cost me eight million dollars!

MAX
(hesitates)
And that's all you're prepared to spend?

Silence.

EXT. THE FISCHER'S HOUSE. DAY

Max carries as old leather typewriter case in the backyard.
He sets it down on a picnic table. The case has an
inscription on it in gold letters.

INSERT TYPEWRITER CASE:
Bravo, Max! Love, Mom.

Max unzips the case. There is an old portable manual
typewriter inside. Max rolls a piece of paper into it and
starts typing furiously. He pauses to drink a sip of hot
chocolate. He starts typing again.

TITLE:
January.

EXT. WEBSTER SMALLEY SCHOOL FOR GIRLS. DAY

Webster Smalley is Rushmore's sister school. The doors to
the lower school burst open and twenty-five first-grade
girls in plaid jumpers run yelling onto the playground.

Miss Cross comes out of the building after the girls. She
sees Max coming down the hill in his green suit.

MISS CROSS
I like your suit.

MAX
Thanks.

MISS CROSS
Is that velvet?

Max nods. Miss Cross feels his lapel. It has a Perfect
Attendance Award pin in it.

MAX
Sorry you couldn't make it to our little groundbreaking the
other day. It's kind of a shame, since he's building it for
you.

MISS CROSS
Well, you know, I never asked anybody to build me an
aquarium. I'm not sure how that rumor got started.

MAX
Hm. Me, neither. You think Edward Appleby would've built you
one?

Miss Cross thinks for a minute. She sounds surprised at her
on response.

MISS CROSS
Yeah. He probably would've. If he had the money.

MAX
(smiles) That's what I thought. Blume's got a little more
spark and vitality than you expected, doesn't he?

MISS CROSS
But the aquarium was your idea.

Max smiles and shrugs his shoulder.

MAX
Well, I gave it to my friend.

Max turns and starts walking away. He looks back over his
shoulder and says:

MAX
By the way, I still haven't fucked anybody yet. But I guess
that's just the way it goes.

Miss Cross smiles sadly.

INSERT TEACHER' MAILBOXES:

A cabinet of little slots where teachers get their mail and
memos. Someone puts a little envelope into the slot marked
Rosemary Cross.

INT. WAREHOUSE. DAY

Max stands at the counter in a huge construction supply
warehouse. A SALESMAN says:

SALESMAN
Fifteen sticks?

MAX
Yes, please. And make the order out to Ready Demolition,
Tuscon.

Max holds up a driver's license. The salesman looks at it
and writes something on a clipboard. Max walks out of the
warehouse with several large boxes over his shoulder. The
boxes say DYNAMITE on them in large red letters.

EXT. STREET. DAY

Dirk comes out of a hiding place in the bushes as Max walks
over with the dynamite. Dirk is holding a pellet gun.

MAX
Make sure these don't get wet.

Max hands Dirk the boxes and takes the pellet gun.

MAX
I'll see you at 3:15.

Max starts walking away down the sidewalk.

DIRK
Where you going?

MAX
9without stopping)
Rushmore. I got one last piece of unfinished business I got
to attend to.

EXT. RUSHMORE. DAY

Max pumps his pellet gun shot about twenty times. He raises
the stock to his shoulder as Magnus Buchan walks onto the
quadrangle. He draws a bead on him and follows him in his
sight as he passes be. He fires.

Magnus screams and grabs his only good ear. He spins around
and sees Max cocking a pellet gun.

MAGNUS
Fischer! Ya fuck!

MAX
Hello, Magnus. I'd have shot you in the other ear, but it
got blown off a long time ago.

Magnus starts to come at Max. Max points his weapon at him.

MAX
Not so fast.

Magnus stops.

MAX
I owed you that one. Now we're even.

MAGNUS
(smiles crookedly) Not for long, kemosabe.

MAX
(shrugs) We'll see.

Silence. Max holds Magnus at gunpoint.

MAX
I got a proposition for you.

MAGNUS
Shove it up your mother's arse, ya little prick.

MAX
I've got to hand it to you, Magnus. You've got a way with
words. You want to be in a play?

MAGNUS
(puzzled) Don't piss with me, Fischer.

MAX
I'm not pissing with you.
(reaching in his backpack)
I brought you a script.

Max hands Magnus a script with a red cover.

MAGNUS
What's all this shite?

MAX
Nothing. I just think you're right for the part.

Magnus stares at Max. He says quietly:

MAGNUS
I always wanted to be in one of those frickin' plays of
yours.

MAX
I know you did, mate.

Magnus looks at the script.

INSERT COVER OF PLAY:
"HEAVEN AND HELL"
a new play by Max Fischer
revised draft
Dramatists Guild registered

INT. GROVER CLEVELAND HIGH SCHOOL. NIGHT

The school auditorium.

We see many familiar faces in the audience: Mr. Fischer, Dr.
Guggenheim in his wheelchair, Mrs. Guggenheim, Mrs.
Calloway, Mrs. Whitney, the Indian groundskeeper, the
yearbook photographer, Coach Beck, Ernie, Mr. Holstead, Mr.
Adams, the police who arrested Max, some old men from the
barbershop. They are all dressed nicely in evening clothes.

Miss Cross' friend John, whom Max humiliated at dinner after
the Serpico play, is seated in the third row. He is dressed
in a coat and tie.

An USHER directs Miss cross to her seat. She is surprised to
see that it is right nest to Mr. Blume's. She reluctantly
sits down beside him. Mr. Blume sees her.

MISS CROSS
Hi, Herman.

Mr. Blume nods. He pulls his ticket out of his inside pocket
and checks the seat number.  He looks to Miss Cross. Miss
Cross smiles.

MISS CROSS
Looks like Max pulled a fast one on us.

Mr. Blume nods.

MISS CROSS
How's your aquarium coming along?

MR. BLUME
Not too bad. It should be finished in October.

Miss Cross nods.

MR. BLUME
I just made a deal with a guy in Singapore for half a dozen
electric eels.

MISS CROSS
That sounds good.

The lights go down. A spotlight appears and Max walks
onstage in a tuxedo. He goes to a microphone in the middle
of the stage.

MAX
I don't usually do this, but this play means a lot to me,
and I wanted to make a dedication. So I'll just say that
this play is dedicated to the memory of my mother, Eloise
Fischer. And to Edward Appleby. A friend of a friend.

Neither Mr. Fischer nor Miss Cross were expecting this
announcement, and they are moved by it.

MAX
Also you'll find a pair of safety glasses and some earplugs
underneath your seats. Please feel free to use them. Thank
you very much.

Max exits the stage and the audience applauds. There is a
moment of rustling and whispering in the dark theater.

The curtain opens on:

Vietnam. Napalm smolders in the sky above the jungle.

Dirk runs onstage dressed in a Green Beret uniform and
sunglasses. He has an M-16. He yells to Max as Max shimmies
down out of a palm tree:

DIRK
Let's rock, Esposito!

MAX
Lock and load, Surf Boy!

There is an explosion and Max and Dirk run through the
smoke. Suddenly the stage is swarmed by VC regulars.
Everyone starts shooting at once.

Bursts of gunfire light-up the audience's faces and smoke
floats over their heads as we hear the sounds of jets flying
over, bombs exploding, choppers taking off, and a SOLDIER'S
voice screaming into his radio:

SOLDIER
Mayday! Mayday! Seven niner Almighty! Adjust your
coordinates!

Some members of the audience put on their safety glasses and
earplugs. Woody stands nervously in the wings with a fire
extinguisher.

One of the extras accidentally clubs Max in the temple with
the butt of his rifle. Max's eyes close. He crumples to the
floor. The fighting stops. The audience begins to murmur.

Max opens his eyes. He sees the frightened soldiers looking
down at him.

He grabs his M-16 and opens fire. The battle resumes.

INSERT SIGN WRITTEN IN CALLIGRAPHY:

Intermission.

The sign is leaning on an easel in front of the curtain.
Little roses and tulips are painted around its edges.

INT. DRESSING ROOM. NIGHT

Actors run around frantically backstage. Max has a band-aid
on his forehead. He is touching-up a gory makeup effect over
Dirk's eye. He turns to Woody.

MAX
How much time we got, Wood?

WODDY
(checks his watch) Two minutes.

MAX
Bring me some more ketchup.
(points to the band-aid on his head)
And make this look real.

EXT. AUDITORIUM. NIGHT

The lobby of the auditorium is buzzing with people talking
about the play and having drinks.

Mr. Blume is standing alone outside, smoking a cigarette. It
is snowing softly. Miss Cross comes out with a cup of coffee
in each hand. Mr. Blume turns around and looks at her.

She goes over to him and hands him one of the coffees.

MR. BLUME
(sadly) Thank you.

MISS CROSS
Hold this one, too, Herman.

He holds both coffees while Miss Cross pours some little
containers of cream into then and stirs them with a plastic
straw. She takes back her cup of coffee.

MISS CROSS
So what do you think of Max's latest opus?

Mr. Blume gives a thumbs up and stares out into the snow.

MR. BLUME
Let's just hope it's got a happy ending.

Miss Cross smiles. She smoothes her hand across Mr. Blume's
hair. He looks into her eyes. She links arms wit him gently
and they drink their coffees together.

INT. AUDITORIUM. NIGHT

Max and Magnus Buchan, with a three-day beard and a cigar,
stand together among the fallen bodies and smoldering trees.

MAX
I want you to have something, Sarge.

Max hands Magnus Mr. Blume's silver .45 automatic.

MAX
I won't be needing this anymore.

MAGNUS
Semper fi, Esposito. Semper fi.

MAX
Sic transit gloria, sir.

Max looks out to Mr. Blume. Mr. Blume looks back at him.

MAX
Say a prayer for Surf Boy. Wherever he is.

MAGNUS
Good luck, soldier.

Magnus salutes Max and walks off. We hear his voice as he
goes into the wings:

MAGNUS
Tag 'em and bag 'em, cherries! We're moving out! Let's DD!

Max throws down his rifle into a foxhole and begins to cry
quietly. Someone moves slowly toward him out of the settling
smoke. Max wheels around and whips out his Swiss Army knife.

But then he sees it is Margaret Yang as a Vietnamese
villager. She has been through hell.

MARGARET
Hello, Esposito.

Max drops his knife and it stabs into the floor. He puts out
his hand. Margaret takes it. He pulls her in and hugs her.

Miss Cross smiles sadly.

Max looks into Margaret Yang's eyes.

MAX
Will you marry me, Le-Chahn?

MARGARET
(instantly) You bet I will.

Wagner's Flight of the Walkyries begins to play loudly from
behind the stage as Max kisses Margaret and the curtain
drops to wild applause.

Mrs. Guggenheim looks on in amazement as Dr. Guggenheim
stands up out of his wheelchair and leads the ovation. The
rest of the audience quickly follows suit.

The Indian groundskeeper is laughing hysterically.

INT. GYMNASIUM. NIGHT

The gymnasium has been filled with palm trees and decorated
like an Army barracks. Flares burn in circles around the
tables. A banner at the entrance says The Heaven and Hell
Cotillion.

Dirk and a couple of his CLASSMATES are looking at some
vintage Playboy centerfolds taped-up on the wall as part of
the Army barracks motif.

Miss Cross and John are talking at the punchbowl.

MISS CROSS
Max sent you an invitation?

JOHN
Yeah. And he told me to wear a tie.

Max and Margaret are drinking ginger ales and chatting with
Mr. Fischer and MR. and MRS. YANG.

MAX
Thank you, Mrs. Yang. I actually wrote a different version
of the play two years ago. But I couldn't get it done over
at Rushmore.

MRS. YANG
Why? Too political?

MAX
No. A kid got his finger blown off during rehearsals.

Max sees Mr. Blume and Miss Cross approaching.

MAX
Miss Cross, this is my father Bert Fischer. He's a barber.
(to Mr. Fischer) This is my friend Rosemary Cross.

Mr. Fischer smiles as they shake hands.

MR. FISCHER
Hi, Rosemary.

MISS CROSS
Nice to finally meet you, Bert.

MAX
And, of course, you know Mr. Blume. I also want everyone to
meet Mr. and Mrs. Yang. And this is Margaret.

Miss Cross and Margaret smile at each other.

MISS CROSS
Hello, Margaret.

MARGARET
Hello, Miss Cross.

The Indian groundskeeper is talking with Coach Beck and Mr.
Blume's foreman, Ernie.

COACH BECK
I'm surprised they let him build a real campfire onstage.
That's a safety hazard.

ERNIE
Well, last year he tried to raise piranhas.

COACH BECK
What'd you think of the play, Mr. Littlejeans?

GROUNDSKEEPER
Best play all year, man.

Mr. Blume, Magnus Buchan, and the Rushmore yearbook
photographer are having a conversation.

MAGNUS
Well, Fischer stepped on half of my bleedin' lines.

MR. BLUME
Really? I didn't notice.

PHOTOGRAPHER
Are Ronny and Donny having a good time at military school?

MR. BLUME
(instantly) They love it.

MAGNUS
Lucky bastards.

Mr. Fischer is talking with John.

JOHN
I understand you're a neurosurgeon.

MR. FISCHER
No. I'm a barber. But a lot of people make that mistake.

Mr. Fischer laughs.

Dirk and Dr. Guggenheim watch Max laughing and dancing with
Margaret Yang. Max points to Dr. Guggenheim. Dr. Guggenheim
smiles and points back to him. He says in a hoarse whisper:

DR. GUGGENHEIM
Who's the Chinaman with Fisher?

DIRK
That's Margaret Yang. She's actually Korean.

DR. GUGGENHEIM
(pleasantly surprised) I know the Koreans. They're good
people.

Max and Margaret are talking as they dance:

MAX
You were incredible tonight, Margaret. You were that poor
girl.

MARGARET
Thank you. I loved it when you grabbed onto the bottom of
the chopper as it was taking off.

MAX
That was totally improvised.

Margaret nods. They look at each other smiling.

MAX
Can I ask you a question?

MARGARET
Of course.

MAX
Can you do an Australian accent?

Margaret looks puzzled. Max smiles.

MAX
I'm working on something that's set in the outback.

Mr. Fischer is sitting at a table having a glass of
champagne with Max's math teacher, Mrs. Whitney. She has a
slight English accent. Mr. Fischer wears a sky blue blazer.

MR. FISCHER
That's a beautiful dress, by the way.

MRS. WHITNEY
Why, thank you, Bert. That sportscoat is rather smashing in
its own right.

MR. FISCHER
I know it's a little loud. But I feel like celebrating.

MRS. WHITNEY
Would you care to dance?

MR. FISCHER
(surprised) I'd love to.

Mr. Blume brings Miss Cross a glass of champagne as Max and
Margaret dance by.

MARGARET
Hello, Mr. Blume!

MR. BLUME
Hi, Margaret!
(to Max) May I cut in? I haven't had a change to cut a rug
with your new girlfriend yet.

MAX
(embarrassed) New girlfriend.

MARGARET
Yes, I am. And find your own partner, Mr. Blume. No offense,
but I'm spoken for.

MAX
No, it's OK. He's my friend.

Margaret and Mr. Blume dance off together. Max and Miss
Cross are left alone.

MISS CROSS
Well, you pulled it off.

MAX
(shrugs) It went OK. At least nobody got hurt.

MISS CROSS
Except for you.

MAX
(smiles sadly) Nah. I didn't get hurt that bad.

Max looks to Miss Cross. Miss Cross sips her champagne. She
looks back at Max for a minute. She smiles. Mr. Fischer
calls out to them as he dances by with Mrs. Whitney:

MR. FISHCER
Come on, you two! Shake a leg!

They wave to Mr. Fischer. Miss Cross looks to Max.

MISS CROSS
You want to dance?

MAX
Certainly. But let's see if we can get the DJ to play
something with a lithe ---

Max snaps his fingers. He turns to the DJ and yells:

MAX
Rueben!

The DJ looks to Max. Max makes a little gesture that seems
to say, This is the one. The DJ nods.

The music cuts off in the middle of the song. Everyone stops
dancing. They look around wondering what's going on.

A new song starts up. It is the saddest song of the night.

Max looks to Miss Cross. Miss Cross puts out her hand. Max
takes it and walks with her onto the dance floor, into the
crowd, as everyone slowly begins to dance.