"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind": The First Draft

[via Feeling Listless] Being Charlie Kaufman is a blog that is about Charlie Kaufman by not written by him. It’s also the home of  the first draft of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,

in which the story starts 50 years in the future. Here’s the first bit,

which if you’ve seen the movie is drastically different…

     INT. PUBLISHING HOUSE RECEPTION AREA - DAY

     It's grand and modern.  Random House-Knopf-Taschen is etched
     on the wall in large gold letters.  An old woman enters
     carrying a tattered manuscript, maybe a thousand pages.  She
     seems haunted, hollow-eyed, sickly.  The young receptionist,
     dressed in a shiny, stretchy one-piece pantsuit, looks up.

                         RECEPTIONIST
               Oh, hi.

                         OLD WOMAN
                  (apologetically)
               Hi, I was in the neighborhood and thought
               I'd see --

                         RECEPTIONIST
               I think he's in a conference.
               Unfortunately.  I'm really sorry.

                         OLD WOMAN
               Would you just try him?  You never know.
               As long as I'm here.  You never know.

                         RECEPTIONIST
               Of course.  Please have a seat.

     The old woman smiles and sits, the bulky manuscript on her
     lap.  She stares politely straight ahead.

                         RECEPTIONIST (CONT'D)
                   (quietly into headset)
               It's her -- I know, but couldn't you just
               -- Yes, I know, but -- I know, but she's
               old and it would be a nice -- Yes, sorry.
                   (to old woman)
               I'm sorry, ma'am, he's not in right now.
               It's a crazy time of year for us.
 
     The receptionist gestures toward a Christmas tree in the
     corner.  Its ornaments are holograms.

                         OLD WOMAN
               This book -- It's essential that people
               read it because --
                   (gravely, patting the
                    manuscript)
               -- It's the truth.  And only I know it.

                          RECEPTIONIST
                   (nodding sympathetically)
               Maybe after the holidays then.

     INT. TILED HALLWAY - DAY
     The old woman carries her manuscript haltingly down a subway
     hall.  She stops to catch her breath, then continues and
     passes several archway with letters printed above them.  When
     she arrives at one topped by an LL, she slips a card in a
     slot.  A plastic molded chair drops into the archway.  She
     sits in the chair; it rises.

     INT. TUBE -DAY
     The woman is still in the chair as it slips gracefully into a
     line of chairs shooting through a glass tube.  The other
     chairs are peopled with commuters.  We stay with the woman as
     she and the others travel over New York City in the tube.
     There are hundreds of these commuter tubes crisscrossing the
     skyline.  The woman glances at the manuscript in her lap.
     It's called:

     Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

     This serves as the movie's opening title.  The other credits
     follow, as the old woman studies commuters in passing tubes.
     Their faces are variously harsh and sad and lonely and blank.

     INT. WAITING ROOM - DAY

     SUBTITLED: FIFTY YEARS EARLIER

     Every doctor's office waiting room: chairs against the wall,
     magazines on end tables, a sad-looking potted plant, generic
     seascape paintings on the walls.  The receptionist, Mary, 25,
     can be seen typing in the reception area.  Behind her are
     shelves and shelves of medical files.  The door opens and
     Clementine enters.  She's in her early thirties, zaftig in a
     faux fur winter coat over an orange hooded sweatshirt.  She's
     decidedly funky and has blue hair.  Mary looks up.

                         MARY
               May I help you?

                      CLEMENTINE
                   (approaching reception area)
               Yeah, hi, I have a one o'clock with Dr.
               Mierzwiak.  Clementine Kruczynski.

                         MARY
               Yes, please have a seat.  He'll be right
               with you.