The Anybodies
Barry O'Connor: the life of Simon Lidder
Written by: Nadav Avny
Story by: Nadav & Omri Avny
Scene 1
(2004, Manchester, cloudy mid-eve)
An outside look on a Luxuries black car that is parked in front of a hospital, the picture's focus draws from the well dressed, blonde older women sitting in it, to an old man in a brown leather jacket leaving the hospital and entering the car. A cretin gaze to the horizon in his eyes.
(Inside the car)
At the same time the man enters the back to sit beside the woman, the women speaks with very littlie tolerance.
Blonde woman:
What took you so bloody long Barry?
As the driver stars the car, Barry takes a few more seconds, and finely turns to the blonde, holds her hand softly, and talks as if to brake most disturbing news
Barry:
Honey, I think we need to talk...
Car drives away, camera stays put denying us of a glimpse at the blonde women response, song rolls on, titles rolling on with a 60's England picture mash.
Scene 2
(1960, east-manchester high school yard.)
3 young boys, in high school uniform around the age of 17-18 are sitting at a bench; the middle one, in torn jeans and his jacket turned inside out, posing a more rebellious and charismatic figure then the other two, is smoking a cigarette. The boy on the right is seemed to be in a middle of a conversation with the one on the left, and the audio fades in exactly as he gets up from the bench excited but suspicious.
Boy on the right:
Bullocks! There is no fucking way you wanker got us a gig in London…don't pull me Barry, what's the deal?
The boy on the left, Barry, more childish looking then the others; keeps a serious face on.
Barry:
Well…this manager guy heard one of our shows here in Manchester, this one guy called peter or something, and he booked us for this weekend, 80 quid's paid on spot.
Boy in the middle:
One problem Barry, we don't have a bloody drummer.
Tommy finishes the sentence and smokes. Barry rushes to dismiss him..
Barry:
You worry too much Tommy, peter said he'll take care of it…meanwhile, we still need a name.
His eyes wonder as he looks for a name. He awaits response by doing so. The boy on the right sits back; Tommy stands up in front of Barry, waving his cigarette in Barry's face.
Tommy:
You're not suggesting that anybody that your dear "peter" picks can automatically play with us?
Boy on the right:
Anybody…
Barry gets up, grabs Tommy's cigarette, takes a puff, throws it away and leaves
Barry:
Don't be stuck up. That peter guy knows what he's doing, it's rock'n'roll baby!
. Lights another cigarette the vibe of the conversation turns more relaxed, friendly
.
Tommy:
What's your take on it terry?
Terry:
Anybodies…that could be a nice name.
They continue sitting quietly for a second
Scene 3
(1961, inside of a recording studio)
The three boys, Tommy, Barry and Terry, are sitting around with there instruments, terry is tuning a guitar nervously, Barry is rolling a joint. And another young lad, dumb looking, is holding drum sticks, drumming anxiously on a table, he stops, sits back, and opens a conversation.
Drummer:
I fucked that redhead last night
The drummer seems not cocky, but merely informative of his whereabouts the night before.
Tommy:
What redhead? We didn't even see you yesterday…
Tommy smiles whimsically
Drummer:
That’s what I'm trying to say-spent the whole day with her.
The drummer is clearer on this time, trying to get appreciation for his "hard work" on the girl. Barry is catching Tommy's smile, and immediately turns to the drummer.
Barry:
Wait a minute, that cute redhead that was first raw in the club Tuesday? That's Peter's niece you know.
Barry is tainting him. Knocks are heard on the door.
Drummer:
No she's not…is she?
The drummer is shocked; Terry gets up and walks to the other side of the room to open the door, trying to sound casual.
Terry:
The cute one with the zodiac tattoo?
terry opens the locks on the door
Drummer:
That’s her.
The drummer is left jaw open, Barry whispers to the drummer as the door opens
Barry:
You're fucked proper my friend…
A grown man with a thick mustache enters, and a chill fills the room.
Tommy:
Hey peter, what's going on?
Tommy is sounding stressed and embarrassed by the situation; Peter takes a long and quiet moment to look at the young fellows.
Peter:
All good, why are you so quiet? You fools don't ever seem to shut up.
Peter sees the drummer's eyes avoiding him, and focuses on him
Drummer:
No reason, no reason at all.
The drummer is twirling a drum stick in his hand desperately trying to avoid repeating his conquest stories to the girl's uncle, who poses as an important man
Barry:
Franco fucked your niece.
Barry smiles a wickedly bright smile at Franco, the drummer.
Peter:
No he did not!
Peter pauses to take a deep breath and clam himself, and then politely he turns to Franco and asks
Did you?
Franco:
No way! No fucking way
Immediately, before peter can even respond, terry brakes to the conversation
Terry:
Yeah he did...
Franco already raises his arms to protect his face from an upcoming beating. Gets up and steps back.
Franco:
o.k., maybe just a little.
Peter turns red, picks up a newspaper, rolls it and chases Franco around the room in an easy walk.
Peter:
Just a little? You incompetent bastard! You have some nerve using my cousin like that
After a few smacks, Franco grabs the newspaper and tries to clam peter down, gently forcing him to sit down where Franco was sitting before.
Franco:
Who said anything about using? I showed her a good time around town and had to work my way pretty hard into her pants.
Peter gasps and takes his breath, talking more to himself then to the boys.
Peter:
I should have never let her come…but all I hear from her is an impression of his young niece "I want to see the anybodies, they're so great, they're so cute"
Peter points at Franco with somewhat contempt.
You're lucky to be in this band Franco, or you would never get laid.
Franco thinks it's too much, his ego is hurt.
Franco:
Hey! I could get a chick without all of that, it's not like babes are all over us, and I'm not somebody yet, just an anybody.
Peter changes the subject suddenly, redirecting them to working on their music with urgency.
Peter:
well, that’s all going to change as soon as we finish that record and show England what you're worth, he pets Franco on the head, as if to say" were o.k." now get in there and start writing and recording like your future sex life is depending on it-because it is.
Scene 4
(1962, a cold and empty Manchester street, early morning)
the light is more gray then yellow as the sun has not breached the building line eclipsing the city from morning to morning. It's raining lightly, in a soft, almost unnoticed sound. a guy who looks exactly like Barry stares at a big "anybodies" show poster with all their pictures on it, the uncanny resemblance between him and Barry should be transparent from this image. The young man is holding his bicycle in his hands, A stranger walks by, giving the man a quick look, as some would do on mornings on their way to work, then stops, the stranger approaches the man with the bike.
Stranger:
Barry?
.
Man:
Nop…not me
Sounding disappointed at not being Barry, there is also a sleepy tiredness in his voice.
.
Stranger:
Come on! Barry O'Connor from the anybodies.
The stranger waves his hand in dismiss.
Man:
I'm telling you it's not me man.
The biked man gets on his bike, preparing to leave.
Stranger:
come on, I can recognize you; we had French together in saint Adams.
The stranger is upset at him, The man turns to the stranger
Man:
I didn't go to Adams, because I'm not Barry O'fucking'Connor
The biked man is almost yelling.
Stranger:
Who the fuck are you then?
Man:
Simon Lidder…wancker
The biked man, Simon, Drives away on his bike, the camera follows him on what appears to be the end of an early morning paper route, the cool morning breeze is soaking him with drips of rain. he stops eventually at a crappy old apartment building, the kind that was nice to live in 20 years ago but have not been in good hands all this time.
He straps his bike to a rusty old iron gate. Simon goes in the front door. We see a hallway, no lights are turned on so early in the morning, and we can see the drips of rain and sweat piling to a small puddle under simon as he gets to a door, tries to open and realizes it's locked. With frustration clear on his face, he leans his forehead against the wooden door, he knocks loudly
Simon:
ma! Ma it's me Simon! Let me in! ma!!
An old female voice answers quickly.
Mom:
who is it?
The look on Simon's face is angry.
Simon:
It's me ma…
Certain numbness takes his face; Simon is just too tired and bored of this particular ritual.
Mom:
Who is me?
His mother's voice seems utterly confused
Simon:
It's me, Simon, your boy. C'mon ma, let me in
Simon runs his fingers down the long wooden door.
Mom:
You can't be Simon, Simon's at his boarding school, at least until Christmas.
Simon bangs his head at the door softly and then more firmly.
Simon:
Boarding school ended two years ago ma, I'm home. Open up!
Simon yells at her.
Mom:
no no no… Simon's at his boarding school, and I don't know who you are young man, I'm going back to bed.
she disconnects completely from reality.
Simon:
ma…ma!...mom!!,…ma!!!
Simon is letting his guard down, full throat shouting. In less then half a minute a neighbor door is opened, and a large Indian man walks out in a bath rope, drowsy from sleep
Simon:
Mr. Tanjir thank god…I'm….sorry for the noise.
Simon is embarrassed.
Tanjir:
do not worry Simon, you're a good kid, and you got locked out during your paper route, lucky, I still have the key I let you in with last week…and the one before that…and the one before that
Tanjir repeats himself tiredly; he is almost amused by it. He opens the door for Simon with a spear key
Scene 5
(1962 Inside Simon's home)
A dark and messy small apartment, very small, a one bedroom apartment, Simon's mom is sitting on a convertible bed that is used as a couch, dressed in her pajamas, her hair rolled up with rollers, but not evenly, nor neatly. She is watching television, hypnotized to the screen that is showing whether reports. A large old piano is the major piece of furniture in the apartment.
Simon is still in his work jeans, but no jacket, a cheap shirt with small holes in the back. The kitchen is peraler to the living room so no eye contact is actually made while Simon is making salad, washing and cutting vegetables.
Mom:
How is boarding school honey? Did you learn anything new?
Excitement in her voice; Simon's face turns numb again.
Simon:
I'm not in boarding school mom; I got out of there when you got sick, remember?
Simon smells up something in the air, trying to change the subject, still making salad.
And what is that awful smell around here? Did you go in your pants again?
Mom:
Did you learn anything new in school Simon?
Unable to deal with her problems, her mind drives her back to Simon's boarding school
Your father would have been proud, having a son that goes to such an expensive school on a prestige's scholarship.
She sounds so proud, as if the fact that his going there is worth more then the actual going,
Simon:
Gasps
Yes mom, I learned how to do my paper route properly,
. He stops cutting and turns to his mother
What on earth is that smell?! What did you do since I've left this morning?
Starts opening cabins and drawers trying find the source of the smell.
Mom:
I've had some tea, that’s all,,,
I'm so proud of you sweet-y going to that school, you're gonna be somebody someday
Her attention is drawn again to the TV, and she is disconnected from the world again, Simon opens a cabin door and a cat jumps out
Simon:
Mom! How many times I have to tell you? Don't lock Churchill in the tea closet, he creped in there again…
Frustration is almost making him yell at his elderly mother, but instead of being mad at her, he whispers to himself while cleaning up after the cat
Somebody….not even an anybody….maybe a nobody is more right…
Scene 6
(1963 inside a low class drugstore)
Simon sits staring at the ticket that indicates his turn, then at the long line ahead of him. Next to Simon sits an old man holding a cane, he has a grumpy look on him. A radio is turned up from the background and we hear a song, that ends to return to an interview, a local DJ is interviewing Tomas Peace, and they are midway through the interview.
DJ:
And that was "a handful of love", the new hit single from the sensational anybodies new and much expected album, and now we're here with no other then the voice behind the songs, Tomas Peace.