EXT. RIVER - DAY

 

Jesus is standing all alone in the middle of a beautiful river, the water up to his knees FLY FISHING in his white tunic robe with blood on the edge. He is casting his FLY FISHING ROD line out into the water “stripping the line” retrieving it, giving it the fly fishing technique instead of reeling. He backcasts the line straight out in front of him whipping it like a pro. Somewhere along this technique, Jesus catches a big fish. He “strips the line” in fly fishing technique and brings up his wiggling fish.

 

MUSIC CUE - MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR sings.

 

https://www.thetabernaclechoir.org/ 

 

SCENE NOTE: (In a MAGIC scene, Jesus “walks on water” in his sandals toward the edge of the riverbank with his rod and fish.)

 

CLOSE ON -- SUNDANCE stamped bags and a SUNDANCE stamped box next to a rock at the edge of the riverbank.

 

There’s a campfire going and the fish is cooking in a CAST-IRON SKILLET over the fire.

 

Jesus is standing in the shallow of the river in his sandals next to the bank. The pebbles in the river show in the clear water. He has his backside to the camera. He pulls his white robe tunic off over his head exposing his naked backside. He tosses the robe into the river. Jesus casts his hand out for magic.

 

JESUS

Tiberius! Appear!

 

The robe catches a wave, and then another wave as it drifts off on down the river. The robe rises out of the water.

 

INSERT: Sea of Galilee, Israel

 

CLOSE ON -- GALILEE painted on a yacht with sails.

 

SCENE NOTE: (In a MAGIC transitional scene, the white robe tunic animates and transforms into a BOAT SAIL in the Sea of Galilee in Israel being raised on a yacht named GALILEE by its Sea Captain raising the “recycled” cloth sail up the pole and unfurling it. The Sea Captain is TIBERIUS in his Second Coming.)

 

Tiberius touches the edge of the sail cloth. He hears a voice.

 

JESUS (V.O.)

All who touch it are healed. Take courage! It is I, Jesus. Do not be afraid in your Second Coming.

 

Tiberius sees a GHOSTED IMAGE of Jesus “walking on the water” at the side of the yacht. Tiberius questions the sighting.

 

TIBERIUS

Jesus? My divinely appointed mission?

 

Tiberius wipes his eyes as if he’s seeing things. He wipes his hands down his face. He returns to the ship’s wooden wheel and steers, turning the wheel from side to side.

 

DISSOLVE TO:

 

EXT. RIVER - DAY

 

Jesus’ army with their crossbows and arrow quivers across their backs run their white horses into the river and across the river. When they hit the riverbank on the other side, they lift into the air and GHOST OUT giving the indication they are returning to Heaven. Jesus is now in his transition integrating into society.

 

DISSOLVE TO

 

EXT. UP THE RIVER - SAME

 

Two women RUTH and NAOMI have arrived in a WHITE LIMOUSINE in the same area up the road from where Jesus is camped. The chauffeur gets out and opens up the car trunk. He hands each of the women a BIG BACKPACK each, a TENT SACK and a CAMERA TRIPOD. The DIRECTOR from a REALITY TV SHOW walks up to talk to Ruth and Naomi.

 

TV PRODUCER

We’ll be back for you in a week. Don’t forget to record everything you do. We will judge the recordings and select a winner. The winner will receive a prize of one million dollars. It’s all about survival. 

 

RUTH

No, it’s all about Ruth’s loyalty to Naomi.

 

TV PRODUCER

The TV Bible comes into play. See you in a week Ruth and Naomi.

 

The producer walks off. He gets in the limo and the limo drives off. Ruth records the limo driving away with the RED BRAND FILM CAMERA. Ruth and Naomi proceed into the park. They walk up the riverbank scouting for a good spot to set up the tent.

 

Down the river, Jesus is standing barefoot at his tent holding the box from Sundance. He is dressed in clothes from the Sundance bags. He opens the box and inside are a pair of boots. He sets down on a rock. He pulls a pair of socks out of one of the Sundance bags. He brushes the bottoms of his feet and then puts the socks on. He puts the boots on and stands up. He walks around trying the boots for the first time ever walking in a pair of foot coverings other than sandals. He is amused. He looks down at his boots. He gently tugs at his long shirt sleeve. His expression is of delight.

 

DISSOLVE TO:

 

EXT. RUTH AND NAOMI’S CAMP - SAME

 

The Red camera is sitting on the tripod. It’s rolling.

 

Ruth and Naomi are setting up the tent with ease. They put the floor tarp in place. They assemble the poles and attach the fabric, then hammer the stakes in with a rock. 

 

Next they rock up a circular campfire pit. Ruth sits down on a rock by the firepit and opens up the backpack. She pulls out some things.

 

RUTH

Cornmeal, some fishhooks, twine, and a skillet? That’s all they give us? No matches? We’ve got to survive for a week. What would Jesus do?

 

NAOMI

Jesus would give us a plate from the Franklin Mint. We have been through much worse, Ruth. We have been exiled and we have suffered terrible misfortune. We are Survivors of frequent wars between many groups. I can make fire. We’ll throw in some Hollywood touches.

 

RUTH

I will never turn my back on you, Naomi. Where you go, I will go. Where you lodge, I will lodge.

 

NAOMI

We are resourceful women. This is our destiny. I know you will protect me from those who harass me.

 

RUTH

How many years has it been? You’re still here. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band was playing on the radio that day. Mr. Bojangles dance, the old soft shoe, he danced for those at minstrel shows and county fairs.

 

NAOMI

Seasons have come and seasons have gone. That cast-iron skillet is about to have a fire under it. We’ve got bigger fish to fry. I carry a flint with a striker on my keyring. You never know when you might have to make fire.

 

RUTH

Our fishing pole is hanging on the tree. I’ll cut a limb with a sharp pointed rock.

 

Naomi is striking her flint on the striker. She is striking it above a stack of small dry twigs and dry grass in the fire pit. It is sparking big! There’s smoke! She bends her head into the firepit and blows. She has a flame! She blows again. She’s got fire! She stacks up some more small twigs. She puts on a bigger piece of a tree branch. She keeps building it until it grows bigger and bigger.

 

Ruth saws through a small tree branch with the sharp point of a rock. She brings it over to the campfire and ties on a length of twine. She ties a fishhook on the end of the twine.

 

TIME CUT:

 

There’s fish frying in Ruth and Naomi’s skillet over the fire. They are standing over the fire. Ruth turns the fish over with a forked stick.

 

FLASH FORWARD:

 

INT. HOLLYWOOD STUDIO - DAY

 

The studio is full with a live audience. The Reality TV show contestants are elevated up on another stage in front of the audience. Ruth and Naomi are sitting close together holding hands. The host is in front of the contestants. He is turned toward the live audience addressing the audience and television home viewers.

 

REALITY TV SHOW HOST

We’ve really got something phenomenal for you this season. The Second Coming of Jesus was recorded by Ruth and Naomi, this season’s winners. We’d like to show you the Second Coming of Jesus. Even we, the producers agree that this is a life-changing moment. Are we ready to show the video?

 

The video at Ruth and Naomi’s camp plays on a monitor. Their tent is in the background. Jesus is speaking into the Red camera on the tripod.

 

JESUS

For Ruth and Naomi, it was extremely difficult. There were cruel remarks. In nameless forests, they sit to mull it all over. They are survivors of many wars and many abuses. Remain constantly ready to protect women and children. Don’t let them abuse you.

 

MUSIC CUE - (Hell Is For Children by Pat Benatar)

 

DISSOLVE TO:

 

INT. HOSPITAL - SAME

 

SCENE NOTE: (The scene changes. Ruth and Naomi have followed Jesus to a hospital. They are in a room with a battered girl child with a black eye and a bruise on her neck and face. The girl has a cast on her broken arm. Jesus bends down to hug the little girl. The little girl is upon the expiration of her last breath. Jesus brings her back to life. He casts his hand out in MAGIC!)

 

JESUS

Child, come back to the white light the color of a swan’s wing. Heal!

 

The little girl comes back to life. She transforms into a beautiful blonde-haired little girl in a pretty dress with a perfect unflawed face and beautiful unbroken bones. She hugs Jesus.

 

DISSOLVE TO:

 

INT. NYSE - SAME

 

JESUS

J.C. Cutter. A deal’s going down manifesting as a pyramid scam. Insider trading scheme. Hollywood film. Bernardo is at the computer next to me. 

 

Jesus and Telemachus now go by alias names. Jesus is J.C. Cutter and Telemachus is Machiavelli.

 

MACHIAVELLI

Wall Street?

 

DISSOLVE TO:

 

INT. NYSE - SAME

 

J.C. CUTTER

Cocaine cash cleaner. Stealing merger secrets. Securities fraud. Wolves in sheeps clothing. Ponzi scheme.

 

DISSOLVE TO:

 

INT. ATLANTIC CITY HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO - SAME

 

MACHIAVELLI

The Monk bull rider, now the Machiavelli gambler. The agenda for the Second Coming. Gives new meaning to liaison. Thanks for bringing me in, J.C. Thanks for the bankroll.

 

DISSOLVE TO:

 

INT. NYSE - SAME

 

J.C. CUTTER

Don’t mention it. That’s right, the go-between. Where are you?

 

DISSOLVE TO:

 

INT. ATLANTIC CITY HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO - SAME

 

MACHIAVELLI

Atlantic City Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, formerly the Taj Mahal owned by Donald Trump.

 

DISSOLVE TO:

 

INT. NYSE - SAME

 

J.C. CUTTER

Perfect. Answer your phone. You know what to do. I’ll leave you to it. Bye Machiavelli.

 

J.C. hangs up. He conjurs some magic. BERNARDO, corrupt stock broker dials his cell phone. Bernardo is looking up nervously at the tickers while he talks on his cell on the Wall Street floor unaware J.C. is listening.

 

SCENE NOTE: (The NYSE scene on the trading floor.) 

 

BERNARDO

As long as Mr. Q keeps his mouth shut and I keep mine and you keep yours, they won’t find anything. If we play it right and cover our tracks, we have access to some of the most important deals on Wall Street. Hollywood. It’s a gold mine. We tell the investors it’s a treasure hunt guaranteed to pay a MIL to the finder. We give them the map. We use those investments to make the films. We gotta go on this now. Are you in?

 

DISSOLVE TO:

 

INT. ATLANTIC CITY HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO - SAME

 

Machiavelli is talking to Bernardo.

 

MACHIAVELLI

Yeah, I’m in.

 

Machiavelli sits down at a POKER TABLE with the other players. He has a stack of cash in his hand. He peels off thousands and gives it to the dealer exchanging the cash for chips. The dealer makes the exchange and places the stacks of chips on the felt in front of Machiavelli. Machiavelli is wearing his dark shades to cover his eyes. He has his black hood on his hoodie pulled up over his head. The dealer deals the cards. The game is on.

 

SCENE NOTE: (It all appears to be just the normal casino action, but in reality, the scene is the MAKING OF A MOVIE! The camera reveals the camera crew in the background.)

 

TIME CUT:

 

Machiavelli has double the chips now. He is on a winning streak.

 

POKER DEALER

You have 10 million in chips showing, sir.

 

MACHIAVELLI

I have had my Second Coming. I’ll cash out.

 

DISSOLVE TO:

 

INT. NYSE - SAME

 

J.C. Cutter catches the attention of Bernardo. They are standing next to each other at the screens, the monitors stacked on top of one another in a semi-circle. J.C. has his cell calculator in hand and his briefcase in the other. He’s pushing buttons making magic!

 

CLOSE ON -- Cell calculator screen. The mathematical figure says 10,000,000.

 

BERNARDO

You look like Jesus. Anybody ever say that to you?

 

J.C. Cutter looks up at Bernardo.

 

J.C. CUTTER

I may have heard it once a time ago.

 

BERNARDO

Who does your hair, man?

 

J.C. Cutter

An angel.

 

Bernardo extends his hand out. J.C. doesn’t have a free hand, so he passes on shaking.

 

BERNARDO

Bernardo.

 

J.C. CUTTER

J.C.

 

BERNARDO

Nice to meet you, J.C. What stock?

 

J.C. CUTTER

Atlantic City cherries and Florida lemons.

 

BERNARDO

Casinos and citrus, I’ll take a wild guess.

 

DISSOLVE TO:

 

INT. ATLANTIC CITY HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO - SAME

 

A SLOT MACHINE with WILD CHERRIES has just hit a BIG JACKPOT! The male player/winner is met by a casino slot attendant. The bells and lights on the slot are going off. The LED light display on the slot carousel is blinking an obscene amount of money, 10 MILLION DOLLAR JACKPOT! A casino security team assembles and populates the aisle for the payout. The male winner is a POLITICIAN! After the politician is paid out for the jackpot, he walks through the casino with dark glasses carrying a large briefcase. Security is following him through the casino and to outside.

 

DISSOLVE TO:

 

EXT. ATLANTIC CITY HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO - SAME

 

A white stretch limo picks the politician up just outside the casino entrance door. The politician enters the rear of the limo.

 

SCENE NOTE: (Without naming the politician, it is noted that he closely resembles the face and hair style of Supreme Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh.)

 

DISSOLVE TO:

 

EXT. LIMO - SAME

 

DONALD TRUMP is in the rear of the limousine.

 

DONALD TRUMP

Laundered money washed twice. We’ll clean it through the stock broker. It’s Oscar season. I take my role seriously.

 

POLITICIAN

Hollywood film? 

 

DONALD TRUMP

Wall Street. We’re doing lunch with Quattrucci and Bernardo. We’ll catch the helicopter. I’ll put in a call to Vladimir when we get back to D.C.

 

POLITICIAN

I’ll put in a call to the bookie. Sports bet.

 

Copyright Sage Sweetwater