Margot at the Wedding

by

Noah Baumbach

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INT. TRAIN CAR - DAY

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A cashier hands a boy, 13, his change across a counter. The boy stuffs the coins in his pocket. He lifts the cardboard tray with two hot dogs, a bag of chips, and two Cokes. This is Claude. We follow him: He carefully carries the meal down the aisle, balances it in one hand as he opens the door. The train noise blares as he traverses the area between cars. He enters the new car repeating the balancing act. He waits while a man shoves his back-pack onto the metal rack above the seats. Claude hurries a bit more now, his concentration alternating between the food and the path. He sits next to a brunette woman. CLAUDE Here. He’s met by a severe and pinched face. The eyes have black circles -- there is a scar above her lip. Claude instantly blushes and mumbles: CLAUDE Sorry. He gets up and hurries a few seats further. He slides next to a pretty brunette woman, late 30’s, with straight shoulder length hair. Her name is Margot. MARGOT That was quick. CLAUDE I sat next to the wrong person. Really? MARGOT Where? He grabs her He hands her a hot dog.

She stretches up and peers over the seats. shirt. CLAUDE Please don’t look.

She’ll see you.

MARGOT Careful with my blouse.

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CUT TO: Margot is sleeping, her head against the window. Claude listens to his iPod. He takes out the earphones, gets up, and walks to the front of the car. Opens the door and goes between cars. The train roars and screeches. Claude screams. looks around. He screams again. He stops,

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CUT TO:

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Claude and his mother gaze out the dirt streaked window at a river. An old castle-like structure emerges from the water. Houses are run-down. In the distance there’s a power plant. Electrical lines crisscross the sky. Claude puts his finger against the glass and traces the wires. CLAUDE Will the wedding be crowded? MARGOT I don’t know. I think she doesn’t know anyone anymore. CLAUDE How long has