CARRIE
Written by
Lawrence D. Cohen & Stephen King
FADE IN:
From an absolutely glistening WHITE an image which first appears to be a
brilliantly shining glass globe, and then gradually becomes more of a piece of solid
matter, less of a mystery. It's the
EXT. WHITE BUNGALOW (OR HOUSE) DAY
1. FILLING THE FRAME like a picture postcard. Modest, old-fashioned,
spotless a vision of small town normalcy and virtue.
This is the home of MARGARET WHITE and her daughter CARRIE. It seems
to have been scrubbed from roof to porch; it is white. Even the lawn seems to
have been washed and bleached. Antiseptic.
We hear a woman's voice:
MARGARET (o.s.)
Carrie! Carrie
The voice is distant but insistent. It is heard, in perspective, through the following prologue,
which initially involves:
2. STELLA HORAN DAY
An all-American sunbathing beauty of eighteen, getting the tan of her life with only a skimpy
white bikini running interference between her skin and the sun.
The CAMERA SLOWLY PANS OVER the expanse of her body luxuriant, taking it in
inch for inch as she dreamily rubs in suntan lotion and licks her lips. The MUSIC is coming
from a transistor radio by her side; she's on a beach blanket in the Horan back yard.
3. DOWNWARDS ANGLE STELLA
As she senses someone standing over her, someone staring at her body through the half-
grown hedge which separates the Horan back yard from the White house next door.
VOICE (O.S.)
What are those?
2
4. STELLA'S POV CARRIE WHITE
A terribly appealing little girl, a child of indeterminable age. Pink cheeks, a halo of blonde-
white hair which will darken in time. What sets her apart from other children, however, are a
pair of bright button brown eyes; and it's these eyes that we notice as she peers at Stella
through the hedge.
STELLA
Hiya, Carrie. Gee you gave me a fright.
(turning down the radio)
How long have you been there?
CARRIE
(not smiling; pointing with her finger)
What are those?
Stella looks where Carrie is pointing; the top of her bikini has slipped, just barely revealing
her breasts white against the golden tan. Stella adjusts her suit not out of any particular
modesty of her own but as a reflex at being stared at so strangely.
STELLA
Those are my breasts, honey.
CARRIE
(a beat; then solemnly)
I wish I had some.
STELLA
You will. `Course you'll have to wait a
couple of years, but
CARRIE
(a fact)
No I won't.
STELLA
Why, sure you will.
CARRIE
(emphatic)
No, I won't.
(glancing behind her)
Momma says no... Momma says good girls don't.
3
STELLA
(at something of a loss)
Well, I'm a good girl. And besides, doesn't your mother have breasts?
5 CARRIE
Glances anxiously at the mention of her mother at the White house next door.
She swallows her words so that all Stella and we hear is:
CARRIE
...dirtypillows.
STELLA
What?
CARRIE
Momma calls them dirtypillows. Says she's got them
`cuz she was bad when she made me.
6 STELLA
Incredulous. But she senses that Carrie is both perfectly serious and quite worried, and she
too glances warily over at the White house just beyond the half-grown hedge.
She kneels next to Carrie and tries to laugh it off.
STELLA
Now, honey, that's just silly. Listen you must be real
hot in that long dress. What do you say we go inside and
get us some lemonade, would you like that?
7 CARRIE
Clearly torn tempted but in the clutch of some weird terror as if she expected the
earth to open and swallow her up. She shakes her head.
STELLA
C'mon.
(offering her hand)
It'll be our secret.
Carrie now really scared shakes her head and disappears farther into the hedge.
4
CARRIE
I can't!
STELLA
Sure you can. I make it nice and sweet, and
And just at that moment, a figure appears in the second-story window in the White house.
Although Stella and we really can't distinctly see through the sun's glare, it's unmistakably
MARGARET WHITE. The moment this big woman sees her daughter with Stella, she lets
out a bloodcurdling scream:
MARGARET
CAARRIEETTAAA!!!
8 CARRIE, STELLA
Both frozen by this terrible sound
9 STELLA'S POV CLOSER ON CARRIE
As she sucks in her breath, quivering with fright, looking as if she might faints. She looks
quickly to Stella, then back at the White house, then back to Stella. For the merest flash, she
seems to smile or is she about to cry?
And then, she's gone running around the hedge and then up the porch stairs and into the
White house as fast her legs can carry her.
10. STELLA
Stands there, riveted. Not knowing what's happened, what to do. It's utterly silent for a
moment.
And then, an incredible CACOPHONY of strange sounds starts coming from the White
house an unearthly babble as Margaret White screams, rants, and screeches; as Carrie sobs
that she's sorry, that she forgot.
STELLA
Mother!
(louder)
Mother!
5
11. THE HORAN HOUSE
As MRS. HORAN in an old housedress with the hem falling down in the back rushes out
to answer to her daughter's call.
MRS. HORAN
What in the name of God? What's the matter?
STELLA
(frantic)
I don't know... Carrie was just talking to me,
and Mrs. White started screaming and...
12. THE WHITE HOUSE
The sun glistening brilliantly on it as in the opening shot. Again, it should appear like a huge
glass globe over which we counterpoint one mother/daughter dialogue with the less distinct
babble of another:
MARGARET (v.o.)
I told you to stay away from there, I told you....
CARRIE (v.o.)
I'm sorry, Momma.
MARGARET (v.o.)
...to stay away from that girl, that whore...
CARRIE (v.o.)
Please, Momma!
MARGARET (v.o.)
... of Babylon!
Which continues over:
13. TWO SHOT STELLA AND MRS. HORAN
Their eyes riveted on the house trying, squinting to see through the sun's terrible glare.
STELLA
Don't you yell at her like that! Stop that!
MRS. HORAN
That poor sweet child...
6
STELLA
Mother, we've got to do something!
MRS. HORAN
What?
STELLA
Call the police? Mother, call the police!
MRS. HORAN
(not about to interfere; hopeless)
The child...
At this point, the hysteric babble reaches its crescendo; we should be able to pick out phrases
in this cacophony as Margaret rants at Carrie to go into her closet and pray for forgiveness;
as Carrie's frightened little voice proclaims that she forgot, that she's sorry. And then
suddenly the screaming stops and it's quiet dead quiet.
14 THE WHITE HOUSE
As it becomes more distinct, visible. There's a low WHISTLING sound, and then what
appears to be a stone the size of a small pebble lands on the roof.
Another, slightly larger one appears a second or two later. And then another, and another,
and...
15 TIGHTER TWO SHOT STELLA AND MRS. HORAN
squinting, blinking at the pebbles which are coming down like marbles.
16 THE WHITE HOUSE
as it's pelted with what are now even larger stones WHISTLING, SCREAMING in the air
like miniature bombs.
Stones from a perfectly blue summer day.
Stones ranging in size from marbles to handballs.
One of them hits a downspout, knocking it onto the lawn. CRASHING, CRACKING
SOUNDS as these pieces of granite tear into the stucco roofing, leaving holes.
The effect is that of a drum being bombarded.
7
17. TWO SHOT MRS. HORAN AND STELLA
Frozen to the spot: Mrs. Horan with her hands over her ears, her screams blending with the
SOUND of larger and larger stones as they pelt the house and we hear Margaret throughout
screaming:
MARGARET'S VOICE
Stop that! Stop that!
Stella is clutching Mrs. Horan like a child terrified by the freakiest of summer storms a
healthy young woman as her figure in the bikini testifies, but a child nonetheless, this
nightmarish moment.
18 THE HOUSE
As still larger stones hail from the sky.
And then just as suddenly and inexplicably as they started, they stop.
19 TWO SHOT THE WOMEN
Mrs. Horan with her hands still over her ears, her daughter standing next to her, transfixed on
the lawn. Once again, it's quiet.
20 THE WHITE HOUSE
As one final stone this one the size of a mere pebble falls from the roof and plops onto
the lawn.
The image grows lighter and lighter. All the color seems to bleach out, turning the screen
once again into an incredible, silently blazing white.
MAIN TITLES.
21 EXT. THE WHITE HOUSE MORNING
Now some years later and no longer glistening so whitely or mysteriously. We see the
front of the house as the door flies open. Carrie, now sixteen or seventeen, appears in the
doorway, carrying school books. As she comes out on the porch, the screen door bangs
behind her.
8
She is wearing a shapeless, drab dress much too long, not so much out of style as utterly
without style. What remains in this adolescent girl that links her with the pretty child we
glimpsed in the prologue are those remarkable eyes.
As she comes down the porch stairs, we hear:
MARGARET'S VOICE
Carrie!
Carrie stops, turns to reply into the house.
CARRIE
Yes, Momma.
MARGARET'S VOICE
You come straight home from school.
A moment of hesitation on Carrie's part, a very slight hint of rebellion, but:
CARRIE
(sweetly)
I always do, Momma.
Then she turns, walks to the street, gathering pace, quickening.
22. EXT WHITE HOUSE ANOTHER ANGLE
As Carrie walks down the path from the porch and turns at the sidewalk, in the course of
which she passes by where the Horans used to live. Only the Horans no longer live here. No
one does. It's a vacant lot with a FOR SALE sign out front, with overgrown weeds. From
the looks of them, the house vanished a long time ago.
23 EXT. TOWN STREETS DAY
Carrie is walking to school, the sun shining brightly above her. The farther she gets from her
house, the livelier she seems. We sense that underneath this drab dress is a girl pushing out,
an altogether different creature than her appearance would suggest. And to help persuade us
about this possibility, there is MUSIC.
24 BOBBY ERBETER
About five, BOBBY bikes on the other side of one of the streets, keeping pace with Carrie on
a twenty-inch Schwinn with training wheels.
9
BOBBY
Hey, fart-face! Hey, old praying Carrie! Praying, Carrie, praying
Carrie, praying Carrie!
Carrie favors him with a sweet tolerant smile and goes on toward the high school, in the
background:
Bobby, frustrated, stops astride is bike and screams after her.
Bobby's face
DISSOLVE TO:
25 THE FACE OF AN ADOLESCENT
Or as he is known in school, THE BEAK. He is pathetically thin, myopic, weak-chinned,
beak-nosed, almost a caricature of an adolescent reject. Over his face, we HEAR:
FROMM'S VOICE
What are you going to leave for us,
You people in your big cars
Spewing pollution into the air?
We PAN the faces of adolescents, listening with various degrees of attention, indifference, or
reluctance, to:
FROMM'S VOICE
You people with heavy feet
Trampling down the wilderness?
You people who peer into the back seats of our cars
Hours after you come out of the back doors of your motels.
Soon all we will have is each other, and that could be enough...
26 INT. CLASSROOM FROMM DAY
Or, as he is known to his pupils, BIG BELLY FROMM, at his desk in front of the class,
reading from an assignment paper.
FROMM
...If you will let us have room enough
And air enough
And peace enough
To love each other
As you never could
10
He sets down the paper, and looks at the class.
27 FROMM'S POV THE CLASS
We will see, among others, Carrie.
We also see TOMMY ROSS a mid-seventies version of the boy next door. Good-looking,
clean-cut, intelligent, athletic.
28 FROMM
He is nodding his head slowly, affecting a kind of puzzlement.
FROMM
I must say I must confess this poem displays an extraordinary
talent...
(the knife)
...a talent extraordinary for you, Tommy Ross.
29 THE CLASS
All eyes are on Tommy, who doesn't seem very abashed. In fact, he turns, clasps his hands
over his head, to the delight of his classmates. But you don't get the feeling he is a goof-off;
he is a kid aware of his own popularity and comfortable with it.
30 FROMM
FROMM
Tommy, this is slightly different from running for a
touchdown... Any criticisms?
31 THE CLASS
The usual hesitation. Then Carrie's hand shoots up.
32 FROMM
He appears surprised to see Carrie, ordinarily shy, volunteering.
FROMM
Carrie White?
33 THE CLASS FEATURING CARRIE
11
Her volunteering has surprised her as well. But she's stuck with it. The eyes of the class are
on her. And she has to say something. So she does.
CARRIE
It's... beautiful.
34 FROMM
He leaves his desk, moving into the class area, seeming to pounce on Carrie.
FROMM
`Beautiful.' `Bee-t-ti-ful!' `Oh beautiful for spacious
skies, for amber waves of grain.' Is that the beautiful you mean?
The class is snickering. Carrie throws a despairing glance toward Tommy. Tommy looks at
her, and away, embarrassed. Carrie looks down at her desk, almost burying herself.
FROMM
That isn't exactly a criticism, Miss White.
(looking around)
Anyone else?
(no one else)
Well, at least we've finally gotten Carrie White
to say something!
Tommy looks toward Carrie, with something suggesting compassion.
Then he looks toward Fromm, and he is muttering something. Or to be specific:
TOMMY
(muttering)
You suck.
FROMM
Tommy? You said something?
TOMMY
Yes, sir.
(moment; "popular" grin)
I said... `shucks.'
But everyone in the class knows.
CUT TO:
35 OMITTED
12
36 EXT. VOLLEYBALL COURT DAY
Two teams of girls, among them NORMA WATSON, HELEN SHYRES, CORA and
RHONDA WILSON (sisters although not identical twins), CHRIS HARGENSEN and SUE
SNELL. Supervising the game is MISS COLLINS wearing a warm-up suit and holding a
whistle awaiting the next point. Among the girls is CARRIE anxiously watching for the ball
to come her way. It has apparently been a close game, the competition building steadily.
When the shot begins, Miss Collins has just blown her whistle to announce:
COLLINS
Okay, now. This is game point.
This is the final point of the game and Rhonda Wilson is serving (she is on the opposite team
as Carrie).
RHONDA
(giving the score)
Twenty Twenty.
The ball is successfully served and remains in play for some time as the girls skillfully volley
it back and forth over the net. And then, just when the tension is its greatest, the ball comes
over the net toward Carrie. It's evident that the outcome of the game depends upon her
success. The little boy who decided to put his finger in the dyke had it easier.
The other girls are (AD LIB) shouting cautions and admonitions to Carrie. Carrie almost
trembles with tension, about to bat the ball over the net, afraid to hit it.
Carrie whacks the ball. She shacks it hard. And on a line straight into the net.
Another chorus of groans, with remarks like "Wouldn't you know!" and "Dumbo!"
reinforcing them. Chris storms back toward Carrie.
CHRIS
(low, harsh)
You eat shit!
Miss Collins blows her WHISTLE.
CUT TO:
13
37 INT SHOWER ROOM DAY
Steam partially obscures the girls as they whoop and holler and cavort under individual
showers. They banter little barbed pleasantries, bits of sexual information, family plaints,
talk of college all of which we hear from separate stalls.
One by one the showers are turned off, the girls stepping out, removing pastel bathing caps,
toweling, spraying deodorant, bras hooked, underpants stepped into. Steam hangs in the air.
So do words, running into one another, tumbling, drifting.
`...Tommy says he hated it on me... My sister's husband picks his nose... So does your
sister... too cheap to spend a penny... we'll go after school... I'm going with Billy, we'll
meet you... Friday night...'
We PICK UP Miss Collins as she steps among the girls, spies Carrie still standing under the
shower. She claps her hands together once, smartly.
COLLINS
What are you waiting for, Carrie?
(as Carrie looks at her)
Bell in five minutes.
CARRIE
Oh uh?
As Collins departs, and the other girls start to move toward their lockers, Carrie is left alone
in her shower stall. She is soaping herself. In a virtual reverie, she begins at her shoulders,
moving her hands over her breasts in small, regular, virtually erotic circles. Her hand goes
out of frame, below her stomach. Slowly, it emerges back into frame full of blood. And
just as she and we see this, so do the girls.
CHRIS
Peer-iod! Peer-iod!
Carrie stares at her dumbly.
The other girls are quick to take up the chant. Chris leads them.
GIRLS
Peer-iod! Peer-iod! Peer-iod! Peer-iod!
One voice chimes in:
NORMA
14
Plug it up!
Others take up this new chant. For a while, like counterpoint, he chants overlap; then the
new chant emerges solely:
GIRLS
Plug it up! Plug it up! Plug it up! Plug it up!
Dime-sized drops are striking the tile floor at Carrie's feet.
SUE
For God's sakes, Carrie, you got your period.
(as Carrie turns toward her)
Clean yourself up!
Carrie seems bewildered.
SUE
(furiously)
You're bleeding! You dumb pudding, you're bleeding!
Carrie looks down and wails, the sound is very loud.
A tampon strikes Carrie's chest, plops to her feet. Carrie just stares at it.
NORMA
She thinks they're for lipstick.
Behind her, another girl pretends to throw up.
Shrieks of laughter. Another tampon strikes Carrie. Another. The girls are bombarding her
with tampons and sanitary napkins, some from purses, some from the broken dispenser on
the wall. As they bombard Carrie:
GIRLS
Plug it up, plug it up, plug it up, plug it up....
We isolate Sue Snell at the moment she joins in the chant, and watch her beginning to be
caught up in what can only be described as a fury.
Carrie howls and begins to back away, howling louder and louder.
The door is flung open by Collins.
COLLINS
15
What is this?
And she takes it in. She jerks the whistle to her mouth, blows and blows! The sound is
louder than a shriek (which it resembles) or a howl (which it doesn't).
And there is sudden silence.
COLLINS
(to girls)
Get out! Get out!
The girls retreat, Sue last.
SUE
It must be her first...
COLLINS
Out!
As the girls slip out, Collins turns to Carrie, who has backed up and is whimpering. Collins
slaps her face, not too hard at first, then with a flash of anger.
CARRIE
M... M... Miss Collins...
COLLINS
Stand up. Take care of yourself.
CARRIE
I'm bleeding.
One blind searching hand comes up, clutches Collins' white shorts, leaving a bloody
handprint.
COLLINS
Damn you!
She hurls Carrie part way across the room toward the broken sanitary napkin dispenser.
COLLINS
Get over there! And take one!
CARRIE
16
I don't know...
COLLINS
Never mind the coin slot... It's broken.
CARRIE
It hurts... my stomach...
COLLINS
(grabbing her)
Do it! Now.
CARRIE
I can't. I don't know how!
There's a bright flash as a light BULB POIPS, fizzling out. Collins is surprised.
COLLINS
What...?
And she looks at Carrie. Her anger seems to seep away. Her voice softens.
COLLINS
Carrie, don't you know...?
(shakes her head, realizing and wondering)
You don't.
(reaches for Carrie)
I'll show you.
DISSOLVE TO:
38A INSERT INT WAITING ROOM DAY CARRIE AND MISS FINCH
38 INT. PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE DAY
HENRY MORTON, the principal, a decent but somewhat plodding man in his mid-forties, is
tapping out his pipe as he talks to Collins.
MORTON
Isn't she a bit old for her...
Well, he can't quite say it.
COLLINS
17
Her first period?
MORTON
Ah, yes.
COLLINS
Morty, until a half hour ago, I don't think she knew there
was such a thing.
He hesitates a moment noticing Carrie's bloody handprint on Collins' gym shorts.
MORTON
It's hard to believe in this day and age a girl in high
school wouldn't know... something... the facts.
COLLINS
Well, knowing that mother of hers...
MORTON
(cutting her off)
Miss Collins, if you'd been with us longer, you'd
understand we cannot interfere with people's beliefs.
As for the girls
COLLINS
Carrie's always been their scapegoat. So they...
MORTON
You'll have to do something.
COLLINS
I will. But I understood how those girls felt. The whole
thing just made me want to take the girl and shake her.
MORTON
Ummm.
COLLINS
It's just her period, for God's sake.
MORTON
(cutting in; uncomfortable)
We'll send her home.
(to intercom)
Miss Finch, send in Cassie Wright.
18
COLLINS
It's Carrie White.
MORTON
(fiddling with paper clips on his desk)
Oh.
The door is opened. Carrie stands in the doorway.
MORTON
Come in, Cassie.
Collins starts to correct him, but:
MORTON
Close the door. No, wait.
(up)
Miss Finch, bring in a dismissal slip.
(to Carrie)
I think you might take the rest of the day and go home
and, uh, well... take care of yourself, Cassie.
CARRIE
(hardly a murmur)
Carrie.
MORTON
We're all sorry about this incident.
MISS FINCH, elderly, spinsterish, goggles in with the yellow dismissal slip, brings it to
Morton who initials it.
MORTON
(to Finch, as she goes)
Thank you.
(to Carrie)
Would you like to go to the infirmary?...
Carrie is shaking her head.
MORTON
...lie down for a while...
COLLINS
I think Carrie can go home.
19
MORTON
Would you like a ride?
Again, Carrie is shaking her head.
MORTON
We could call you a cab.
COLLINS
I'm sure she can walk home. And Carrie, you're excused
from gym for a week. Take study hall instead.
Morton picks up the dismissal slip, hands it to Carrie.
MORTON
We are sorry about this, Cassie.
CARRIE
(sudden fury)
That's not my name!
Two things happen simultaneously; Morton recoils slightly and the ashtray quakes a little
and then tumbles from the desk.
Then Carrie goes out.
Morton comes around the desk, stoops to pick up the ashtray, stares at it curiously for a
moment, then looks at Collins.
COLLINS
(slowly)
That reminds me. A light blew out while I was
trying to calm her down.
MORTON
I'll send a janitor to fix it.
Okay, that's reality. He puts the ashtray back on the desk decisively, dismissing any
"peculiar" thought he may have had.
DISSOLVE TO:
39 A RED SCREEN
PULL BACK QUICKLY to show red circles of a traffic light.
20
Carrie is standing at an intersection, waiting for the light to change.
40 CARRIE'S POV CHAMBERLAIN STREET
Cars are flashing by; they seem to leave blurs of light.
41 FLASH CUT
Carrie's tormentors.
42. FLASH CUT
Carrie.
43. LONGER CUT
The girls throwing tampons and sanitary napkins.
44. LONGER CUT
Carrie, hatred showing.
45 THE GIRLS FEATURING CHRIS
Suddenly their motions are ARRESTED. Their images polarize; the girls disappear, except
for Chris. Her image REMAINS.
46 CARRIE
Concentrating her hatred
47 CHRIS' IMAGE
It begins to shatter. And then explodes.
48 THE LIGHT
Turns green
49 CARRIE
She walks across the street.
21
50 EXT. ANOTHER STREET DAY
A quiet residential street in a lower middle-class neighborhood. Carrie is walking down the
street, slowly.
51 ANOTHER ANGLE
There comes Bobby Erbeter again on his bike, paralleling Carrie (as before)
BOBBY
Hey, fart-face! Hey, old praying Carrie!
52 CARRIE
She keeps on walking, ignoring him.
53 BOBBY
Keeping pace with Carrie, shouting across the street.
BOBBY
Fart-face, fart-face, fart-face...
54 CARRIE
Turning toward him, her face contorted with rage.
55 CARRIE'S POV ANGLE ON BOBBY
The bike wobbles on its training wheels.
And the bike topples over, on top of Bobby, who screams
56 OMITTED
57 CARRIE
CLOSE now, featuring her eyes most prominently. Her face is uncertain, confused. What
just happened? She thought (that's right, thought) something and it happened...
And we HEAR another SCREAM, more of an angry shriek, and then the strange sight and
SOUND of:
22
58 FLASH CUT
As the stones pelt the White bungalow years ago.
59 CLOSER
The stones pelting the roof.
60 CARRIE
She is staring across the street at:
61 BOBBY
Screaming with anger (more than anything else) as he disentangles himself. He stands up,
looks toward Carrie across the street, shakes his little fist.
BOBBY
(defiantly)
Fart-face!
62 CARRIE
The boy's defiant chant can be heard as Carrie blinks, wondering. Then she opens her eyes,
wider. She looks at the boy. She frowns for a moment.
63 FLASH CUTS
The stones.
The light bulb exploding.
The ashtray falling.
We hear:
BOBBY'S VOICE
Fart-face, fart-face, fart-face!
64 CARRIE
A faint smile, partly of wonder, partly of a strange kind of joy. She knows.
23
DISSOLVE TO:
65 INT. SNELL KITCHEN ELEANOR SNELL DAY
Sue's mother. Out of a margarine commercial a packaged, nice lady, neat, trim a good
mother, good wife. She is preparing dinner; in her line of sight, a television game show
glitters.
DOORBELL
Eleanor frowns momentarily, leaves the kitchen.
66 INT. SNELL HOUSE TRACKING ELEANOR DAY
Through the middleclass, rather tasteful home, to the front door.
Eleanor opens the door.
67 ANGLE ON MARGARET WHITE
Standing in the doorway. She is a large lady dressed in black, carrying a worn black leather
sack, which we will discover is bulging with religious tracts.
68 ELEANOR WITH MARGARET
Margaret White is not a welcome visitor, but Eleanor Snell is a polite lady.
ELEANOR
Oh, Mrs. White.
MARGARET
How have you been, Mrs. Snell?
ELEANOR
Fine.
MARGARET
And the doctor?
ELEANOR
Fine.
MARGARET
And your daughter?
24
ELEANOR
Sue is... fine.
An impasse. Finally Eleanor feels constrained to open the door wider, put a smile on her
face, and:
ELEANOR
Won't you come in, Mrs. White?
MARGARET
Thank you.
She steps inside and Eleanor closes the door behind her, saying:
ELEANOR
I think Carrie is in some of Sue's classes.
MARGARET
Yes.
ELEANOR
Perhaps some time Carrie might visit...
MARGARET
I'm here on the Lord's work.
ELEANOR
Yes, of course.
Margaret is fishing tracts out of her bag.
MARGARET
These will interest the doctor and you.
Eleanor looks at the tracts with pretended interest
ELEANOR
I'm sure they will.
MARGARET
And your daughter.
ELEANOR
(a smile)
Well, I don't think Sue would be
25
MARGARET
(cutting in)
Children are godless these days, Mrs. Snell.
Margaret's voice is almost toneless now and throughout.
ELEANOR
My Sue is a good girl.
MARGARET
These are Godless times.
ELEANOR
I'll drink to that!
Humor and she regrets it immediately.
ELEANOR
(continuing; quietly)
We'll all read... these.
The telephone RINGS.
ELEANOR
Excuse me.
(retreating)
Please sit down.
Margaret doesn't sit, and Eleanor flees into the kitchen.
69 INT KITCHEN DAY
As Eleanor reaches the phone.
ELEANOR
Hello... Betty, can I call you back? Margaret White is here...
Right... right... Let me get rid of her and I'll call you back.
She hangs up, opens a drawer, takes out some hidden household money (a couple of bills),
and drags herself back into the living room.
70 INT. SNELL LIVING ROOM DAY
Margaret is still where we left her.
26
ELEANOR
We'd like to contribute ten...
(a look at Margaret)
...twenty dollars.
MARGARET
Thank you. I'll give you a receipt.
Eleanor shifts from foot to foot while Margaret writes out the receipt, gives it to her.
ELEANOR
Thank you, Mrs. White.
MARGARET
I'll pray you find Jesus before it's too late.
What can one say? Eleanor stands there, completely exasperated but retaining her politeness
like a steel, middle-class glove. She accompanies Margaret to the door and the latter leaves.
Eleanor is about to close the door, stops, seeing:
71 EXT SNELL HOUSE FROM DOOR DAY
Sue is coming toward the door. She passes Margaret with a quick (inaudible) greeting and
hurries to the front door where her mother is waiting.
SUE
That's Carrie White's mother...
As Eleanor nods and closes the door.
SUE
(apprehensively)
What did she want?
ELEANOR
(indicating tracts)
She gave us these
(conspiratorial sigh)
...and I gave her a donation.
Sue's face betrays relief, but Eleanor notices nothing.
ELEANOR
(brightly)
Well, how was school today?
27
SUE
Today? Like always.
HOLD ON Sue, staring at the tracts on the table (or perhaps out the window as Margaret
leaves). A long beat, then:
DISSOLVE TO:
72 CARRIE
Who is sitting in an old Boston rocker by the window in her room which overlooks the street.
She is wearing just a slip or perhaps an old terrycloth robe her plain dress and school books
on the narrow bed.
She is leafing through a teenage magazine on the order of "Seventeen" absorbed in the
mundane fantasies of models in their pantyhose and underwear; long gowns and mystery men.
An escape of sorts.
And we reveal Carrie's bedroom in the low attic of the White house: tiny, plain, severe. It's
decorated with just the fewest embellishments (i.e. high school pennant) that Margaret would
allow in exchange for her own prices a crucifix above Carrie's bed, a small bureau with an
equally small mirror, a Bible and plastic glow-in-the-dark Madonna and child, and various
religious prints and plaster quotations on the wall.
73 ANGLE FEATURING CARRIE
Caught up in the magazine, in the most normal of female fantasies courtesy of the slick
Madison Avenue mind. And then, with that extra sense of perception apparatus that fears it's
about to be caught doing something it shouldn't, Carrie glances out the window and down to
see:
74 EXT THE STREET MARGARET
As this formidable vision of black strides down the walk. Another woman like this would be
coming home from a funeral; Margaret actually seems to like black.
75 CLOSEUP CARRIE
Her heart pounding as we glimpse that look of terror we witnessed earlier a scared little girl
now encased in the body of an adolescent.
As she hears Margaret close the front door and call out her name as she hangs up her coat,
Carrie hastily stashes the magazine under the mattress. Then she begins to dress as we hear
the SOUNDS of Margaret in the kitchen, starting her daily afternoon ritual of making tea.
28
And then the telephone RINGS only to stop as Margaret picks up the receiver. It's just as
Carrie dreaded it's the school and she stands by the door, trying desperately to overhear
Margaret's muffled voice. And then Margaret hangs up, and in a deadly tone of voice not
yelling but enunciation with a terrible clarity she calls up the stairs:
MARGARET'S VOICE
I know you're listening. Come downstairs.
And defeated, Carrie braces herself and goes down the:
76 HALLWAY, STAIRS, LIVING ROOM, FOLLOWING CARRIE
As she hurries down toward her mother and into:
77 INT WHITE KITCHEN DAY
Where Margaret is standing by the stove, her back to her in stony silence.
CARRIE
Hello, Momma.
No response. The teakettle is just beginning to boil over the gas burner, and in this altogether
strange little kitchen a veritable arsenal of lace-tatted religious art Margaret is a rock.
29
Carrie sits down at the kitchen table, bursting with shame and the need to talk. Yet she
recognizes her mother's wall of silence, knowing she won't speak until she's ready. They've
been through this dance a thousand times. Finally, Carrie breaks.
CARRIE
Who was it that called?
(no response)
What did they say?
78 MARGARET
Point one and some grim satisfaction. Yet she doesn't respond immediately. Then she turns
from the stove.
MARGARET
(softly)
You're a woman now.
CARRIE
Oh Momma, why didn't you tell me something? I was so scared...
Margaret walks over to the table and sits next to Carrie. She puts on rimless glasses, then
opens the Bible and starts to read with one of those strange Kathryn Kuhlman looks on her
face:
MARGARET
`And God made Eve from the rib of Adam. And Eve was
weak and loosed the raven on the world, and the raven was
called Sin `
She pushes the Bible at Carrie, her finger on the place.
MARGARET
...and the raven was called sin...
CARRIE
Why didn't you tell me? Oh, Momma
MARGARET
(overriding)
...and the raven was called Sin! ...and the first sin was intercourse.
30
CARRIE
I was so scared! And the other girls, they made fun of me
and threw things and
Margaret's hand flashes out, backhanding Carrie into the wall. It's a wallop of a slap, the
sting of it bringing tears to her eyes.
CARRIE
Momma, please listen. It wasn't my fault.
Another backhanded blow knocks Carrie to the floor.
CARRIE
Momma!
MARGARET
And Eve was weak and... say it, woman!
Kick.
CARRIE
Momma, please help me.
MARGARET
And Eve was weak and loosed the raven on the world.
CARRIE
They threw things...
MARGARET
(overriding)
...and the raven was called Sin... Sin! ...and the first sin
was intercourse.
CARRIE
Momma, please listen.
A kick.
MARGARET
And the Lord visited Eve with a curse, and the curse
was the Curse of Blood!
31
The teakettle starts to WHISTLE.
CARRIE
You should have told me!
Margaret clutches Carrie's wrist in a vise.
MARGARET
(heavenward)
O Lord, help this sinning woman see the sin of her days and ways.
Show her that if she had remained sinless
CARRIE
No!
MARGARET
-- the Curse of Blood would never have come on her. She may have
been tempted by the Antichrist. She may have committed the Sin of
Lustful Thoughts.
The teakettle is WHISTLING louder a high-pitched scream.
CARRIE
No, Momma.
MARGARET
Don't you lie to me, Carietta, don't you know by now I can see inside
you? I can see your sin just as surely as God can.
CARRIE
Momma, let me go.
Margaret flings open the door of the kitchen closet.
MARGARET
We will pray. We will pray, woman, we will pray to Jesus for
our woman-weak, wicked, sinning souls...
She switches on the light, and there is Jesus on the wall, rictus, crown of thorns, bathed in an
ominous blue light. A vision of a wrathful God. Throughout the following, Carrie struggles
desperately, but she's no match for her mother.
32
MARGARET
And the Lord visited Eve with a Curse, and the Curse was the Curse
of Blood. And there was a Second Curse, and this was the Curse of
Childbearing, and Eve brought forth Cain in sweat and blood!
She propels Carrie into the closet, slams the door behind her. Margaret's voice continues,
overlapping onto:
79 INT. CLOSET CARRIE DAY
Very much the little girl now as she sinks to the floor of the closet crying, disheveled,
beaten. The closet is just what every child ever dreaded about the night.
80 JESUS
Looking down at Carrie.
81 CARRIE
She looks away and inwards. With her, we see:
82 SPLATS OF BLOOD
Falling on the shower floor.
83 THE GIRLS IN THE SHOWER ROOM
Surrounding Carrie, jeering her, bombarding her.
84 JESUS
Impassive, impersonal, unconcerned or so it seems.
85 CHRIS IN THE SHOWER ROOM
In the forefront of the pack.
86 CARRIE IN THE SHOWER ROOM
As the girls would see her, cowering, the bloody napkins pelting her.
87 JESUS CLOSER ANGLE
The blood seems to be streaming down his face; it moves.
33
88 CARRIE IN THE CLOSET
Tears are streaming down her face. She whispers:
CARRIE
Please!
DISSOLVE TO:
89 EXT. THE HILL NIGHT
MOVING IN SLOWLY on Tommy Ross' 1963 Ford, which is parked in the shadows on The
Hill (something of a ridge which overlooks the town and is dedicated to Eros by high school
students and occasional graduates). The MUSIC swells as we MOVE IN. And finally, we
PEER into the car, where we see:
90 INT. TOMMY'S FORD NIGHT
Sue and Tommy have finished making love in the back seat. They are both putting their
clothes in order, silently, slowly.
Then they climb into the front seat. Sue takes out a cigarette. Tommy lights it with the
dashboard lighter. They say nothing as Sue smokes for a few moments. Then Tommy looks
at her closely.
TOMMY
Hey.
She turns away.
TOMMY
Hey, what's the matter?
He puts his arm around her clumsily.
SUE
Nothing.
TOMMY
What did I do?
SUE
Nothing. It's not you.
34
TOMMY
Hey, everything's all right. I love you, honey.
(silence)
Did I...?
SUE
(blurting)
It's Carrie.
TOMMY
Who?
SUE
Carrie. Carrie White.
TOMMY
Praying Carrie?
SUE
(sharply)
Don't call her that.
TOMMY
(imitating Carrie)
It's... beautiful.
(laughing)
That's what she said when I read that poem you wrote for me.
SUE
Tommy, please...
TOMMY
(going on)
And Big Belly Fromm saying...
(imitating)
That isn't exactly criticism, Miss White.
(exploding)
Jesus!
Sue has turned away from him.
TOMMY
Hey, honey, it was a beautiful poem. I wish I could have written it.
(silence)
Honey?
35
SUE
Don't call me that.
TOMMY
Don't call her that. Don't call me that. What the hell's the matter with you?
She is crying, that's what.
TOMMY
Hey, are you crying?
(yes, stupid)
Are you?
He tries to turn her toward him. She struggles. Manfully, he forces her around.
TOMMY
Jesus, Sue, what is it?
SUE
(trying to turn away)
I told you.
TOMMY
Told me what?
SUE
About Carrie.
TOMMY
That thing in the shower?
(she's silent)
Hey, it was a joke, wasn't it? I mean, everyone was doing it.
SUE
I'm not everyone.
TOMMY
You're special.
SUE
I was one of them.
TOMMY
So you were teasing Carrie White
36
SUE
We were hurting her
TOMMY
She's used to it. Jesus, you remember how she'd get down on her
knees and say grace in the cafeteria... alone, for Christ's sake. And
the way she dresses... Hey, Sue, she's asking for it.
SUE
(vehemently)
How would you like to be Carrie White?
TOMMY
How would I like to be Carrie White?
SUE
How would you like to be Carrie White? How would you like to be
Carrie White instead of being Tommy Ross... big man, big jock, popular.
TOMMY
What's the big deal about being popular? I mean, one day I'll wake up
and find myself working at my dad's car lot and out Friday nights and
Saturdays at Uncle Billy's or the Cavalier drinking beer and maybe
married with a bunch of kids...
(stops)
What's that got to do with Carrie White? Or anything?
SUE
I did something wrong and I feel bad about it.
TOMMY
I can understand that. Hey, back in seventh grade, there was this kid...
SUE
(interrupting)
I've got to do something about it.
TOMMY
Like what?
SUE
I don't know yet. Apologize.
TOMMY
Okay, you tell her you're sorry.
37
SUE
That's not enough. That's like something my mom would do.
TOMMY
What are you going to do? Kiss her, for God's sake?
SUE
God, I hate you sometimes!
TOMMY
What the hell do you want me to do?
SUE
I want you to help me. Or are you just interested in fucking me?
TOMMY
(angrily)
Don't say that!
SUE
Fucking me, fucking me...
TOMMY
Cut it out!
SUE
Then help me!
Tommy moves back from Sue. He is looking at her, trying to figure her out. He wants to do
something, he doesn't want an argument, but...
TOMMY
Okay, what can I do?
SUE
I want you to think about Carrie White.
38
TOMMY
(incredulously)
You want me to sit here and think about... Jesus!
(moment)
Are you serious?
(moment)
You're serious.
(moment)
What's there to think about?
SUE
Think about it.
TOMMY
Jesus.
He stares off through the windshield. He is really puzzled. He steals a look at Sue. He starts
to put his arm around her; she moves a little, subtly but clearly. Tommy stares off into space
again.
TOMMY
I never thought about her. I mean, she wasn't someone you had to
think about.
(beat)
She was always there keeping to herself in that stupid dress that
weird mother.
(beat)
You know what I mean?
Sue glances toward him. Of course she knows. And he is beginning to understand.
Tommy looks straight ahead again. He is starting to think. It's not all that easy.
TOMMY
(almost under his breath)
Carrie White?
It does come out as a question.
DISSOLVE TO:
39
91 INT. WHITE LIVING ROOM NIGHT
Margaret is at the sewing machine. She is either listening to a reasonable facsimile of
Kathryn Kuhlman preaching on the radio, or instead, to an old Victrola which plays
Tennessee Ernie Ford's "Let the Lower Lights Be Burning." A Black Forest cuckoo clock,
providing a sense of lapsed time.
Suddenly the treadle on the sewing machine depresses itself. The needle begins to dip up and
down; the bobbin whirs and jerks.
Margaret turns around to see:
92 CARRIE
She is standing in the entrance of the living room. Her demeanor seems more peaceful, calm,
almost too calm.
93 MARGARET
A touch of fear in her eyes. But:
MARGARET
Go to bed.
94 CARRIE
She crosses over to her mother, kisses her lightly on the (unmoving) head.
CARRIE
Good night, Momma.
Carrie goes to the stairs.
95 UP THE STAIRS
With Carrie.
96 UPPER HALLWAY
Carrie goes into her room.
40
97 INT. CARRIE'S ROOM NIGHT
Carrie turns on a light. She undresses slowly, wearily. And then she stops and looks at
herself in the mirror. A close, tired inspection. Her eyes seem hollow, haunted. Carrie
doesn't like what she sees; she doesn't like herself.
Flex. Slowly cracks appear in the mirror, spiderwebs.
Flex. The mirror cracks wider.
And flex: the mirror shatters, crashes to the dresser in pieces, loudly; some of the pieces fall
on the floor.
MARGARET
Carrie! Carrie? Carrie!
A moment of utter panic now what?
98 HALLWAY STAIRS
As Margaret strides up them, past the landing, and tries the knob on Carrie's door. It's
locked. She rattles the knob. But to no avail. Then:
MARGARET
Carrie! Carrie, open this door!
(a beat; nothing)
Carrie!
Another beat; then:
CARRIE'S VOICE
(sweetly)
It's open, Momma.
Margaret tries the knob again, and it is, indeed, open.
99 INT CARRIE'S ROOM
Where Carrie is kneeling by her bed, now in her flannel nightgown, praying.
MARGARET
What was that noise?
CARRIE
41
Nothing, Momma.
Margaret peers around the room; she did hear a mirror break, no mistake about it. But there it
is whole again as her reflection in it testifies. Margaret walks over to it, rearranges the
plastic glow-in-the-dark Madonna and child on the dresser.
MARGARET
Go to bed.
She leaves the doorway and we return to Carrie, who smiles sweetly. And then:
Flex.
The door slams closed.
100 INT. THE GYM TRACKING SHOT DAY
Down the class of twenty-five or so girls, still in their street clothes, lined up against the gym
wall under their class numbers as:
101 COLLINS
Walks in front of them with a clipboard taking roll.
Collins
...Shyres...
SHYRES (o.s.)
Present
COLLINS
...Snell...
102 THE GIRLS
STILL TRACKING, FEATURING Sue
SUE
Here.
COLLINS (o.s.)
Watson...
WATSON
Present.
42
The CAMERA COMES to an empty space without being told, we can tell it's Carrie's.
103 COLLINS
Hesitates, then moves right along.
COLLINS
...and the Wilsons.
Who're identical twins.
CORA
Here...
RHONDA
...Miss Collins.
COLLINS
(small smile; then, closing her book)
Okay. Sit down.
All the girls except Chris obey.
COLLINS
You too, Chris. And spit out that gum.
CHRIS
(overly sweet)
Where'll I put it, Miss Collins?
COLLINS
You can choke on it for all I care. Now sit down.
104 CHRIS
Pausing for a second, then deciding it's better to go along without talking back. She sits
down.
105 THE GIRLS
Shifting nervously, unused to Collins' absolute no-nonsense tone.
106 COLLINS
Taking a deep breath.
43
COLLINS
Okay. I just want you all to know that you did a shitty thing
yesterday. A really shitty thing.
107 HELEN SHYRES
the freckled, slightly pudgy girl sitting next to Sue giggles nervously. But no one joins her,
and she clasps her hand over her mouth, trying to stifle it.
108 COLLINS
Glaring at Helen, silencing her.
COLLINS
Did any of you stop to think that Carrie White has feelings?
Do any of you ever stop to think? No, I guess you've got your
minds on your dates and the Prom. Chris, I imagine you can take
your pick, who's the lucky guy?
CHRIS
(mumbling)
Billy Nolan.
COLLINS
(loudly)
Who? Speak up! I can't hear you.
Chris tries to control her anger is barely able to.
CHRIS
Billy Nolan
Collins eye-to-eye with Chris now, smiles.
COLLINS
Well, isn't he the lucky one.
She walks down the line, stopping in front of Sue.
COLLINS
And what about you, Sue? Who's taking you?
SUE
Tommy Ross.
44
COLLINS
Right
(beat; then)
Okay. Now my idea for this little trick you pulled was three days'
suspension and refusal of your prom tickets.
109 THE GIRLS
As Collins' words sink in groans of disappointment.
110 SUE'S POV COLLINS
Almost seeming o single Sue out as she continues at least that's the way it seems to Sue.
COLLINS
That would hit you where you live, now, wouldn't it? And you'd
deserve it I don't think any of you have any idea of just how nasty
what you did was. The office has decided that you're to have one
week's detention.
The girls sigh with relief. Chris has a particularly smug look. Collins takes in their reactions;
then she reels in the line:
COLLINS
But. There's one little catch. It's to be my detention. Right here in
the gym. Fifty minutes every day. Get the picture?
111 THE GIRLS
As they realize just how they've been had indeed, getting the picture.
112 CHRIS
Furious, defiant.
CHRIS
I won't come.
113 COLLINS
No less determined, but cool.
45
COLLINS
That's up to you, Chris. That's up to all of you. Punishment for
skipping detention is three days' suspension and the loss of your
prom tickets. Any other thoughts?
114 THE GIRLS
Sober, slightly frightened.
115 INT. HALL OUTSIDE GYM CARRIE DAY
She is standing in the hall, looking into the gym through the small glass window cut in the
door.
116 INT. GYM
Collins has finished with the girls, she stands in front of them, the victor.
COLLINS
Right. Now change up.
The girls start to turn.
117 INT. HALL OUTSIDE GYM
Carrie quickly pulls away from the door before she can be seen, hastens away.
118 INT. GYM
Collins watches the girls filing into the locker room, a small triumphant smile on her face.
119 INT. HALL OUTSIDE GYM
Carrie is now far down the hall, a small distant figure. Now she goes out of sight around a
corner. The hall is empty and still; HOLD, then:
CUT TO:
120 INT. THE LOCKER ROOM
As the girls change silently into their green gym outfits quiet, subdued, most of them
resigned to their punishment. Chris, however, is about to blow up; she tosses her skirt into
her locker and slams the door shut.
CUT TO:
46
121 AN INDEX CARD SCHOOL LIBRARY
And then another, and another, and yet another flipping by us, one title following another as
Carrie looms over the card catalog, searching. The title cards include POISON, POLITICS
and POLTERGEISTS on this latter card, it reads: "A ghost supposed to be responsible for
table rappings and other mysterious, noisy disturbances." It also contains a cross-reference
see tele and the rest of the word is blurred.
121A CARRIE
Her face curious, deciding to follow it up.
121B A FASTER MONTAGE
As Carrie flips through the "T" card catalog passing everything from Talmud to Tarantula
until she gets to:
121C TELEKINESIS A CLOSER SHOT
On the word, and below it:
`Thought to be the ability to move or to cause changes in objects by force of the mind,
perhaps a genetic-recessive in origin.'
121D CARRIE CLOSE
Her mind struggling with the words on the card, pondering, thoughtful. Her heart starts to
beat.
122 INT. THE GYM TRACKING SHOT
On the girls, all of them in the green gym suits, being run ragged, just as Collins promised.
She's pushing them extremely hard, barking orders at them, using her whistle like a drill
instructor.
123 ANGLE ON CHRIS
As she runs to position herself next to Sue.
CHRIS
She can't get away with this. I'm going to get her. That goddamn snerd
SUE
Let it go, Chris.
47
And Sue runs on, leaving Chris red in the face, breathless, furious behind. Chris
deliberately slows down and then just halts.
COLLINS
The period's not up, Hargensen.
CHRIS
It is for me.
COLLINS
There are ten minutes left.
CHRIS
Stick them up your ass.
Chris starts to stalk past Collins who reaches out and firmly pushes her back. Chris becomes
immediately hysterical.
CHRIS
You can't hit us! You'll get canned for this, you bitch! My father
COLLINS
One more word from you and I'll throw you across the room. Want to
see if I'm telling the truth?
124 GROUP SHOT FEATURING CHRIS
Appealing to the others now; flailing, out of control.
CHRIS
She can't get away with this! Goddammit! If we all stick together, we can
125 THE GIRLS
As Chris looks to them for support, none of them quite knowing what to do.
CHRIS
Norma... Helen... Sue!
48
126 ANOTHER ANGLE
Featuring Chris and Sue
SUE
(lifeless)
Shut up, Chris. Just shut up.
127 CHRIS
A mutineer without a single ally now. She realizes it and heads for the door leading to the
locker room, and this time, Collins doesn't even try to stop her. At the door:
CHRIS
This isn't over. This isn't over by a long shot.
The door slams shut, leaving the girls and Collins frozen by Chris's outburst. The BELL
gives a shrill RING, and we:
CUT TO:
128 INT. THE CAVALIER AFTERNOON
The local after-school hangout. Clusters of students milling in and around booths. Pinball
machines, a jukebox thumping "NO WHERE TO RUN" by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas.
Sue is sitting, reading, alone in one of the booths as Chris enters, says hello to some of her
clique, and spots her.
CHRIS
Hey, Sue! Just who I've been looking for!
Sue looks up and tries to force her face into a smile. Chris slides into the booth across from
her and thrusts her John F. Kennedy school yearbook across the table an action which Sue
involuntarily jerks away from out of nervousness.
CHRIS
(continuing)
I wanted you to sign my yearbook. Hey, where's you old man,
did he stand you up?
SUE
(busying herself with the yearbook)
Still at practice
49
CHRIS
Well, I guess you've heard I'm out of the prom. I bet that cocksucker
Morton loses his job, though. Daddy's suing them. Hey, Billee! Billee!
Come over and say hi to Sue.
Sue slides the yearbook back across the table to Chris, who examines it:
CHRIS
(continuing)
Hey, is that it? Just Sue Snell?
Billy goons INTO FRAME next to Chris, glomming his arm around her neck.
BILLY
Hey, Suze.
CHRIS
I think we're going anyway, right, Billee?
BILLY
Sure thing, Charlie.
Chris playfully jabs him in the ribs.
SUE
You mean crash?
CHRIS
Sure, why not? Hey, listen, I've got a good one. "Roses are red,
violets are blue, sugar is sweet, but Carrie White eats shit."
Billy, goon that he is, cracks up.
Sue finds it not at all funny, but doesn't know exactly what to do about what she's feeling.
SUE
Chris, I've got to go.
A new tune comes on the juke Shirley and Company whooping it up on "SHAME, SHAME,
SHAME."
CHRIS
(oblivious, her laughter turning to fury)
That goddamn Carrie! If only the rest of you had walked out with me...
Jesus, Sue, why didn't you?
50
SUE
I took the detention because I thought we I earned it. It was a shitty
thing to have done. End of statement.
CHRIS
Bullshit! That goddamn snerd and her batshit mother saying we're all
going to hell.
SUE
(rising)
What'd she ever do to you, Chris? Or to any of us? Why do you hate her
so much?
CHRIS
Hey, hey... tell me if I'm wrong, but who was that n there pitching with
the rest of us?
SUE
Me.
(it comes out a pinched nerve)
Me. But I stopped.
CHRIS
(dawning on her; getting it finally)
Oh. Oh, aren't you just it? Oh, my, yes.
(imitating; prissy)
You stopped. Hey, Billee, she stopped.
Sue is scared now she hears it coming. There's no question about it, though; the rumbles
have already begun, and there's no stopping what's coming.
CHRIS
(continuing)
God, I'm dumb sometimes. Billee, hey, Billee, do you want to know why
Suze here didn't walk out?
Billy's over by the pinball machines with some of his goon squad. He boastfully struts
around much to their obvious delight making the sound of a chicken in reply.
129 SUE CLOSE
Seeing this; feeling it all about to lurch out of control and turn against her. The bottom's
falling out.
51
SUE
I'll see you around, Chris.
130 TWO SHOT SUE AND CHRIS
FEATURING Chris prominently a bloodhound now sure of the scent.
CHRIS
No. Wait. You stopped, remember? So just stop again.
(uglier)
Why didn't you walk out? Why didn't you walk out, Sue?
SUE
Okay, Chris. That's enough.
CHRIS
You didn't walk out, Sue... little Suze... little Suzy Creamcheese...
because you didn't want to miss a moment of your precious prom.
Bulls-eye. Sue fights back the tears and fury, trembling now. But she tries to muster up some
dignity.
SUE
And you don't?
CHRIS
(not about to be put off)
You're goddamn right, I don't. But we're on your case now.
(beat)
I'll bet you've got your dress all picked out, too. What color
is it? Yellowguts?
She's about to break, holding it in as best she can. Chris just as quickly as she spots the
weakness, shuts it off, bottling up all the rage into he cruelest stainless-steel smile she can
muster.
CHRIS
(continuing)
Okay.
(dismissively)
See you around, Sue.
And that's it shut up, shut down, shut out.
52
Sue turns and starts to walk out of the Cavalier. In the background behind her, it's all out of
focus, an incoherent babble of snickering and clucking laughter. She's crossed the line.
DISSOLVE TO:
131 EXT. ATHLETIC FIELD DAY
Sue sits in the bleachers overlooking the field. She is preoccupied, still shaken by the
afternoon's confrontation with Chris. The track team is moving past the bleachers (a coach in
the field clocking them and shouting orders). Tommy, in his track uniform, peels away from
the group and comes running up to Sue.
TOMMY
Hi!
SUE
I want to talk to you.
TOMMY
Sure, what's up?
To avoid the noise of the cheerleaders practicing down in front of them, and the other girls
sitting in the bleachers half watching their boyfriends and half eyeing Tommy and Sue, Sue
beckons Tommy to follow her away from the group behind the bleachers, and as they walk off
together we hear the following:
SUE
If I asked you to do something for me something special would you?
TOMMY
(nodding)
Uh-huh.
SUE
No matter how crazy it sounded?
TOMMY
Sure. What?
The sound is muffled, and we don't hear what she says. But we do hear:
TOMMY
(continuing; exploding)
Are you out of your mind?
53
CUT TO:
132 EXT. VAN NUYS BOULEVARD NIGHT
A big hangout-cruising night on the boulevard. Neon, convertibles, "Rebel Without a Cause"
meets "American Graffiti" seventies-style. In other words, the works -- with MUSIC.
133 EXT. INTERSECTION NIGHT
As a '61 Chevy leaves a sizeable patch of rubber on the street as it GRINDS to a hard stop,
just barely halting before it almost went through a red light and collided with the traffic
already in the intersection.
134 INT. THE CHEVY
which belongs to the aforementioned BILLY NOLAN a character whose life and brains
stopped around the time he saw "Rebel" on television. He's Chris's boyfriend, and a huge
cross swings around his neck. Right now, he's utterly amused by his harrowing driving, and
turns to Chris who ignores him, still brooding over her afternoon losses. Billy takes a huge
toke from a joint and hands it to her; she ignores that too, and proceeds to busy herself
applying makeup in the visor window. So Billy looks out his window and strikes up some
banter with a fellow cruiser idling beside them at the light. The light changes, and Billy peels
out an action with throws Chris backwards onto the seat.
CHRIS
Goddamnit, Billy!
He just laughs as he weaves through traffic.
CHRIS
(continuing)
Slow down!
(as he pays no heed)
Slow down, you stupid shit!
BILLY
Scared, Chuckie?
CHRIS
No. You'll kill us, you stupid shit!
Billy lazily slaps her, speeds up.
54
BILLY
Don't call me that.
CHRIS
Stupid shit.
He slaps her again.
CHRIS
(continuing; under her breath)
Stupid shit.
BILLY
(disgustedly)
Oh wow!
He slams on the brakes, and pulls into:
135 EXT. CARNEY'S (SUNSET BLVD.) DOWNWARDS ANGLE NIGHT
LOOKING DOWN on a parking lot where cars are parked; a huge pullman's car which has
been converted into a restaurant. This after-school hangout is called the Cavalier.
136 INT. CHEVY
As Billy reaches over, very confidently, to draw Chris to him.
She lets herself be kissed, then pulls away abruptly.
He grabs at her, and she pulls away.
BILLY
What's wrong?
CHRIS
Can't you wait a minute?
BILLY
What for?
CHRIS
You're so ignorant.
BILLY
That's what you like.
55
CHRIS
Bullshit.
BILLY
No? I'll show you what you like, Chuckie.
Grab.
CHRIS
No.
BILLY
Jesus.
Grab.
CHRIS
No!
She pushes him away.
He grabs her. She pushes; he grabs. A struggle. Grabs at her tit. There goes the blouse; the
buttons are ripped off.
BILLY
...How you... gonna... explain that...
CHRIS
Dumb shit!
He slaps her.
BILLY
What'd I tell you?
Silence. Then, after some time, he leans over and kisses her. She lets him. He kisses her
again, and she responds. He goes at it. And she squirms away.
BILLY
(continuing)
Hell is this?
CHRIS
I want you to do something.
56
BILLY|
What?
(eagerly)
Yeah, what?
CHRIS
I want you to do something for me. Something important.
BILLY
(warily)
Something important?
CHRIS
It will be very important to me. It will make me feel very good
if you do it.
She moves closer to him. Her hand dips down out of FRAME. She blows in his ear. Billy is
beginning to writhe; he moves in on her, but she holds him off, playing him like a puppet.
CHRIS
(continuing)
Billy, I hate Carrie White.
CUT TO:
137 TELEVISION SCREEN
On which we see the opening, helicopter-credit-sequence from "Duel at Diablo." The
television is in:
138 INT. SNELL LIVING ROOM NIGHT
Where the movie's SOUND continues uninterrupted for a bit over an incredible silence
between Tommy and Sue. They are sitting on a couch. The silence is finally broken by a
reluctant:
TOMMY
Okay. I'll do it.
And we:
DISSOLVE TO:
57
139 INT. WHITE HALLWAY NIGHT
Margaret slowly opens the door to Carrie's room and enters. Light filters in from the street.
Carrie is lying in bed, motionless, asleep.
Margaret crosses the room quietly. She leans over the bed. On the table next to it is the
glow-in-the-dark statue not in its usual place on the dresser. Carrie's face, in the soft light,
seems very innocent.
MARGARET
(low)
Carrie, did you pray?
No answer.
Margaret bends over Carrie. And with surprising tenderness, she kisses Carrie's forehead.
The she straightens up quickly, as though she has violated herself, and leaves the room.
Carrie opens her eyes. She pulls a book out from under the covers; then she stares at the
Madonna-child figurine, it begins to glow brighter and brighter, illuminating the room. It's
bright enough to read by now, and we leave Carrie expanding her education and:
DISSOLVE TO:
140 INT. SCHOOL LIBRARY DAY
As Carrie examines a shelf of books with titles like "Cosmic Consciousness" and R.D.
Ogilve's "Hidden Powers of the Mind." She decides on the latter just as a voice startles her:
TOMMY'S VOICE
Carrie?
CARRIE
Ohuh?
She stares at him and quickly covers the binding of the book with her hand, covering the title.
He looks as startled as she does.
TOMMY
How're you doing?
CARRIE
(after a beat; almost inaudibly)
Okay.
58
It's harder than he thought it would be; just trying to make small talk is agonizing. But try it,
he does:
TOMMY
I thought you had gym this period.
All she can do is shake her head. And a young man not easily deterred, he tries again.
TOMMY
(continuing)
What're you reading?
CARRIE
(trying to cover, and not very well)
It's about... um.. sewing...
Right. Check and stalemate. Which brings him to:
TOMMY
Umm... if you don't have a date for the Prom, would you want
to go with me?
CARRIE
What?
TOMMY
The Prom...
Without saying a word, Carrie walks down the aisle of book shelves. He follows her into the
main room where students are reading, working.
TOMMY
(continuing)
...It's next Friday, and I know this is later notice, but they stop selling
tickets soon, and
The bell RINGS.
CARRIE
I don't like to be tricked.
A couple of students stare at Tommy talking to Carrie as they start leaving the library.
TOMMY
Carrie...
59
But it's too late she's gone, already out the door.
CUT TO:
141 INT. HALL TRACKING DAY
As Tommy weaves through the crowd after her. Gangly GEORGE DAWSON spots him:
GEORGE
Hey, Ross!
But Tommy ignores him in his singular pursuit.
TOMMY
Hey, Carrie! Wait!
A couple of other students watch this is this their Tommy Ross actually trying to speak with
Carrie? But he's oblivious of any looks now, any snickering all he wants is to catch up with
Carrie.
Which he does; he manages to touch her arm, and it's a weird moment, this contact. She turns
around, her head painfully ducked down.
TOMMY
(continuing)
Hey, it's no big deal.
And she looks up and stares at him with that peculiar intensity that cuts through all the clamor
around them. Quiet, quietly:
CARRIE
Do you people think you can just go on tricking me forever?
A beat. Tommy stands there helpless, sensing just how much of a big deal it is. Seeing that
she's on the verge of tears, he's feeling even worse, and all he can say is:
TOMMY
Sorry.
But it's too little, and too late. She's crying. And what's more, she's gone swallowed up
into the clamor of students rushing to beat the bell. Which RINGS as we:
DISSOLVE TO:
60
142 INT. GIRLS' LOCKER ROOM AFTERNOON
As Collins tidies up after one of the classes throwing towels into huge cans, etc. Only to
hear a mewing, whimpering sound and come upon Carrie who's huddled in one of the dark
corners of the room, crying. It's almost as if she created her own closet of space.
COLLINS
Carrie?
(on no response)
Carrie, what's the matter?
(on still no response)
Was it one of the girls? Did one of the girls do something to you?
Do you want a Kleenex?
CARRIE
No.
COLLINS
It's all right. Just tell me, there's nothing to be afraid of.
CARRIE
Miss Collins...
COLLINS
That's it...
CARRIE
When can I come back to gym?
COLLINS
Not until Monday. Now what is it? Are you going to tell me?
Come on, Carrie, tell me.
CARRIE
I got asked to the prom.
COLLINS
That's great!
CARRIE
Tommy Ross asked me.
COLLINS
Tommy Ross that's wonderful. He's cute.
61
CARRIE
I know who he goes around with. They're trying to trick me
again. I know.
COLLINS
Maybe he really meant it. I mean, maybe he really did mean it.
Maybe you should think about it. It might be really fun. You
might have a really good time!
CARRIE
It would be a nightmare.
COLLINS
C'mon, Carrie. You should have a better image of yourself. You
just think you're unattractive, but look at your hair. It's really beautiful.
If you just fixed it up a little... here, I'll show you.
CUT TO:
143 OMIT
144 INT. FACULTY LOUNGE DAY
where Collins and Morton are grabbing a quick cup of coffee.
COLLINS
Carrie's been asked to the prom.
MORTON
Who?
COLLINS
Carrie White.
MORTON
By whom? The Beak?
COLLINS
By Tommy Ross.
Morton goes into a coughing fit, accidentally knocking over his coffee in the process. Collins
watches, slightly amused by his reaction. When he recovers:
MORTON
What about his girlfriend? Doesn't he date the little Snell girl?
62
COLLINS
I think she put him up to it.
145 INT. OFFICE DAY
Where Collins is grilling a very nervous Sue just Sue so far.
COLLINS
Who's brainstorm was this?
(no response)
What are you trying to do?
SUE
You've got it wrong.
COLLINS
I hope so. I wouldn't have expected this from you, Sue. Not any
of it. Well?
SUE
What do you want to know?
COLLINS
Why Tommy asked her to the prom.
(after a beat)
Well?
SUE
(reluctant; able to go this far)
I asked him to.
COLLINS
Why?
SUE
(swallowing)
I asked him to.
COLLINS
But, in God's name, what for? What could you possibly have
in mind?
146 DIFFERENT ANGLE FEATURING TOMMY
Who's also in the office for this interrogation ill at ease, trying to appear cool.
63
SUE
You mean what good would it do? Maybe it'll... bring her out of...
make her a...
COLLINS
A part of things? Oh, come on, Sue. None of us are that stupid. And
neither is Carrie.
SUE
Maybe not.
COLLINS
And you're not going to go? You're going to stay home and miss your
senior prom?
Just as this point, NORMA WATSON a prissy little pleaser with a mouth whose verbal
discretion could make the telephone obsolete enters the room with a sheaf of attendance
sheets for the next week. All conversation ceases.
COLLINS
(continuing)
Yes, Norma? What is it?
NORMA
Just the attendance sheets, Miss Collins.
COLLINS
Just leave them on the desk.
(to Sue)
You understand, you can't come without a date?
Sue understands perfectly well, but with Norma there, she's not about to say a word. And
Collins finally picks up on this:
COLLINS
(continuing)
Is there something else, Norma?
NORMA
(butter could melt)
No, Miss Collins.
And she exits as slowly as she can trying to hear the last possible word. Then:
64
COLLINS
(to Tommy)
Which brings us to you.
TOMMY
Miss Collins, I have to get to practice.
COLLINS
That's too bad.
TOMMY
Look, this is between Sue and me. If you don't mind...
COLLINS
Oh, but I do. Or would you rather we continue this discussion in
Mr. Morton's office?
TOMMY
(bluffed; then off-handedly like we first saw him in Fromm's class)
What's the big deal?
COLLINS
Because it's a very big deal for Carrie White. And you know it.
TOMMY
Anyway, she's already said no.
SUE
You can make her change her mind.
TOMMY
Don't overrate me.
COLLINS
Just don't try.
TOMMY
Okay.
SUE
It's not okay.
(to Collins)
You can't order anyone not to take someone to the prom.
COLLINS
65
I can make sure you don't hurt Carrie.
SUE
We're not trying to hurt her. We're trying to help her.
COLLINS
How?
Silence.
COLLINS
(continuing)
Tommy, when you come to the prom with Carrie White, don't you
think you'll look a little ridiculous?
TOMMY
Well...
SUE
We don't care how we look.
Sue looks over at Tommy.
SUE
(continuing)
Do we?
Tommy says nothing; he's caught between a rock and a hard place.
DISSOLVE TO:
147 EXT. WHITE HOUSE DAY
As Tommy's Volkswagen parks across the street, Tommy gets out and approaches the White
house.
Carrie is inside, watching him come up the stairs. She remains on the hall side of the screen
door.
TOMMY
So this is where you live.
CARRIE
What... what're you doing here?
66
TOMMY
(laughs)
Aren't you going to ask me in?
She shakes her head; he laughs again, a little nervously. Throughout this scene in which he
remains on the porch side of the screen door, he catches glimpses of the weird house within.
TOMMY
(continuing)
Why not?
CARRIE
Momma's resting. What do you want?
TOMMY
Right to the point, huh? Okay, about the prom.
CARRIE
I already told you.
TOMMY
(a little charm)
Nothing to stop you changing your mind. Girls do it
all the time.
CARRIE
Why are you doing this?
TOMMY
Hey, I'm asking you because I want to.
CARRIE
No.
TOMMY
Look, I don't do anything I don't want to.
CARRIE
I can't.
TOMMY
Sure you can.
In the background in the kitchen, perhaps Margaret calls out Carrie's name.
67
Carrie glances nervously behind her; then back at Tommy.
CARRIE
You better go.
MARGARET'S VOICE
Carrie! Who are you talking to?
TOMMY
Don't you think you better answer?
CARRIE
No one, Momma.
TOMMY
You're going with me.
CARRIE
I can't.
TOMMY
You're going.
CARRIE
They'll laugh.
TOMMY
No one will laugh. We'll see to it.
CARRIE
Please. Please go.
TOMMY
Not `til you say yes.
Carrie swipes at her eyes with the back of her hand; helpless, honest, confused. She'd really
like to go at this point, but that extra sense in her is resisting.
CARRIE
Why? Why is it so important to you?
TOMMY
I don't know. Maybe it's because you liked my poem.
68
MARGARET (o.s.)
Carietta!!!
And in just these split seconds, she decides; had he not "liked" her poem, had Margaret not
called, perhaps she could have held back.
CARRIE
Yes.
(beat)
Okay.
TOMMY
I'll pick you up at eight.
CARRIE
(whispering)
Fine.
(then)
Thank you.
Tommy smiles at her and, turning to leave, touches her hand against the screen door. A
goodbye, nothing more. He goes down the walk toward his car.
149 CARRIE
Watching him. She takes the hand he "touched" and brushes the hair back from her face. A
little beautiful? You bet.
MARGARET'S VOICE
Carrie? Did you hear me?
CARRIE
Coming, Momma. Coming.
And as she turns away from the door, we:
CUT TO:
150 INT. GYM AFTERNOON
SUE
Why not?
HELEN
Why did you do it? God, everyone's talking.
69
We PULL BACK to see the gym. The entire back wall has been devoted to a giant mural of
stars and planets it seems the prom is to have a celestial theme, and the gymnasium is in the
process of being hung with a great deal of crepe paper, moons, etc.
SUE
I asked Tommy to take Carrie. I thought I owed her that much.
HELEN
Where does that put the rest of us?
SUE
You have to make up your own mind.
HELEN
And Tommy went along with it?
SUE
Uh-huh.
(pauses)
I guess the other kids think I'm stuck-up.
HELEN
Well... they're all talking about it. But most of them still
think you're okay.
151 HELEN'S POV THE GYM CHRIS AND NORMA WATSON
as thick as thieves, off in the corner, whispering.
152 TWO SHOT SUE AND HELEN
HELEN
There is...
(giggles)
...a small dissenting faction.
SUE
I guess she's having a field day with this.
HELEN
Susie, she hates your guts.
Sue nods she knew it, now she hears it.
70
153 EXT. WHITE HOUSE EVENING
FULL FRONTAL VIEW of thee bungalow IN the FRAME.
The lights are on downstairs; there's a slight drizzle and haze. HOLD, then:
CUT TO:
154 INT. WHITE KITCHEN
As Carrie and Margaret finish dinner. Silence punctuated only by the slight DRIZZLE
outside and occasional flashes of THUNDER and lightning. Then:
MARGARET
You haven't touched your pie, Carrie.
CARRIE
It makes me have pimples, Momma.
MARGARET
Your pimples are the Lord's way of chastising you.
CARRIE
Momma?
MARGARET
Yes?
CARRIE
Momma, please see that I have to start to get... to try and
get along with people.
MARGARET
Whatever are you going on about? Have you been showering
with the other girls again?
CARRIE
I... I've been invited to the prom.
MARGARET
(a foreign language)
Prom?
CARRIE
It's next Friday, and
71
MARGARET
It's that teacher, the one that called. She'll be sorry.
CARRIE
Momma, please see that I'm not like you. I'm funny, I mean,
the kids think I'm funny. I don't want to be. I want to try and
be a whole person before it's too late to
Margaret throws her cup of tea in Carrie's face. It's cold, wet, sticky. But Carrie holds
herself in, she's going to be in charge this time. She takes a deep swallow and continues:
CARRIE
(continuing)
His name is Tommy Ross, and he's a very nice boy. He's
MARGARET
No!
CARRIE
-- promised to stop in and meet you before, and
MARGARET
(overlapping)
-- I said no!
CARRIE
-- have me in by midnight. I've
MARGARET
(shaking her head now; uncontrollable)
No, no, no
CARRIE
-- accepted.
Pause.
Margaret's shaking with fury, trembling.
Carrie wipes the stringy wet hair from her forehead.
CARRIE
(continuing)
I've accepted, Momma. I have accepted.
72
MARGARET
The closet.
CARRIE
No.
MARGARET
After all you've been taught
CARRIE
Everyone isn't bad, Momma, everything isn't sinful.
MARGARET
Go to your closet and pray. Ask to be forgiven!
CARRIE
You'll like this boy, he....
And Margaret at this word shifts gears and winds up in the grip of a weird babble.
MARGARET
Boys. Yes, boys come next. After the blood, the boys come.
Like sniffing dogs...
CARRIE
Momma
MARGARET
...grinning and slobbering, trying to find out where the smell
comes from, where the smell is. That... smell!
CARRIE
Please stop...
MARGARET
Yes, in cars. Yes. I know where they take you in their cars.
Roadhouses. Music. Whiskey. I've seen it, all right. Oh, yes.
CARRIE
Momma, you better stop.
MARGARET
You're not going.
73
CARRIE
I've already said I would, Momma.
MARGARET
Then say no. Say no. Or we'll move.
CARRIE
No.
MARGARET
We'll move from here and you'll never see that boy again.
A gust of wind causes the window to blow open. Margaret gets up and starts toward the
window. Carrie is silent, watching herself being shut out.
MARGARET
(continuing)
The rain's coming in.
CARRIE
Momma, sit down.
MARGARET
I'm going to close the windows.
CARRIE
I'll get them. Please sit and talk to me.
MARGARET
No.
Margaret continues toward the kitchen window to close it.
Carrie knits her brow, and flex, the window closes.
Margaret whips around, facing Carrie.
CARRIE
I'm going, Momma. And things are going to change around here.
Flex.
The SOUND of a window shutting in another room.
74
MARGARET
Witch!
Flex.
Another window.
MARGARET
(continuing)
It's Satan's power. First he entered your father, carried him off...
CARRIE
He ran away, Momma. Everyone knows that.
Flex.
A couple of windows.
MARGARET
The devil tempted him.
CARRIE
He ran away with a woman, Momma.
MARGARET
All men are the same. That boy, he's like all the rest, he doesn't
Flex.
The rest of the windows in the house THUNDER shut.
CARRIE
I don't care. He asked me to go. And I'm going. I'm going,
Momma. You can't stop me.
HOLD
SLOW DISSOLVE TO:
155 & 156 OMITTED
75
157 EXT. ROAD NIGHT
Leading to Henty's farm. A slight drizzle; or, the ground is still wet. A little more than a
crescent moon silhouettes a group of five: Billy and Chris in front, and Billy's twitchy zoo a
completely wrecked KENNY GARSON, a very nervous FREDDY DE LOIS, and an
occasionally giggling, goggled HENRY TRENNANT trailing behind. De Lois is swinging
a nine-pound sledge-hammer in the air; the other two goons are struggling with an ice-chest
and steel pails. Henty's farmhouse and barn are in the distance.
DE LOIS
Hell of a risk for a joke.
Trennant giggles inanely. Billy stops and glares at De Lois.
BILLY
You want out?
DE LOIS
(hastily)
No, uh-uh.
(then)
It's a good joke, Billy.
Trennant giggles again.
Garson is stoned silly zonked, deadpan. He greedily sucks the last remnants of a joint into
oblivion before our eyes.
De Lois angrily snatches the roach out of Garson's fingers.
DE LOIS
(continuing)
Hey, piggie...
Trennant just giggles inanely.
Another long beat, then:
DE LOIS
(continuing)
You sure Old Man Henty won't be around?
76
CHRIS
I told you. He's at a funeral.
Trennant explodes into a fit of high-pitched laughter.
BILLY
Shut up, Henry.
DE LOIS
Whose funeral did he go to?
BILLY
His mother's.
DE LOIS
His mother's? Jesus Christ, she musta been older than God!
Trennant lurches into another cackle. And in spite of themselves, Billy and Chris start
laughing, too. Even De Lois starts laughing.
The group passes a "No Trespassing" sign, prompting:
DE LOIS
(continuing)
The bastard is going to shit where he stands when he comes
back and gets a look.
Garson drops one of the pails on the ground.
BILLY
Asshole.
The sound of Trennant's high-pitched giggle.
DISSOLVE TO:
158 CHRIS'S POV THE HOG PEN
And OVERLAPS INTO the harmonic chanting of De Lois, Trennant and Garson:
THE BOYS
Soo-ee, soo-ee
Pig-pig-pig...
Soo-ee, soo-ee
Pig-pig-pig...
77
And an old sleeping boar and two sows are GRADUALLY REVEALED.
159 FULL SHOT PANNING
The face of five COMING TO REST on De Lois.
DE LOIS
Doan worry, piggies, doan worry. I'm gonna bash your fuckin'
heads in, and you woan have to worry `bout the bomb no more.
BILLY
Shut up and do it already.
DE LOIS
I will, I will. I'm not gonna give `em time to burp.
BILLY
The throat.
But it's too late. De Lois has lost all conviction.
DE LOIS
I... can't.
(then)
You.
He hands the sledge hammer to Billy.
Chris, chilled to the bone, rubs herself to keep warm.
CHRIS
Do it, Billy.
Billy touches the ball of his thumb to the edge of the sledge hammer.
CHRIS
(continuing)
Do it quick.
And Billy smiles. Yes, he actually smiles. As he raises the sledge hammer, we GO TO:
BLACK
FADE IN:
78
160 EXT. THE WHITE HOUSE AFTERNOON
The sun is shining perhaps the next day, a day later. The house is a picture postcard under
it, we hear the sweet, muffled sound of "Amazing Grace." It's just loud enough for us to hear
it joyous, triumphant.
DISSOLVE TO:
160A. INT. WHITE LIVING ROOM AFTERNOON
Margaret sits beneath the plaster crucifix.
The sampler, however, sits in her lap unfinished, unminded. She's virtually catatonic.
"Amazing Grace" a sweet, contemporary rendition is on the Webcor. A pleasure after
Kathryn Kuhlman.
Carrie sits at the sewing machine, finishing work on the pattern for her prom dress. She
removes the material from the sewing machine, which we now see is a lush crushed velvet.
MARGARET
Red. I might have known it would be red.
The cuckoo clock is TICKING, TICKING.
Carrie stares at Margaret, then turns the sewing machine off. She looks back at Margaret,
then turns her attention to the machine, her eyes sparkling.
Courtesy of Carrie, the treadle on the machine depresses itself.
The needle starts to bob up and down, up and down, up and down... WHIRRING, jerking.
The side wheel spins. And then stops.
CARRIE
(softly)
Only clearing the thread, Momma.
She smiles. Then rises and goes to start up the stairs to her room.
Margaret looks after her. Hate. And fear.
MARGARET
(abruptly)
It's Satan.
79
Carrie pauses.
CARRIE
(wearily; pitying)
Oh, momma.
MARGARET
He has given you a power.
CARRIE
Momma, it doesn't have anything to do with Satan. It's me. If
I concentrate hard enough, I can make things move.
MARGARET
Satan is clever.
CARRIE
Momma, there are other people... people with the power... It's a part of me.
MARGARET
Satan...
CARRIE
If it were, I'd know it.
MARGARET
You poor child. He doesn't let you know he's working through you.
CARRIE
Momma, I'd know.
MARGARET
You are to renounce this power. You must give it up. You must never use it.
CARRIE
I'm going to do my homework, Momma.
Another step up the stairs, stopping as Margaret hurls after her.
MARGARET
There's going to be a judgement!
There's nothing more to say. Carrie walks up to the stairs, and we:
DISSOLVE TO:
80
161 INT. GYMNASIUM NIGHT
Very dark, shadowy, deserted. The night before the prom. Silence, then a SCRAPING sound
of a:
162 WINDOW
Being jimmied open. Behind the thick glass, we see a face just whose isn't clear yet. The
slip-lock comes free, the sill is being pushed up, and Billy's head appears. Chris is right
behind him.
163 LONG SHOT THE GYM
As a flashlight is shined upwards at the criss-crossing girders sheathed in crepe paper; at
banks of lights which will later be used to shine down and highlight two areas in particular
the huge wall mural and the chalked-in spot where the King and Queen of the Prom will be
crowned.
164 TWO SHOT BILLY AND CHRIS
DOLLYING right behind them as they proceed toward the stage area past the numerous
tables set up for the prom-goers, past the twin bandstands. Billy is carrying the ice chest,
Chris the flashlight.
165 ANOTHER ANGLE
As they arrive behind the stage. Billy puts the chest down and takes out a pair of Playtex
rubber gloves, snaps them on. Then he takes out two small pulleys and a coil of twine.
166 CHRIS' POV BILLY
Looking somewhat like a bizarre mountaineer, climbing a ladder which takes him up to a
narrow platform overlooking the stage area.
167 CLOSEUP CHRIS
Shining the flashlight to guide Billy, her face flushed with excitement.
168 BILLY
As he disappears behind a short draw curtain which obscures the girders over the stage.
169 CHRIS
81
unable to see him, suddenly feeling very alone.
CHRIS
What's it like up there?
(no response)
Billee?
(no answer; genuinely scared)
Billy!
And just at that moment, a piece of crepe paper floats into the FRAME and lands in Chris's
hair. She jumps, utterly unnerved. She looks up to see Billy staring down at her from the
platform, grinning.
BILLY
Boo.
CHRIS
You stupid shit.
BILLY
(still in good humor)
Nice talk.
CHRIS
Hurry up. Do you hear me, just hurry up.
BILLY
(blackface)
Yes'um. Yes'um. Weeze doing the best we can.
CHRIS
I want to go home.
BILLY
Just keep your tits on and I'll let you pull it when the time comes.
CHRIS
I plan to.
DISSOLVE TO:
82
170 A SERIES OF SCENES LEADING TO THE PROM
CUTTING between the final arrangements for the prom itself and Carrie's preparations as the
night approaches. The emphasis is on these two paralleling elements, although this montage
scored throughout with happier and happier MUSIC will also feature some of our lesser
characters.
Among other things, we will see:
A) THE GYM as last-minute arrangements are made more crepe paper hung,
party favors put on tables, etc.;
B) CARRIE in a town store as she shops for makeup;
C) NORMA WATSON under a hair dryer, her mouth going a mile a minute as a
manicurist does her nails and looks utterly exhausted;
D) TOMMY picking out Carrie's corsage at the florist;
E) CARRIE at the sewing machine, finishing her dress (which we still don't
see), a happy look on her face;
F) THE GYM as a bank of lights suddenly illuminate the mural on the stage
wall;
G) SUE having dinner with her parents
H) THE TWINS in front of their dressing tables; both of them putting on
enormous fake eyelashes simultaneously;
I) ERNEST the class president making sure the microphone on the stage
works;
J) THE BAND among them, The Beak, setting up;
K) SANDRA STENCHFELD, practicing her fabulous twirling baton act;
L) A DOOR which opens to reveal the twins in their high heels, both of them
several inches taller than their depressed-looking dates;
M) GEORGE AND FRIEDA he in his tuxedo, she in her prom dress; a flash as
Freida's parents take a Polaroid of this night to remember;
N) THE GYM with the adult chaperones teachers, administrators standing
around, looking for something to do.
83
It is now the night of the Prom just minutes before it officially begins, we end this montage
and:
DISSOLVE TO:
171 INT. CARRIE'S ROOM NIGHT
Carrie sits in front of that same mirror, but this time, there's a different attitude. And a
different girl, which pleases her. She looks different, very different, from before. She's
dressed in her lush red crushed velvet prom dress, but the SHOT is ANGLED in such a way
that we don't see it. In any case, it is not prim. She is wearing some makeup. She looks...
well, there has been a transformation.
In the background, the door is opened by Margaret.
CARRIE
Come in, Momma.
Margaret advances into the room.
Carrie opens a florist box and takes out a lovely corsage of tiny tea roses.
CARRIE
Do you want to pin it on, Momma?
MARGARET
I can see your dirtypillows. Everyone will.
CARRIE
Breasts, Momma, breasts. Every woman has them.
Carrie's voice is calm; nothing, not even Margaret, will spoil tonight, and ever so slightly, this
scene and all that follow for a considerable period of time has an edge of unreality to it.
It's all been diffused a bit a fairy tale through Carrie's eyes. What would look bad or tacky
looks acceptable; what looked good before now looks spectacular.
MARGARET
Take off that dress.
CARRIE
No.
84
MARGARET
We'll burn it together, we'll pray for forgiveness.
CARRIE
No, Momma.
The Black Forest CUCKOO CLOCK sings out downstairs. It's eight o'clock.
MARGARET
He's not coming.
CARRIE
Stop it, Momma. I'm nervous enough.
Margaret reaches up and pinches her cheek hard, leaving a red mark. She looks toward
Carrie.
Carrie is pinning the tea roses on herself.
Margaret hooks her right hand into a claw, rips at her cheek, leaving a thin line of blood.
CARRIE
Stop hurting yourself, Momma. That's not going to stop me either.
Margaret strikes herself in the mouth with her fist.
CARRIE
Go away, Momma.
MARGARET
You know I'm right. He'll laugh at you. They'll all laugh at you.
CARRIE
No. It'll be okay.
Bur she's rattled, and nervously starts moving around a series of objects in the room.
Cosmetics on the bureau, the florist box, the glow-in-the-dark statue. But it's sheer will at
this point. It's after eight, and there's no sign of Tommy.
MARGARET
It's not too late. You can stay here with me.
CARRIE
No.
85
MARGARET
I'll answer the door and say you're sick, I'll say
CARRIE
Momma, sit on the bed.
Flex.
Margaret is pushed back on the bed. Horrified, she rises again.
MARGARET
I'll say that you changed your mind, I'll say
Flex.
Margaret is thrust back on the bed.
MARGARET
`Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.'
The words stop. But Margaret's eyes are fixed on Carrie, as Carrie leans toward her. Carrie's
voice is soft and compassionate.
CARRIE
You'll say nothing, Momma. You are going to have to learn that
I'm not like you, not anymore.
The BUZZER downstairs sounds. Carrie goes to her window and sees:
172 CARRIE'S POV TOMMY
at the front door, the overhead light shining on his hair, making it glisten. He looks very
handsome.
173 CARRIE
She goes back to the bed and picks up her wrap; then, to Margaret:
CARRIE
I'll be home early, Momma.
The BUZZER downstairs sounds again.
MARGARET
There's going to be a judgement!
86
CARRIE
Momma, you will be quiet until I'm gone.
(beat; then, at the door)
I love you, Momma.
And she's gone, down the
174 STAIRS, LIVING ROOM, TO THE FRONT DOOR TRACKING
Carrie who opens the door.
175 ANGLE ON TOMMY
Well, we know he's beautiful. And he's looking at Carrie. He didn't know:
176 CARRIE TOMMY'S POV
He didn't know she could be beautiful. And she is.
177 TOMMY AND CARRIE
He reaches out his hand.
TOMMY
Hi.
Carrie takes his hand.
178 EXT. WHITE HOUSE NIGHT
Hand in hand, Carrie and Tommy walk down the path toward his car.
They are observed by:
179 MARGARET
at the window of Carrie's room.
180 INT. CARRIE'S ROOM NIGHT
Margaret leaves the window as we HEAR Tommy's car drive off.
She goes out of the room.
87
181 TRACKING MARGARET
Down the stairs, through the dining room, into the kitchen. Almost the same path that Carrie
trod, but trod so differently. While Carrie's pace had been light, nervously expectant,
Margaret's is slow and heavy.
182 INT. WHITE KITCHEN NIGHT
Margaret crosses to one of the drawers.
She reaches in and takes out a long carving knife; it gleams in the light.
CUT TO:
183 EXT. SCHOOL PARKING LOT NIGHT
The school gymnasium is lit up brightly for the Prom; cars are pulling in, among them,
Tommy's Ford.
184 INT. TOMMY'S CAR
as Tommy turns off the ignition. Carrie's staring at the other couples getting out of their cars.
Tommy watches her taking it all in.
CARRIE
It's like a dream.
TOMMY
You can still change your mind, you know.
She turns to him and realizes he's teasing her.
CARRIE
Easier said than done.
TOMMY
(grinning)
C'mon.
CARRIE
No. Please not yet.
TOMMY
Scared?
88
CARRIE
Yes.
(beat)
Can we sit here another minute?
Tommy laughs and nods. A moment of silence. Carrie is miserable she's happy to be with
Tommy, she's trying to have a good time, but it's hard. It's like getting up to dance the first
time. Perhaps it would be better to sit this one out.
CARRIE
Tommy...
(and then out it comes)
Maybe... maybe this was a mistake.
TOMMY
Hey, it won't be so bad.
She tries to smile at him. It's not very persuasive.
TOMMY
Really, I mean it. They're okay, you'll see.
(beat; she's trying to believe him)
Don't be nervous. Besides...
(a little self-mocking)
I'd look awfully silly dancing by myself.
And that's just enough he's taken her mind off her own fear just enough to make her laugh.
CUT TO:
185 INT. GYM
where the prom is already under way, the band PLAYING an energetic version of "Harlem
Nocturne." From Carrie's POV it's all magic explosions of pastel color, everyone looking
like they stepped out of an advertisement for happiness.
Carrie just stands at the double-doors which are the main entrance to the gym, taking it all in
as Tommy hands their tickets to ushers at the door. As Carrie stares at the giant mural on the
stage wall full of celestial moon, stars and rockets a VOICE bellows out behind her.
VOICE
Hey, Ross. Gawd, you look queer.
89
186 GEORGE DAWSON
The source of the salutation and Tommy's best friend. He bounds INTO FRAME, wearing a
T-shirt with a painted black tie under his dinner jacket. His girlfriend, Frieda Jason, tags
behind.
TOMMY
When did you come out of the treetops, Bomba?
GEORGE
Ross, if I'd known you were going to look this good, I'd have
asked you instead of Frieda.
The two boys immediately go into a mock fight. Frieda comes up to Carrie.
FRIEDA
Don't let it bother you. If they destroy each other, I'll dance with you.
Carrie smiles back at her nervously; there's an awkward silence.
FRIEDA
Hey, where'd you buy your dress? I love it.
CARRIE
(shyly)
I made it.
FRIEDA
(unaffected surprise)
Made it? No shit.
Carrie hesitates; realizes Frieda is quite sincere.
CARRIE
No shit.
Frieda laughs; so does Carrie, and the tension eases up. Behind them, Tommy keeps one eye
on Carrie. He shrugs it's working, goddammit and he stuffs his hands into his dinner
jacket.
187 ANOTHER ANGLE THE GYM
Carrie and Frieda, Tommy and George right behind them, head for their tables.
90
FRIEDA
The mural's nice.
CARRIE
Yes.
(confiding)
I'm really nervous.
FRIEDA
S'okay. We're sitting together.
And she takes Carrie's arm.
Norma Watson rushes over to them all breathy taffeta and green chiffon.
NORMA
Carrie!
(looking her up and down)
That's a lovely dress, Carrie. Wherever did you get it?
CARRIE
I made it.
NORMA
Well, of course you did. I can't get over it, you look so different.
You're positively glowing. What's your secret?
CARRIE
I'm Don MacLean's secret lover.
NORMA
(a half-beat late, getting it, tittering)
Don MacLean's secret... How funny you are.
(cutting her)
Why, hello Tommy. Aren't you excited?
TOMMY
Cold sweat is running down my thighs in rivers.
NORMA
(smile slipping a full notch now)
Well, I have to hurry back. Stan'll think I got lost.
91
GEORGE
(King Kong; right on top of her)
Bom-ba!
NORMA
(tittering, moving away smack into Frieda)
And, Frieda, don't you look nice.
FRIEDA
(toothpaste smile)
Get douched, Norma.
CUT TO:
188 MONTAGE
As the prom gets underway:
A) JOSIE AND THE MOONGLOWS THE BAND make like Lawrence Welk
and launch into an oldie-but-goodie. On drums The Beak himself.
B) THE TWINS CORA AND RHONDA dressed identically, dancing with
C) ERNEST PETERSON, the black class president, is wonderfully officious as he
gets the evening's first entertainment organized. It (or she) is
D) SANDRA STENCHFIELD and her fabulous twirling baton act, a phenomenon
to the lilting STRAINS of "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head."
E) NORMA is off in a corner, bending another girl's ear; STAN is standing idly
by, pretending to be invisible.
F) MORTON, FROMM and the other chaperones including MISS FISH look for
something to do, for someone who's stepping out of line. And find it. In the person of
FREDDY DE LOIS, who's guzzling the punch.
G) TOMMY and CARRIE sit at their table next to GEORGE and FRIEDA.
Tommy lights a candle.
189 ANGLE TOMMY AND CARRIE'S TABLE
As Josie and the Moonglows launch into a new NUMBER. George suddenly comes to life.
GEORGE
Viiibes!
He grabs Frieda, and they make their way out onto the dance floor, Frieda shrugging
helplessly at Carrie.
CARRIE
They're nice. George is funny.
92
TOMMY
He's a good guy.
(beat)
See, didn't I tell you?
(beat)
Sure you don't want to dance?
CARRIE
Could we just sit here for a minute?
Tommy nods it's okay with him.
VOICE
Carrie?
Carrie turns around and finds herself facing Collins dressed up, looking more like one of the
students than a teacher.
CARRIE
You look very pretty, Miss Collins.
COLLINS
Thank you
(beat)
You too. Beautiful.
CARRIE
It's awfully nice of you to say so. I know I'm not... not really...
but thank you anyway.
Tommy feeling like a fifth wheel clears his throat and stands up.
TOMMY
`scuse me.
(to Carrie)
Be right back, okay?
He goes off into the crowd.
COLLINS
(gesturing to his seat)
May I?
Carrie nods, and she sits down, pulling the chair next to her. They're virtually alone at this
moment; everyone else is dancing or occupied.
93
COLLINS
Carrie, anything that happened before... well, it's all forgotten.
I want you to know that.
CARRIE
I can't forget it.
(beat)
But it's over with. It's over.
Collins smiles; she looks at the dance floor and Carrie's eyes follow hers. At this particular
moment, the band is PLAYING a quiet number slow, romantic.
COLLINS
I remember my own prom. I was two inches taller than the boy I
went with when I was in my heels. He gave me a corsage that clashed
with my gown. But it was magic. I don't know why. But I've never
had a date like it, ever since. Is it like that for you?
CARRIE
It's very... nice.
COLLINS
(smiling)
Just nice?
CARRIE
No. There's more. I don't know...
(hesitating; then)
...it's like being on Mars.
COLLINS
You'll never forget it.
CARRIE
I think you're right.
And then, on sheer impulse, Carrie reaches out and hugs her, hugs her tightly.
CARRIE
Thank you.
COLLINS
Have a lovely time, Carrie.
94
TOMMY (o.s.)
Hey, what's going on here?
There is Tommy, looking "stern."
TOMMY
(to Collins)
What are you doing with my date?
COLLINS
Girl secrets.
A smile at Carrie, and she goes off.
TOMMY
Don't let me catch you hugging any guys.
CARRIE
You won't.
TOMMY
Better not. Hey, listen, do you really have to be back so early?
CARRIE
I promised.
TOMMY
Okay. I understand.
CARRIE
I'm sorry.
TOMMY
No, it's okay. Listen, the other kids are going over to Lewiston
after the Prom
CARRIE
(breaking in)
That's okay.
TOMMY
What is?
CARRIE
You want to go with your friends. I don't want to spoil anything...
95
TOMMY
Hey, let me finish. What I was going to say, I mean if it'd be alright
with you, what do you say we go to the Cavalier?
CARRIE
(surprised; she'd love to)
I've never been there.
TOMMY
Hey, great. We'll have the place all to ourselves. Great!
(he means it)
Then it's settled.
He takes her arm, turns her toward the dance floor.
CARRIE
(holding back)
Tommy...
TOMMY
C'mon...
CARRIE
I don't... I can't... I...
TOMMY
You can.
He has his arms around her and half-spins, half tugs her out onto the floor. He is a young man
of considerable confidence the best part of his popularity and it's a contagious trait.
Gradually, Carrie gets caught up in the slow dancing, begins to follow him less and less
awkwardly, begins to get less and less self-conscious, and, in short, starts to glide into her
freedom.
190 A CORNER OF THE GYM
Tommy and Carrie dance into this corner; Carrie is a bit breathless and very happy. For some
moments, Tommy keeps his arms around Carrie, looking at her. And then he leans forward,
about to kiss her, impulsively. And impulsively and instinctively, she draws back. And is
immediately embarrassed.
TOMMY
Hey...
96
CARRIE
I'm sorry.
TOMMY
I...
CARRIE
It's just...
TOMMY
No harm, no foul.
They stand there for a couple of seconds.
And suddenly and swiftly, Carrie kisses Tommy. It's a quick, awkward, frightened kiss. A
bird peck.
And again they stand there, until:
CARRIE
I don't know... anything. I can't dance...
TOMMY
You danced.
CARRIE
I don't even know how to...
TOMMY
It's easy.
And he kisses her. She breaks, looking up at him.
CARRIE
Tommy... why?
TOMMY
Why what?
CARRIE
Why am I here?
TOMMY
It's the prom.
97
CARRIE
With you.
TOMMY
Because I asked you. And...
CARRIE
Why? Why did you?
TOMMY
Because I wanted to.
CARRIE
Why?
TOMMY
Because...
He pauses; he's on the edge. And steps back.
TOMMY
...you liked my poem. Only I didn't write it. Someone else did.
CARRIE
Oh.
She's puzzled. And she's about to ask something else.
TOMMY
(quickly)
Look, Carrie, we're here, we're together... and I like it, you know...
I mean, I...
CARRIE
But...
A commotion from the floor.
Tommy turns.
TOMMY
Hey, look!
Carrie looks off, following his glance, at:
98
191 STAGE AREA POV
As the head Custodian supervises the sliding of two thrones from the wings onto pre-set
marks on the stage apron. They're sheathed in white strewn with crepe papers and flowers
to match the prom's celestial theme.
192 CARRIE AND TOMMY
CARRIE
(uneasily)
It's a fairy tale.
TOMMY
(beaming; taking her arm)
C'mon.
He starts to lead her towards their table while:
CUT TO:
193 EXT. SCHOOL STREET NIGHT
Sue Snell unable to contain her curiosity about how all this has worked out pulls up in one
of her parents' cars, parks, and deliberates coming in. The lights of the gymnasium are
glowing. While inside:
194 INT. GYM STAGE AREA
Class president Ernest Peterson makes his way to the microphone. He takes all this quite
seriously.
ERNEST
All right, ladies and gentlemen. Take your seats, please it's
time for the voting.
NORMA
This contest is an insult to women!
A couple of CHEERS, scattered APPLAUSE.
GEORGE
It insults men, too!
Louder CLAPPING, foot STOMPING, WHISTLES.
99
ERNEST
(over the noise)
Please take your seats. It's time to vote for the King and Queen.
Several ushers go up and down the aisles, passing out ballots.
195 ANGLE TOMMY AND CARRIE'S TABLE
as Norma Watson haughtily drops a ballot on their table in front of Tommy, another in front
of George.
Carrie examines the paper.
CARRIE
Tommy...
(looking up to see him smiling at her)
...we're on here!
TOMMY
I know.
(seeing her concern)
Want to decline?
CARRIE
Do you want to?
TOMMY
Hell, no. If you win, all you do is sit up there for the school song
and one dance. And they put your picture in the yearbook so everyone
can see we looked like idiots. Besides, it's the last year.
Carrie looks up at the stage at the massive thrones all in white.
CARRIE
They're beautiful.
TOMMY
You're beautiful.
Carrie meets his eyes and blushes; it's all overwhelming her, and she has to look away at the
tiny party favor boat on the table in front of her, at the tiny pencil next to it.
CARRIE
Who do we vote for? They're more your crowd than mine.
100
TOMMY
Whatever you like.
CARRIE
In fact, I don't really have a crowd.
TOMMY
Let's vote for ourselves. To the devil with false modesty.
She laughs aloud the sound of her own laughter is so foreign to her that she claps a hand
over her mouth, at her own daring. She takes the pencil and quickly circles their names so
quickly that the pencil breaks, bringing a small drop of blood to her finger. She gasps.
TOMMY
Hurt yourself?
CARRIE
No.
(trying to smile)
But I broke it and it was a souvenir.
TOMMY
There's still your boat.
(he pushes it gently toward her)
Toot, toot.
196 INT. SCHOOL NIGHT
as Sue hardly in formal attire stares through the same small window in the gym door that
Carrie stared through earlier she stares inside as:
197 INT. GYM STAGE AREA
The ballots are being counted, Morton and Fish helping Ernest separate them into piles. We
ought to notice either De Lois or Trennant hanging around the voting tables perhaps Norma
Watson as well.
198 ANGLE TOMMY AND CARRIE'S TABLE
Carrie is holding Tommy's hand tightly too tightly.
TOMMY
Hey, hey.
CARRIE
101
Sorry.
TOMMY
Don't know your own strength. Whew.
He sees she's taking him seriously. Sensitive to her reaction, he smiles at her.
TOMMY
Hey, it's okay.
In the background Josie and the Moonglows provide a flourish of drums.
199 THE STAGE
as Ernest walks up to the microphone and almost drops the ballots in the process.
ERNEST
We've sort of hit a snag. Mr. Morton says this is the first time
in the history of the Spring Prom that
VOICE
How far does he go back? 1800?
LAUGHTER, CATCALLS.
ERNEST
We've got a tie.
GEORGE
Polka-dot or striped?
ERNEST
Sixty-three votes for Frank Grier and Cora Wilson, and sixty-three
votes for Tommy Ross and Carrie White.
Silence, then the APPLAUSE begins and starts to swell as we...
CUT TO:
200 TOMMY's POV CARRIE
An island in the APPLAUSE around her, her head lowered...
201 TOMMY
102
Watching her intently, his mouth slightly open...
202 THE STAGE ERNEST
Vainly trying to speak over the APPLAUSE.
ERNEST
Attention! If I could have your attention, please...
203 TOMMY AND CARRIE
Tommy still staring at her.
ERNEST (o.s.)
We're going to have a run-off ballot. When you get yours, please
write the couple you favor on it.
204 CARRIE
Slowly looking up, seeing Tommy.
CARRIE
They're not applauding for us. It can't be for us.
TOMMY
Maybe it's for you.
CUT TO:
205 CHRIS AND BILLY
Just exactly where they are isn't clear yet, nor should it be. But we do hear the Prom noises.
BILLY
I thought you said they'd win.
CHRIS
They will. They will. Won't even be close.
BILLY
If you screwed up...
CHRIS
Don't worry. I called in a few favors.
103
206 INT. WHITE HOUSE NIGHT
The black cuckoo clock STRIKING TEN
207 INT. WHITE KITCHEN
as Margaret, mumbling to herself, with the fixated attention of the damned, continues to scrub
a sliver of whetstone along the gleaming edge of the knife's blade.
CUT TO:
208 INT. GYM CARRIE AND TOMMY'S TABLE
as new ballots arrive courtesy of Norma, who leans over them and whispers breathily:
NORMA
Good luck!
As Tommy picks up the pencil, Carrie puts her hand on his.
CARRIE
Don't.
TOMMY
What?
CARRIE
Don't vote for us.
TOMMY
In for a penny, in for a pound. That's what my grandmother used to say.
CARRIE
(swallowing)
Don't. Please.
Tommy hesitates for a second, seeing her face so full of premonition. Then he overcomes it,
and scrawls their names on the slip of paper, folding it.
TOMMY
For you.
He hands it to Norma Watson, and it's off spirited away, gone.
104
TOMMY
Tonight you go first-class.
Carrie stares at the receding figure of Norma as if she were the messenger of doom.
CUT TO:
209 INT. GYM VOTING TABLES
Where we get a sense of exactly what Chris meant by favors as De Lois, Trennant, and a once
again completely wrecked Kenny Garson plus Norma bring over more ballots. It's not
exactly what one would call an honest ballot.
210 GYM DOOR POV
as Sue manages to slip by Fromm, who's still lazily monitoring the door. She starts heading
for the backstage area, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible.
211 NORMA
At the voting table, she spies Sue coming in, and finding it irresistible, blurts out the news,
whispering to:
212 MORTON
Who's just finishing the ballot counting. He looks in the direction that Norma's pointing in,
seeing:
213 SUE
Going backstage, heading into the wings to watch:
214 INT. GYM THE STAGE
as Ernest returns to the microphone.
The BAND plays another FANFARE OF DRUMS. Ernest sees this as his big moment; he
almost drops the ballots. He pauses for a moment, surveying the gym floor and the anxious
prom-goers. An actors savoring the tension. Then he smiles, white teeth grinning:
ERNEST
Tommy and Carrie win. By one vote.
Begin SLOW MOTION
105
Silence. Everything a half-beat exaggerated, slowed.
Carrie gasps inwardly; the candle in front of her blows out.
Tommy grins, amused. He shrugs his shoulders at Carrie.
And the applause begins some of it, most of it, genuine, but some of it mocking too.
The band launches into a rock version of "Pomp and Circumstance."
Ushers appear at Tommy and Carrie's table. George is pounding Tommy's back. An
aluminum foil scepter is thrust into Tommy's hand; a robe with a fur collar is thrust over
Carrie's shoulders.
215 SUE STAGE WINGS
Peering out farther to get a good look. Unseen at first by her, there's a cord on the edge of the
FRAME.
216 MORTON
Blocked by the clamor of the students, he's unable to make a straight bee-line for Sue in the
wings. So he takes the long way around back behind the stage...
217 TOMMY AND CARRIE
Dollying as they're led down the center aisle; past a blur of smiling faces, the APPLAUSE
SWELLING. They're being led toward the stage area the thrones waiting for them. The
lights get brighter; the MUSIC gets louder.
218 THE BANDSTAND
As they pass by. The Beak winds conspiratorially at Carrie.
219 THE STAGE
as Tommy gives Carrie his hand, helping her up the steps, over tangles of black power cables.
220 BENEATH THE STAGE
Where we finally reveal just where Chris and Billy have been hiding all this time. Chris
listens to the footsteps (of Carrie and Tommy) coming overhead; grasping the cord that Billy
has hooked up, holding it very tightly...
106
221 CARRIE AND TOMMY
as they're helped into the massive thrones; behind them is the huge mural of stars and ships.
222 ERNEST
the showman now, P.T. Barnum in all of his expansiveness.
223 SUE
In the wings, watching this action. In the corner of the FRAME, the cord we glimpsed earlier
the same one which Chris clutched beneath the stage jiggles, and Sue notices it move.
She traces its path with her eyes, seeing that it goes up to:
224 A BANK OF LIGHTS
Concealing a single silver bucket; meanwhile:
225 CARRIE
Staring down at the gym floor; the lights are searing so hot and bright that it's impossible to
see clearly, and a new set of spotlights being shone on Tommy and her only makes it harder.
226 ANOTHER ANGLE CARRIE
as a piece of crepe paper lands in her hair...
227 THE STUDENTS
A sea of faces, the spectrum of reactions.
228 ERNEST
spreading his arms; a politician.
ERNEST
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you he King and Queen of the Spring
Prom TOMMY ROSS AND CARRIE WHITE!
The Band starts playing the school SONG, and we...
CUT TO:
107
229 SUE IN THE WINGS
The implications of the cord and bucket positioned over the throne just starting to dawn on
her as everyone begins singing the school song:
ALL (o.s.)
All rise for the John F. Kennedy Hiyyyyh...
And a hand comes into FRAME, clutching Sue's wrist. It belongs to:
MORTON
What're you doing here, young lady?
SUE
(trying to head for cord under stage)
Something's wrong!
ALL (o.s.)
We'll raise your banner to the skyyyyh...
But Morton has no interest in what Sue is trying to tell him:
MORTON
I'll say there is.
230 ANOTHER ANGLE CARRIE'S POV
From the throne, she sees Sue and Morton and he pulls her toward the back exit.
231 BENEATH STAGE
Chris is almost hyperventilating as the school song continues.
BILLY
What's the matter with you? Pull it!
Chris is frozen immobilized, terrified.
232 CARRIE'S POV SUE
As Morton firmly pushes Sue out the rear gym door. The door shuts, and as it closes:
233 CARRIE
Confused, wondering what's happening in the glare of lights and noise...
108
234 EXT. BACK OF GYM SUE
locked out by Morton, trying to get back in. The door won't open. She debates going to try
another door.
235 UNDER STAGE CHRIS AND BILLY
as the song reaches its crescendo:
ALL (o.s.)
With pride we wear the red and whyyyte...
BILLY
(leering)
It can stay there until hell freezes over, Chuckie.
Chris shudders involuntarily at the mention of this nickname. She violently jerks the cord
with both hands, yanking it. A sound half-scream, half-moan comes from her mouth,
overlapping into:
237 THE STEEL BUCKET
high above the stage, slowly tipping over, the blood pouring from it.
238 LONG SHOT THE STAGE
almost proscenium-like in this FRAMING, from all the way in the back of the gym.
Carrie and Tommy sit on their huge thrones as the buckets above them deposit their contents
on top of them.
239 CLOSER
The blood splashing down...
240 THE MURAL
Some of it splattering on the celestial cyclorama, running downward, streaking...
241 THE BAND
As more blood splatters them in their white dinner jackets, the MUSIC halting.
109
242 THE STAGE
End SLOW MOTION.
Tommy and Carrie, drenched with blood.
243 CHRIS AND BILLY UNDER THE STAGE
Preparing to leave now that their mission has been accomplished, just about to crawl out as
they spot:
244 MORTON CHRIS AND BILLY'S POV
realizing they'll have to stay put trapped now.
CHRIS
(panicky)
Billee!!!
BILLY
(nervous too, hissing)
Shut up!
They crawl back under the stage, out of sight.
245 INT. GYM THE STUDENTS
As the singing stops, the students staring at the stage.
246 CARRIE
Her eyes tightly clenched shut, looking as if she's been dipped in a bucket of red paint. She's
gotten the worst of it.
247 THE BUCKET
dangling on the pulleys over the throne, clanging back and forth. A high-pitched GIRL'S
VOICE SCREAMS.
248 TOMMY
Splattered with blood. Below them, the sounds of hysteria begin ("My God, that's blood!")
Tommy starts toward Carrie just as:
110
249 ANOTHER ANGLE STAGE FEATURING TOMMY
As the bucket falls and hits Tommy on the head; it knocks him unconscious, and he slumps to
the floor.
250 THE STUDENTS FEATURING HELEN SHYRES
Watching this in pure horror. She starts to giggle uncontrollably, the kind of hysterical laugh
that comes out of pure terror. It overlaps onto:
251 STUDENTS ANOTHER ANGLE (S) SWISH PANS
As the hysteria begins to spread.
252 CARRIE
as she starts toward the unconscious Tommy.
253 THE STUDENTS
as more of them start laughing... the sound of it becoming contagious.
254 CARRIE
hearing the dreaded laughter.
255 CARRIE'S POV THE STUDENTS
Through the harsh glare of the lights laughing, pointing (see Norma Watson), doubling up in
hysteria, utterly out of control.
256 FACES, FACES, FACES
Laughing...
256A BILLY AND CHRIS
reacting to their "success."
257 CARRIE
Putting her hands to her blood-covered face, slowly getting to her feet.
258 THE STAGE
111
As Carrie makes her way to the stairs, tripping over the black power cords. A horrified
Collins is on her way up the stairs.
COLLINS
Oh, Carrie let me help you.
Carrie hesitates at the sight of the teacher. But it's too late for help, and in the fastest flex
we've seen to date, she jerks her head and Collins bounces backward down the stairs,
slamming into a wall.
259 THE STUDENTS
Laughing harder now, unable to stop.
260 THE GYM ANOTHER ANGLE
Where all is pandemonium.
Morton makes his way to Collins, giving her his handkerchief; she has a bloody nose.
COLLINS
(to Morton)
Call the police!
261 CARRIE
Tears streaming down her face, the blood streaking, as she takes in the sight of her
tormentors.
262 THE GYM YET ANOTHER ANGLE
Helen Shyres is still laughing so hard that she's about to throw up or go into shock.
George Dawson has climbed on the stage and is hunched over the slumped figure of Tommy
Ross, examining him.
GEORGE
Call a doctor! Hey, call a doctor, quick!
He tries to pick Tommy up, and in the process the throne topples over on the stage.
263 INT. HALL CORRIDORS SUE
Frantic, rushing back into the school and down the hall toward the prom doors.
112
264 CARRIE
Takes a deep breath, mustering her energy. She closes her eyes and sees:
265 THE GYM DOORS THREE SETS OF DOUBLE DOORS
All of them open, a few students milling around them as...
266 CARRIE
Closes her eyes even tighter and flexes. And in SWISH PANS:
267 THE DOORS
slam shut. In the process, several things are accomplished at once. The prom-goers are
trapped inside, and one or two of them get their hands or legs caught in the doors as they
close, screaming with surprise and pain.
268 INT. HALL SUE
who once again was just a little late, arriving just as the DOORS SLAMMED SHUT; she sees
the screaming prom-goers unlucky enough to have been caught in the doors.
269 INT. GYM
Utter pandemonium as students rush toward the doors.
270 THE BEAK
Near the bandstand area, looking up at the stage and realizing that it's Carrie who's
responsible for closing the doors.
THE BEAK
It's Carrie! It's Carrie!
Fromm starts heading toward the stage to get control of the microphone, to stop the panic.
The kids continue rushing toward the closed doors.
271 CARRIE
A small smile at being recognized by the Beak as the one responsible, the one with the power
now. It's not what she wanted, but it no longer matters. They're going to know her now and
never forget her.
113
272 CARRIE'S POV GYM WALL
Between two sets of double-doors, FEATURING a huge firehouse installed in case of an
emergency.
273 CARRIE
Seeing the hose, getting the idea... NOTE: SPLIT SCREENS begin here.
274 CLOSER
as her eyes narrow and focus on the hose, zeroing on it.
275 THE HOSE
As it starts to unwind, to unspiral into the air, starting to spray a burst of water.
276 THE HOSE ANOTHER ANGLE
As it becomes snake-like, water springing from the nozzle.
277 THE STUDENTS
Cries of surprise as it begins to spray water on them, ruining their clothes.
278 THE HOSE
As the velocity of the water increases, stronger and stronger.
279 CARRIE
Eyes gleaming, a glimmer of triumph as she concentrates and surveys
280 THE STUDENTS
Like rats in a maze a slapstick chaos as they try to get away from the animated hose. The
water forces the students back from the doors, backwards toward the stage.
280A CHRIS AND BILLY UNDER THE STAGE
As they see students propelled toward them by the hose.
114
281 CARRIE
A smile of satisfaction. For the first time, she's showing them they're the ones being made
to look foolish. She's standing on one side of the stage.
283 ERNEST
Level-headed to the end, making his way through the pandemonium toward the stage area and
the bandstand as fast as he can...
284 CARRIE
Still controlling the hose, she spots Ernest, seeing him move toward the stage area.
285 TRACKING ERNEST
knowing somehow with some sixth sense that Carrie's watching him. He feverishly
hurries toward the area where the band equipment is plugged in... where the high voltage
cables are hooked up to the electrical current.
Behind him, Fromm has reached the microphone and is trying to be heard, telling everyone to
remain calm.
286 CARRIE
Realizing just what Ernest plans to do:
CARRIE
(gently; determined)
No.
And she mentally fixes on him, jerking her head just so... so
287 ERNEST
Is flung invisibly and forcibly away from the area by Carrie's will.
288 FROMM
Big belly and all, trying to steady the mike. He puts his hand on it. The water, however, has
reached him, and just as he touches the mic, he's electrocuted his arm bursting into flame,
unable to let go as his body goes into an electric dance, his mouth gaping open like a fish on
land.
115
289 CARRIE
Watching this; another flex, and:
290 FROMM
Is propelled backwards from the microphone; he falls backward into the cyc, his flaming arm
igniting it. A celestial fantasy immediately bursts into flames. It prevents any of the students
from using the back exit.
291 THE STUDENTS
Watching, riveted with horror, some of them screaming, others frozen to the spot as the cyc
CRACKLES. Utter pandemonium.
292 CARRIE
Her face flushed, a vein in her forehead throbs, her heart pounding. She spots:
293 THE LIGHTING T-BAR
hanging over the bandstand.
294 THE DOORS
as the prom-goers press against the opaque glass, straining to get out. Fish in an aquarium.
295 COLLINS
moving toward the dazed Ernest, who's recuperating from his bout with Carrie.
296 CARRIE
her heart pounding like an anvil. She's staring at:
297 THE LIGHTING BAR
298 CARRIE
She flexes.
116
299 CEILING POV
Collins and Ernest directly below the path of the lighting bar. We see the flaming cyc on the
stage collapse forward. The light bar begins to shake. Plaster drops, and the light bar DROPS
just short of Collins' head as far as its wires carry it.
300 CARRIE
Watching all this a giggle (or is it a sob?) emerging from deep within her.
Another flex.
301 THE LIGHT BAR
starts to swing recklessly around the gym. Back and forth, back and forth it hits the ceiling,
igniting it and the decorations. Flaming stars and planets begin dropping from the ceiling.
302 BENEATH THE STAGE CHRIS AND BILLY
seeing their chance to escape while Carrie is busy with the light bar.
The back door (which Sue couldn't enter from the outside, and which the cyc flames
prevented any of the students on the gym floor to get to) is now free, and Billy and Chris see
their chance to escape. They burst out from under the stage as:
303 CARRIE
Spots them. In the instant it takes her to wonder what they're doing there, it's too late.
They're out the door, and there's absolutely nothing she can do.
304 THE GYM FEATURING THE LIGHT BAR
As it swings, catching Norma Watson in its path, casually whipping this screaming girl in her
green chiffon dress back into a wall.
Helen Shyres is backed into a corner, giggling with horror, in shock, utterly hysterical.
Students have climbed onto the back of the bleachers, trying in vain to pry off the screens on
the windows so they can escape.
Morton has grabbed a chair and is trying to smash it through another of the windows. All this
to no avail. End SPLIT SCREEN.
117
305 CARRIE
As she makes her way down the stage stairs and out onto the floor. She spots the cord going
under the stage first, and realizes just how the trick was engineered... that Billy and Chris did
it.
306 THE STUDENTS
Moving aside as Carrie walks through them an endless series of blurred, hysterical faces.
307 WIDE SHOT THE GYM
As Carrie makes it to one set of double doors, flexes them open, and exits.
308 EXT. GYM HALLWAY
As Carrie exits, the doors swinging shut. Behind her, through the windows, we see a wall of
fire collapse behind her.
She passes Sue in the hall who's sobbing hysterically. And as Carrie exits, Sue runs into this
inferno of fire to find Tommy. And then the town WHISTLE BLOWS... and BLOWS. It
overlaps onto:
DISSOLVE TO:
309 EXT. TOWN STREETS NIGHT
Carrie's on her way home. At this point, she looks less like a girl that the survivor of a grisly
car accident; wet, caked with blood, eyes glistening madly, almost shapeless. She goes down
a hill, and then, from:
310 ANOTHER ANGLE THE HILL NIGHT
as a fire truck rushes toward the school, past Carrie. And then shortly afterward, out of
nowhere, Billy's Chevy it's headlights gleaming, lurches forward; it's headed right for her.
311 CARRIE
Turns around and sees it coming toward her.
312 INT. THE CHEVY
Chris screaming "Get her! Get her!" at the top of her lungs, Billy grinning madly behind the
wheel.
118
313 CARRIE
As the Chevy heads right for her, standing in the headlights in its path, bloated, swaying back
and forth, her arms thrown out.
314 THE CHEVY
Almost right on top of her...
315 CARRIE
Flexing, averting the car just as it almost smacks into her. It just misses her.
316 INT. THE CHEVY
Billy is livid, turning around to see Carrie in the back window.
BILLY
Goddamnit!
CHRIS
Billy!!!
BILLY
Shut up! Just shut up!
But the car is headed for an embankment. Billy realizes this and starts pumping the brakes.
But the car's accelerating, not responding to Billy's efforts to slow it down.
317 CARRIE
Her head pounding, flexing.
318 INT. CHEVY
As Billy attempts to turn the wheel; it, too, has turned traitor it won't turn.
They're heading right for the embankment. Billy's eyes are bugging out, Chris is screaming
as:
319 THE CHEVY
Plows smack into the embankment and rolls over several times. It then bursts into a sheet of
flames.
119
320 CARRIE
Watching this explosion turn into a conflagration. We see the fire reflected in her puffy,
exhausted face brighter and brighter as we HEAR the sound of the WHISTLE merging with
SOUND OF SIRENS, and:
DISSOLVE TO:
321 EXT WHITE HOUSE NIGHT
The house is totally dark. Not even a porch light. In the distance, perhaps, the glow from the
burning gymnasium.
A figure is moving toward the house.
It is Carrie.
322 AT DOOR
Carrie tries the front door. It is unlocked. She opens it partially.
CARRIE
(small voice)
Momma? Momma?
She opens the door wider.
CARRIE
(louder)
Momma?
Silence. Carrie steps inside.
CARRIE
(louder)
Momma, I'm home.
Silence.
Carrie closes the front door.
323 INT. WHITE HOUSE NIGHT
With the closing of the door, Carrie turns on a light. She looks around. The house is
ominously empty, ominously still.
120
CARRIE
MOMMA!
Silence floods back in.
Carrie moves to the foot of the stairs, turning on lights as she goes. She mounts the stairs,
goes along the narrow hallway to her room.
324 INT. CARRIE'S ROOM NIGHT
Carrie turns on the lights, closes the door.
She stares at the Madonna-child figurine on the bureau.
Then, slowly, she removes her blood-stained clothing, letting it lie in a heap.
Clutching a robe, she goes into the bathroom.
325 INT. BATHROOM NIGHT
Carrie turns on the shower, waits for it to get hot. It is almost steaming as she steps in.
Very carefully, Carrie scrubs herself clean.
Then she steps out of the shower, dries herself off briefly, puts on her robe, and turns off the
bathroom light. What's important here is this gives us time to breathe, to focus on Carrie.
326 INT. CARRIE'S ROOM NIGHT
Carrie returns to her room. She is clean now; her wet hair hangs. A feeling of despair about
her or perhaps she is emptied out.
Carrie almost mouths:
CARRIE
Momma...
It is a little child's voice and there is no answer.
She goes out into the hallway.
327 INT. HALLWAY NIGHT
Carrie goes to the head of the stairs. Once again, she mouths the words:
121
CARRIE
Momma...
Something a movement? An instinct? -- makes her turn. She sees:
328 MARGARET
Coming toward her.
329 CARRIE
She flings out her arms and cries out:
CARRIE
Oh, Momma!
And throws herself against her mother, holds her. A movement from Margaret, a quick
movement, hard to define. And Carrie recoils, her hands clutching her stomach.
Briefly we see the knife in Margaret's hand.
Then Carrie tumbles down the stairs.
330 ANGLE DOWN STAIRS
On Carrie, lying like a broken doll, huddled at the foot of the stairs.
331 MARGARET
Carrying the knife, she stares down the stairs.
MARGARET
It says in the Lord's Book: `Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.'
332 CARRIE
Dazed, she sees her mother coming, dimly, everything distorted. She begins to crawl
backwards, her eyes always on her mother, who is slowly but inexorably coming down the
stairs.
MARGARET
And now the devil has come home.
122
CARRIE
(whimpering)
Momma, it's not right.
Carrie starts crawling to the kitchen.
333 INT. KITCHEN NIGHT
Carrie crawls farther and farther from the door, until she reaches the far end of the kitchen,
just as Margaret, the knife gleaming in her hand, pointed toward Carrie, reaches the bottom of
the stairs and turns toward the kitchen, mumbling all the while.
Carrie flexes: the kitchen door swings shut.
Margaret is coming toward the kitchen.
Carrie flexes again to hold the door shut.
But it's no use Margaret is relentless now, and the door opens. She raises the knife and
starts toward Carrie, the door swinging behind her.
MARGARET
I should have killed you when you were born.
CARRIE
Momma, I love you. Please help me!
MARGARET
Sin never dies.
There's nothing else to be done. Carrie flexes, and a serving fork dangling from a hook on
the way suddenly hurtles through the air, piercing Margaret. It is followed by another and
another as a rain of instruments strikes Margaret.
Margaret collapses.
Carrie, horrified by what she's done, starts toward her mother.
And then she and we see Sue standing in the doorway, clasping her hand to her mouth, stifling
her screams.
CARRIE
You. You tricked me.
123
SUE
No.
CARRIE
Get out.
SUE
We were just trying to...
CARRIE
Get out.
And then something hits the roof, rattling. A small sound. A stone.
Then another.
Then a third.
CARRIE
Get out! Get out!
The stones are beginning to rain on the roof, like hail.
Sue is rooted to the spot, terrified.
CARRIE
Get out, get out, get out!
The stones are coming down harder. All sound as one or two of them break through the roof,
rattle on the floor below.
CARRIE
GET OUT!
A stone of fairly small size crashes through into the kitchen.
Carrie flexes.
And Sue stumbles backwards toward the door.
Flex.
Sue is whipped around, as though by a great wind.
124
333A EXT. WHITE HOUSE NIGHT
Stones are crashing on the house.
Sue is hurtled out of the house.
334 INT. KITCHEN
As a couple of larger stones crash into the room, Carrie heads for the closet.
335 EXT. WHITE HOUSE NIGHT
Sue, rising from the ground, see stones crashing into the house.
She begins to run away.
336 INT. WHITE HOUSE NIGHT
Carrie walks toward the closet; the figure of Jesus is illuminated welcoming her? She goes
into the closet.
She closes the door.
Stones crash down, obliterating the scene.
337 EXT. WHITE HOUSE NIGHT
Sue stops running. She turns to look at the White house.
338 WHITE HOUSE SUE'S POV
The stones are flattening the house. The house is being pounded into the ground.
339 SUE
Terror and disbelief. Nightmare.
340 THE WHITE HOUSE
The rain of stones stops.
Silence.
Then the house begins to sink slowly, slowly, slowly into the ground.
125
And the ground is swallowing up the house.
And covering it until nothing remains. Not a trace.
DISSOLVE TO:
341 EXT. SNELL HOUSE DAY
Some time later a week, perhaps two weeks after the nightmares of Prom Night.
342 INT. SNELL HOUSE
A home in the course of losing its family. White sheets cover furniture. Boxes in the midst of
being packed.
Eleanor Snell, looking incredibly tired, is attending to the last-minute details of moving. She
sorts through magazines and books, discarding some, putting others into cartons. And she
comes across the religious tracts left behind by Margaret White, forgotten until now. They
have a momentary hypnotic effect on her.
The phone RINGS, startling her. She rushes to answer it in the kitchen, catching it on the first
or second ring.
ELEANOR
(hushed voice)
Hello? Oh, thank God it's you, Betty. I don't think I could have
handled one more reporter.
(she appears to hear a noise upstairs)
Just a sec, dear.
(she comes into the living room and looks toward the upstairs)
Sue?
(a little louder)
Sue?
(no answer, she returns to the phone)
Sorry, Betty, I just wanted to make sure the phone didn't wake her.
We're all a bit edgy.
(beat)
Better. Sleeping too much, I guess, but Schneider says that's to be
expected after what she's gone through. He says she's young enough
to forget it in time. Knock wood.
As Eleanor's side of the conversation continues, the camera conveys her tension. Half of her
is listening and talking to Betty; the rest of her mind is on Sue upstairs. With good reason.
Because:
126
343 EXT. EMPTY LOT DAY
Where the Horan house used to stand, now vacant. Strewn with beer cans, overgrown with
grass and weeds and wildflowers. And a FOR SALE sign.
We PAN over next door where the White house used to stand. It, too, is vacant but utterly
bald there's been no time for anything to grow here. There is another FOR SALE sign put
up by Born Realty.
344 SUE SNELL
looking utterly haggard and perhaps a bit on the loony side from a lack of sleep stands staring
at the lot. She's standing there in her white nightgown, barefoot.
345 THE WHITE LOT SUE'S POV
as she slowly walks toward it. Underwater, almost floating. We come closer on the sign
which now starts appearing a bit odder less like a simple FOR SALE sign and more like a
grave marker.
And when we get close enough, we see that some graffiti has been hastily scrawled in chalk
on the sign:
CARRIE WHITE IS BURNING IN HELL FOR HER SINS
And below it, in a second vandal's handwriting, some idiot's notion of one final joke:
JESUS NEVER FAILS
346 SUE
as she kneels down, putting the wreath she's carrying next to the marker. She proceeds to try
to wipe off the red chalk with the palm of her hand; it smudges badly.
She stares at her hand, fixating on it, remembering Carrie in the shower. Suddenly, a second
hand thrusts into frame, onto her nightgown.
A bloody hand.
A hand from the Earth itself.
Carrie's hand
It clutches a horrified Sue by the wrist. Tightly. A vice.
127
Sue begins screaming uncontrollably. The hand is trying to pull her into the ground. Her
screams turn into howling.
CUT TO:
347 SUE
Still screaming. But now in her room, waking from what is, indeed, a bad nightmare.
Upright in bed, screaming her head off, her face covered with perspiration.
Eleanor Snell rushes into the room to the bed, embraces her hysterical daughter.
ELEANOR
It's all right, it's all right, darling.
SUE
Mother?
And we come in close on Sue's stricken face as her mother holds her, calming her, cradling
her. Closer still on Sue's eyes. She closes them, and we go to:
BLACK
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