CASSANDRO
Written by
David Teague and Roger Ross Williams
ENGLISH VERSION WITH ADAPTED SPANISH DIALOGUE
Spanish dialogue noted by bold italics
OVER BLACK:
ANNOUNCER (O.S.)
Good evening, El Paso and Juarez.
Tonight at Ray's Auto Shop,
Gigantico will face El Topo from El
Paso. And then, the exotico you
love to hate... Big Beltran!
Buenas tardes, El Paso y Juarez.
Esta noche desde el Taller Mecanico
de Ray, Gigantico se enfrentara a
El Topo desde El Paso. Ademas, el
exotico que todos aman y odian...
Big Beltran!
FADE IN:
EXT. MECHANIC'S GARAGE, JUAREZ - SUNSET
We see SAUL (35) making his way through the city of Juarez.
He is short, compact, muscular, with a mustache and a chain
with a large gold cross around his neck. His hair is short on
the sides but on top it's longer, teased up and curly.
He pulls a small pink rolling bag behind him. The sun is
low on the horizon, silhouetting Saul and his tottering bag.
A light rain starts to fall as Saul makes his way down the
street towards a cinder block mechanic's garage. Saul enjoys
the feeling of the rain on his face for a moment. Then he
heads inside.
INT. MECHANIC'S GARAGE - DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT
A line of overweight men strip off their street clothes by
the wall of the garage.
Other men push mechanical equipment and pallets of auto parts
to the side and assemble a small makeshift wrestling ring in
the center of the garage. The garage's cement floor is dark
with oil stains.
Saul greets a few of the wrestlers. One, EL MYSTERIOSO slaps
him on the back and nods.
Saul sits beside the stripping men on a box of oil filters.
Other boxes make a dressing table. An old mirror leans
against the wall.
2.
Saul takes a few items from his pink rolling suitcase. He
places them on the dressing table: a photo of his mother,
YOCASTA, and an eagle feather.
Around him, the half-naked men start to pull on colorful
spandex outfits.
BIG BELTRAN (36), a man wearing a wig pinned up in a bun. Big
Beltran sits at his dressing table, applying heavy eyeliner,
half-dressed in a flamboyant skirt and stuffed bra.
Farther down, in front of another mirror, GIGANTICO (30)
admires his own biceps. He lives up to his name - he is over
a foot taller than Saul, and almost twice as wide.
GIGANTICO
(looking at his biceps in
the mirror)
Check this out! Muscle as pure as
fresh milk.
Mire, fichala, tio. Puro queso de
Chihuahua.
BIG BELTRAN
Fresh milk? You're tripping, buddy.
Puro queso de Chihuahua? Compa,
alucinas, alucinas.
GIGANTICO
Screw you!
Chinga tu madre!
PETE (55), a Texas gringo wearing a stained polyester shirt,
walks up to Saul. A cigarette dangles from his lips. His eyes
are ringed with dark circles.
PETE
What's up, mi chavo?
SAUL
Hey, Pete, what's up?
PETE
You say hello to your rival?
SAUL
He doesn't want to prepare, huh?
No, of course not. Okay.
MASKED MASSACRE
Hey, Mole! Do you like digging
holes or getting your hole dug?
Topo! Te gusta escarbar hoyos o
que te lo escarben?
(MORE)
3.
MASKED MASSACRE (CONT'D)
(LAUGHTER)
What's with the shitty mustache?
Y ese bigotillo guango, qué?
SAUL
The mustache? I grew it for you,
honey. I heard you like the way it
tickles.
Este bigotillo, me lo dejé para ti,
corazon. Porque sé que te gusta que
te pique.
ALL
Come on!
Andale!
MASKED MASSACRE
You should take off your mask and
become an exotico.
Habias de quitarte la mascara y
convertirte en exotico.
An other wrestler walks in with his gym bag at the hand. The
man is GERARDO (47), dressed in a green luchador costume.
Gerardo is very large and masculine, with a lot of chest hair
and a beard. He slap a few other wrestlers on the back,
laughing and joking.
BIG BELTRAN
Gerardo, why are you always late?
Qué paso, pinche Gerardo? No
mames, cabron, siempre llegando
tarde.
WRESTLER
Talk some sense into him.
Compadre, habla con él, por favor.
ALL
Kiss! Kiss!
Beso! Beso! Ya bajale!
GERARDO
No fucking way!
Como chingas, cabron.
Saul as El Topo, wearing his ill-fitting mask, watches as
popular Gerardo gets ready for wrestling.
Gerardo looks up and the two make brief eye contact before
quickly looking away.
4.
INT. MECHANIC'S GARAGE - NIGHT
The garage is now full. Saul, in costume, peeks from behind a
stack of the crates to see the ring. Grinding heavy metal
music plays through a broken speaker. The announcer screams:
ANNOUNCER
From the sacred lucha libre ring at
Ray's Auto Shop, it's my pleasure
to introduce The Executioner of
Tijuana... Gigantico!
Desde la lona sagrada del Taller
Mecanico Ray, para todos ustedes,
el Verdugo de Tijuana... Gigantico!
CROWD (CHANTING)
Gigantico! Gigantico!
Gigantico! Gigantico!
From behind the crates, Saul breathes in and tries to prepare
himself as best he can.
ANNOUNCER
In a spectacular mano-a-mano
against a guy who only goes out at
night! The most abominable creature
from Madrigal Street... El Topo!
Topo! Topo!
En un mano a mano espectacular en
contra de un hombre que solo sale
de noche, porque la migra lo
atrapa! La mas abominable criatura
de la calle Madrigal Street... El
Topo! Topo! Topo!
Then he bounds into the ring. The crowd screams as the two
luchadores circle each other. Saul throws his shirt.
SAUL
(to CROWD MEMBER)
Hold onto my shirt, buddy. It's the
only one I have!
Te la encargo, compa. Es la unica
que tengo!
Saul and Gigantico begin to wrestle.
MAN
That faggot likes to cry!
A esa pinche nena le gusta hacer
llorar al mocoso!
5.
Saul's initial moves show his talent. In contrast to
Gigantico's stomping, Saul's movement is naturally fluid,
dance-like. The problem is he's not showcasing these natural
abilities. Instead, he's working against them, trying to come
across as big and dominant. Saul ends up looking silly, like
a lumbering ballet dancer. Saul jumps onto Gigantico.
SAUL
Let's give them a show. Follow my
lead.
Les vamos a dar un show rifado.
Sigueme la corriente, compa.
GIGANTICO
Eat my ass!
Hazte las nalgas!
Gigantico slams Saul onto the mat.
GIGANTICO (CONT'D)
Hey, damn Topo, get up!
Oye, pinche Topo! Subase! Pinche
Topo maricon. Esto es lucha, puto.
Gigantico laughs. He roars. He beats his chest.
CROWD
Get him! Get him!
Duro! Duro!
MAN
Get out of there, sissy! He's gonna
kick your ass, Topo!
Bajate, maricon! Te van a romper
tu madre, Topo!
Saul and Gigantico lock and grapple in the middle of the
ring. Saul manages to free himself from Gigantico and does a
frantic high kick, landing it on his opponent's chest. Saul
is limber and quick. Gigantico wasn't expecting this. He
calls the Announcer for the microphone.
GIGANTICO
(into the mic)
Listen carefully, little mole. You
strike me as the kind of guy who
likes to get down on all fours! El
Topo bites the pillow!
Mira, mira pinche topito. A mi se
me hace que tu eres de esos que
les gusta ponerse en cuatro! El
Topo muerde almohadas! El Topo
muerde almohadas!
6.
The crowd scream with approval and chant along.
GIGANTICO (CONT'D)
(like chanting)
El Topo bites the pillow! El Topo
bites the pillow!
El-Topo-Muerde-Almohadas! El-Topo-
Muerde-Almohadas!
CROWD (CHANTING)
(to Saul, following
Gigantico's lead)
El Topo bites the pillow! El Topo
bites the pillow!
El-Topo-Muerde-Almohadas! El-Topo-
Muerde-Almohadas!
Gigantico drops the mic, lurches forward and grabs at Saul.
Saul spins away, avoiding the bear hug. Saul jumps on him
from behind and tries to get him in a headlock.
Gigantico hoists Saul over his shoulder and slams him on the
mat like a sack of flour. Saul struggles to roll free,
Gigantico brutally knocks him down. The crowd laughs as Saul
hits the mat.
Gigantico squats over Saul and sits on him. Saul scrambles
under Gigantico's massive ass, but can't escape. He's
trapped, desperately clawing at the spandex-clad buttocks
pressing down on him. Nothing can help him now.
The crowd hoots and jeers at him. Saul feels their mocking
eyes, reveling in his shameful humiliation.
ANNOUNCER
Ladies and gentlemen, the winner of
this amazing battle, The
Executioner of Tijuana, Gigantico!
Damas y caballeros, el ganador de
esta espectacular batalla es... el
Verdugo de Tijuana, Gigantico!
INT. MECHANIC'S GARAGE - DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT
AFTER THE FIGHT, Saul pulls his mask off and puts on his
regular street clothes.
He looks at himself in the mirror, shamed but trying to pick
himself back up and play it off.
SAUL
That guy has no poetry. None!
Ese suato no tiene poesia! Nada.
7.
EL MYSTERIOSO
(blowing out smoke from a
cigarette)
He doesn't fool around, he gets to
the point. Unlike you, making an
ass of yourself.
No, pues es que la neta... no se anda
con mamas, se va al grano. No como
tu que te haces el pendejo, güey,
sorry.
El Mysterioso looks at him, as if to say "Not like you." Saul
feels the sting of the criticism. In the background, other
luchadores are getting into their costumes and roles. Pete,
the booker, walks in and hands Saul a meager five dollars.
PETE
Pretty good, mi chavo. Next week,
we'll do it again, you and
Gigantico.
SAUL
Again? With Gigantico again? Come
on, Pete, we-we always do the same.
Come on.
PETE
You want to wrestle or not?
INT. MECHANIC'S GARAGE - NIGHT
Saul slips into the crowd in plain clothes and is watching
from behind the folding chairs. Without his mask, nobody
notices him. Nobody knows who he is.
ANNOUNCER
Don't go to sleep yet, Ciudad
Juarez. The night is just getting
started! The rival in this face-to-
face draws his strength from the
flutter of butterflies and brings
his exotico style into the ring.
Big Beltran!
No te duermas, Ciudad Juarez. La
noche apenas comienza! Su rival
para medirse frente a frente
obtiene la fuerza del vuelo de las
mariposas y encumbra su estilo
exotico sobre el ring. Big
Beltran!
Saul watches Big Beltran enter the ring, fully decked out in
drag now that resembles Lola Beltran.
8.
Big Beltran carries a fake white guitar. Men whistle at him
and scream vulgar compliments.
MAN
Fuck off! Get off the ring!
Fuera, fuera! Bajalo!
CROWD
Faggot!
Pinche mariquita vegana! Pinche
marica!
ANNOUNCER
Un mano a mano explosivo y
romantico!
The fight begins. El Mysterioso plays a very tough masculine
character and Big Beltran, a traditional exotico, plays the
part of a limp-wristed and villainous gay stereotype, lisping
and prancing about the stage. The crowd hurls insults at the
exotico and cheers on El Mysterioso. Beltran is pinned to the
mat.
REFEREE
One, two, three...
Venga, uno, dos...
He bursts back to his feet. El Mysterioso smashes the white
guitar over Big Beltan's head. Big Beltran is again pinned.
REFEREE (CONT'D)
One, two, three.
Uno, dos, tres!
The fight is over. Big Beltran has lost the match.
ANNOUNCER
It's over, ladies and gentlemen!
The exotico has lost.
Esto se acabo damas y caballeros!
El exotico es derrotado como
siempre.
A CU on Saul's face, watching the exotico, a smile.
EXT. US / MEXICAN BORDER - NIGHT
Saul pulls his pink suitcase up to the border checkpoint,
waiting in line. He is crossing the border back to El Paso,
Texas. When he reaches the checkpoint, two agents are talking
absently to each other.
9.
BORDER AGENT
Hey, Saul. Go ahead.
SAUL
Yeah?
BORDER AGENT
Go ahead.
SAUL
Okay.
The two border agents continue their conversation. Saul walks
to the bridge, feeling humiliated and alone.
INT. SAUL'S HOUSE - NIGHT
As soon as Saul gets home, he heads towards the bathroom. On
the way, he passes by his mother's bedroom. Her door is open
and YOCASTA (53) lies in bed sleeping.
Saul goes into the bathroom, closes the door, strips off his
shirt, and self-consciously shaves off his mustache.
TITLE CARD: CASSANDRO
INT. SAUL'S HOUSE - MORNING
The next morning, Saul sits at the kitchen table, watching a
telenovela on a tiny black & white TV against a worn yellow
wall. While he watches he is folding a pile of laundry.
His mother Yocasta brings him a sandwich and plunks down
beside him to watch their favorite show together. Yocasta
starts folding the laundry too. Several large bundles tied
with string already sit on the counter nearby.
Yocasta has an unkempt bouffant red hairdo, and is wearing a
black tank top and a purple snakeskin skirt. A few tattoos
dot her arms and a cigarette butt hangs from her lips. She's
short like Saul and plump.
Their ramshackle house is tiny and filled with an eclectic
mix of Catholic icons, votive candles, indigenous talismans,
boxes of Yocasta's old vinyl records, and Saul's taped up
wrestling posters.
On the TV screen, the telenovela "Cuna de Lobos" shows a
woman with an eye-patch and an expensive pearl necklace
giving a melodramatic speech to a handsome young man.
10.
SAUL
Look at those earrings. And that
nice, shiny ring.
Mira nomas, qué aretotes. Y ese
anillo, como brilla.
YOCASTA
Do you think that would look good
on me?
Crees que me veria bien asi?
SAUL
The earrings, or the limp?
Con los aretes o toda renga?
YOCASTA
Oh, you! The earrings, smart ass!
Como seras! Con los aretes,
menso!
SAUL
She's gonna kill him.
Lo va a matar.
YOCASTA
She'll cut off the oxygen.
Le va a cortar el oxigeno.
SAUL
Mm-hmm.
(then)
Mom, is Jezebel fixed?
Oye, Ma, viajaron la Jezebel?
YOCASTA
I got her running last night. Just
a broken hose clamp in the clutch.
Are you going to help me drop off
these clothes?
Anoche la eché a andar. Tenia rota
la abrazadera del clutch. Vas a
venir conmigo a entregar la ropa?
SAUL
In a minute, but look. I still need
to mend all these. Some are missing
buttons...
Si, ahi voy, mama, es que hace
falta arreglar todo esto. Hay
algunas cosas que no tienen
boton...
11.
YOCASTA
My hard working son. A boy will
make you happy one day. Just don't
end up with someone mean.
Ay, mijo, tu tan hacendoso. Algun
dia vas a hacer feliz con un
muchacho. Ay, mas no te vayas a
conseguir gente gacha, eh?
EXT. EL PASO ROAD - DAY
On motorcycle, they deliver the laundry to houses in a
nearby, more affluent neighborhood of El Paso, until all the
stacked cloth bags are gone.
EXT. HOUSE - EL PASO ROAD - DAY
At the last house, an OLDER MAID and a younger one opens the
service door to Yocasta and Saul. The Older Maid looks to
Yocasta with obvious contempt. Yocasta seems to recognize her
but doesn't knows what to do.
YOCASTA
Hi, sweetie. Are you the new maid?
What's your name?
Qué paso, mija? Tu eres la nueva?
Como te llamas?
OLDER MAID
Count the clothes, make sure
nothing's missing.
Ahorita hay que contar la ropa,
para ver si esta toda completa.
SAUL
It's all in there.
Si esta toda.
YOCASTA
When has that happened? What's your
problem? You've been so nasty
lately, what's the deal?
Cuando te debo algo? Qué te
traes, eh? Hace un buen rato que me
estas dando lata, te debo algo?
SAUL
Come on, Mom. Let's go.
Ya, ma, vamonos.
YOCASTA
How much are they paying her? Half
what you make, probably.
(MORE)
12.
YOCASTA (CONT'D)
Cuanto le estan pagando? La mitad
de lo que te pagan a ti,
seguramente.
OLDER MAID
(to YOUNGER MAID)
That's why I told you to keep your
legs closed, so you don't end up
with a bastard son.
Por eso te digo que no abras las
patas, Dianita, para que no acabes
asi, toda jodida con un chavalo.
Yocasta looks confused and paralyzed. Then, a shadow of rage
appears on her face. She's about to answer to the Older Maid,
but Saul holds her.
SAUL
Let's go, Mom! Come on, hop on.
Vamonos. Subete.
They drive away.
EXT. EL PASO ROAD - DAY
MUSIC carries. Saul rides her motorcycle with Yocasta behind
her clutching the teetering piles of wrapped laundry. The two
speed along together, sharing a moment of freedom, the wind
whipping at their faces.
INT. LUCHA VENUE AUDITORIUM - LATE AFTERNOON
A sports auditorium that is used for lucha events. It is much
bigger than where Saul usually fights and has bleachers.
Saul walks in and sees a daytime lucha class in full swing.
The teacher, SABRINA (34), works in the ring in the middle of
the auditorium with her students, a bunch of teenage boys.
Siblings and parents play in the bleachers during the class.
A few other wrestlers work out along the walls.
SABRINA
That's right, that's right, that's
right!
Asi, asi, asi!
(watches WRESTLERS)
Like that, like that, go hard!
That's right.
Asi, asi, duro! Asi es.
13.
Sabrina has a punk look and wears a tight "X-Ray Spex" t-
shirt. Saul recognizes her and watches, studying her moves.
She's a pro.
SABRINA (CONT'D)
Come on, come on, yes, good.
Vamos, vamos, si, bien. Bien, bien,
y ahora qué? Bien, bien. Eso!
Sabrina calls the end to training.
SABRINA (CONT'D)
That's right. That's right. Same
time tomorrow. Good job. Yeah, well
done!
Asi, asi es. Okay, mañana, no? Si,
mañana. Muy bien. Muy bien.
She notices Saul watching. She waves and walks over.
SAUL
Wow.
SABRINA
Hey, you want to practice or you
just watching?
SAUL
I've seen you fight at the
coliseum.
Sabrina nods.
SABRINA
Oh, yeah. Yeah, that's right.
Saul is a little star struck, but keeps it inside.
SAUL
Lady Anarquia.
SABRINA
Sabrina.
SAUL
Saul.
SABRINA
Hey.
She smiles. They bump fists.
SAUL
Nice to meet you.
14.
SABRINA
You fight there, too?
SAUL
No.
SABRINA
Mm.
SAUL
No, um, I've been doing some nights
at el... Mecanico de Ray.
SABRINA
Oh, yeah. My students fight there
sometimes. I don't think I've seen
you. How long you been doing lucha?
SAUL
Since I was a kid. But I've been
doing real fights since a couple of
years ago.
SABRINA
Oh.
SAUL
But I'm gonna be fighting Gigantico
de Tijuana next week. And I want to
flip it. I want to turn it around,
you know?
(slams fist on mat)
I wanna get that bastard. Take him
down! Make him sweat.
Quiero agarrar al culero, quiero
ponerlo ahi! Ponerlo en problemas.
SABRINA
You're hungry. You willing to work?
SAUL
Yeah.
SABRINA
Come in here.
SAUL
Sure?
SABRINA
Yeah, come on.
LATER
15.
Saul climbs in. Sabrina and Saul practice in the ring.
SABRINA (CONT'D)
Come on. Let me guess. You're
always cast as the runt?
SAUL
Yeah. They don't see nothing else.
SABRINA
Oh, yeah? What's your lucha name?
SAUL
El Topo.
SABRINA
"El Topo." So cute.
Saul flips Sabrina onto the mat. He twists her arm, Sabrina
taps out.
SABRINA (CONT'D)
Oh, fuck.
Saul pulls Sabrina up to her feet.
SAUL
You okay?
SABRINA
Think I can work with you.
SAUL
No, but I-I can't. I have no money.
SABRINA
Oh, shut up. We'll figure it out.
SAUL
No, I'm supposed to...
SABRINA
We'll figure it out. We'll figure
it out. Come back tomorrow.
SAUL
Okay, okay.
Saul smiles. They bump fists. Sabrina climbs out of the ring.
SABRINA
Got to go pick up my daughter.
16.
SAUL
Do you know how-how many sessions
it'll take me to be as good as you?
Sabrina stops at ring ropes.
SABRINA
A hundred.
SAUL
Oh.
SABRINA
At least.
SAUL
Okay.
Sabrina LAUGHS as she climbs under the ropes.
SABRINA
"El Topo."
Saul somersaults in the ring and sits on the ropes.
EXT. SABRINA'S BACKYARD - DAY
Sabrina has a small wrestling ring on cinderblocks in her
backyard by a baby pool.
Sabrina trains Saul and other teenage wrestlers with various
drills and exercises.
SABRINA (CONT'D)
Okay. Laps. Run. I want four laps.
Run `em. Faster. Come on. Come on!
Move it! Move it! Faster! What are
you gonna do? Come on, stand up.
Get up faster. Flip again. Come on.
Great, great, great. Fall, fall,
fall. Stretch it out. Stretch it
out, Saul. Come on, come on. That's
right.
Saul now struggles with push-ups as Sabrina coaches.
SAUL
One, two, three, four, five, six,
seven, eight...
SABRINA
One, two, three, four, five...
17.
SAUL
Four, five... No. No.
SABRINA
That's right. Till I say. Till I
say stop!
SAUL
No, thirteen.
LATER
After training, they sit in folding lawn chairs by the ring
in the hot sun. Saul toasts a beer with Sabrina.
SAUL (CONT'D)
Cheers.
(they clink bottles)
To men. Do you think I'm gonna be
able to do something with
Gigantico?
SABRINA
Oh, Saul. I mean, it's like you're-
you're trying to fight like
you're... Hijo del Santo or
something. And that's not you. I
mean, there's a lot of ways you can
fight. You don't have to be the
runt. You ever thought about being
an exotico?
Saul is offended and surprised at Sabrina.
SAUL
No. No. No, they don't let exoticos
win, you know? No.
He shakes his head, thinking about how the exotico stereotype
has hurt him.
EXT. H&H CAR WASH - DAY
In an open air covered lot, Saul holds a hose and sprays a
pickup truck with water. A few other washers scrub down the
back of the car. Saul wipes down the dashboard with a rag.
He hears a car horn BEEP. He looks up and sees his mom in her
ancient AMC Hornet, waiting next in line for a wash.
YOCASTA
Hi, honey.
Qué hubo, mijo?
18.
SAUL
Hey.
Qué hubo?
YOCASTA
Are you going to be much longer?
Te falta mucho?
SAUL
Yeah. A little bit.
Un poquito.
YOCASTA
Tell them to clean the ashtray. Do
you want me to order something?
Diles que les encargo el cenicero.
Te pido algo?
SAUL
Some tacos, yeah.
Unos taquitos? Si.
YOCASTA
Don't take too long.
No te tardes mucho.
SAUL
I won't.
No.
INT. H&H CAR WASH - DAY
Saul and his mom eat tacos at the little coffee shop attached
to the car wash while her Hornet gets washed. A mute TV plays
above the counter.
A family comes in and sits down at a table near them. Saul
recognizes Gerardo, the wrestler he made eye contact with
earlier, who is in the company of his wife and their two
children. Gerardo sees Saul too, but looks the other way
without acknowledging him. There's a tension between them
that Yocasta notices.
YOCASTA
You know them?
Los conoces?
SAUL
No.
(Saul shrugs)
I've seen him around. He's a
luchador. They call him El
Comandante.
(MORE)
19.
SAUL (CONT'D)
A él lo he visto. Es luchador. Le
dicen El Comandante.
Yocasta looks over at them and makes eye contact with the
woman. She smiles at her.
YOCASTA
Why don't you say hello?
Quieres saludarlo?
Saul looks uncomfortable.
SAUL
No, I don't know him.
No, no lo conozco, ma.
YOCASTA
I'll introduce you.
Pero te lo presento, mijo.
SAUL
Mom, no.
Ma, no.
YOCASTA
Come on. Let's go.
Vamos, andale.
SAUL
No. Mom don't!
No. Ma, no!
YOCASTA
Come on, son. Son!
Vamos, andale.
She goes to them.
YOCASTA (CONT'D)
Excuse me... You're El Comandante,
right?
Hijo! Dispensen... Usted es El
Comandante, no?
Gerardo nods awkwardly.
GERARDO
Yes, that's me.
Eh, si, si.
YOCASTA
My son is also a luchador, a famous
one. What a coincidence.
(MORE)
20.
YOCASTA (CONT'D)
Fijese que mi hijo también es
luchador, es muy famoso. Qué
casualidad!
GERARDO
Sure.
Claro.
YOCASTA
He fights as El Topo. I've never
seen him fight, it makes me
anxious.
Bueno, también pelea como El Topo a
veces. Dice que es muy bueno. Nunca
lo he querido ir a ver porque me
pongo muy nerviosa. Bueno, yo soy
Yocasta.
Gerardo makes a quick look at Saul, pained, and looks away.
Gerardo's wife extends a hand. They shake.
GERARDO'S WIFE
Ah, mucho gusto...
Saul ignores the conversation. He looks up to the TV. A
telenovela has begun. The opening credits are playing,
featuring the different characters and the actors who portray
them.
As the final credit plays on the TV, a man kisses a woman on
the cheek. The title card of the TV shows appears over them:
"KASSANDRA"
Saul's eyes widen.
At the counter and an older woman ESTELA who works their
smiles at him.
SAUL
Take it out of my tips, alright?
Me descuentas de la propina?
ESTELA
Yeah?
Si?
SAUL
My mom's, too. Bye. Mom. Mom!
A mi mama también. Adios. Ma, mama.
Saul waves and leaves the diner.
EXT. H&H CAR WASH - DAY
21.
Saul waits in the car. He lights two cigarettes at the same
time. He holds up his hand with the two cigarettes smoldering
side by side.
Gerardo watches Saul from inside the diner with regret on his
face. Yocasta exits the diner and approaches the car.
SAUL (CONT'D)
Where's yours?
Y el tuyo?
She laughs at their old routine and opens the car door.
YOCASTA
I didn't see you go out. All right,
where's mine?
Ni te vi cuando te saliste. A ver,
échame el mio.
Saul hands one of the cigarettes to his mother. Saul watches
Gerardo and his family through the window as they pull away.
INT. SOFTBALL FIELD - TWILIGHT
Saul and Yocasta pull their old beat up car into the dirt lot
of a city softball field. They pull up near the field and
turns off the car and lights.
EDUARDO (59), Saul's biological father, is in the outfield.
He's far away and difficult to see, unobtainable, but Yocasta
watches him with a hawk's eye.
They park the car. Yocasta looks out on the field, where a
game is in progress. The players are all older men playing
for fun. Yocasta focuses on Eduardo. Saul looks over, then
looks away.
YOCASTA
Look at your father. You are just
like him. You have his eyes. His
mouth. You even have the same hair.
Mira a tu padre. Eres igualito a
él. Tienes sus mismos ojos. Su
boca. Hasta el pelo es igualito.
SAUL
What the hell are we doing here?
Let's go home.
Qué chingados estamos haciendo
aqui, ma? Ya vamonos.
22.
YOCASTA
He'd still be with us... if you had
listened to me.
Todavia estaria con nosotros... si me
hubieras escuchado.
Saul stares ahead, deeply hurt. Yocasta continues to watch.
INT. SAUL'S HOUSE - NIGHT
We see an old 1970s TV set with rabbit ears playing a lucha
libre match. It sits on a ramshackle TV stand against a worn
yellow wall decorated with religious icons and photos. The
camera pushed in slowly as YOUNG SAUL (12), a short scrawny
effeminate boy, watches. This memory is seen through little
flashes of shots, hazy. Everything is seen from a low angle,
exactly how Young Saul sees the world.
The image on the TV is filled with static as a giant wrestler
in a silver mask stomps around the ring.
TV ANNOUNCER
The man in the Silver Mask, the
amazing Santo! The audience
welcomes him with such joy.
Mariachis, cheers!
El Enmascarado de Plata, el
fabuloso Santo! El publico lo
recibe verdaderamente con cariño.
Mariachis, algarabia! Porras!
YOUNG EDUARDO, Saul's father sits next to him on the couch.
He is a big man with a big mustache. Young Eduardo is always
seen from behind, or partly out of frame, or at a distance,
never distinctly.
We hear the deep voice of Eduardo call and yell at the
wrestlers on the TV.
ECU of Saul's eyes watching.
YOUNG EDUARDO
He's the best, right? El Santo.
Here, son. I got you a little
present.
Ves eso? El Santo. Oye, mijo.
Tienes un regalito.
ECU of his father's burly hands holding a Santo action
figure. Saul's tiny sticky hand takes it.
ECU of Saul entranced by the figure, then the wrestlers on
the screen.
23.
More bodies slam, the crowd roars. Young Eduardo roars too.
Saul looks at his father with reverence.
INT. SAUL'S HOUSE - DAY
Saul lays on the couch as an old wrestling match plays on TV.
INT. YOCASTA'S BEDROOM - DAY
Saul looks through Yocasta's clothing in the closet, and then
packs a suitcase with his select choices.
INT. YOCASTA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Yocasta is at her bedroom dresser putting on make-up with a
bottle of tequila and a glass with lime beside her. She is
dressed for going out dancing. Her bedroom is filled with
Catholic icons, candles, feathers, Dia de Muertos imagery and
incense.
Tucked into her mirror is an old color snapshot of Saul as a
teenager with dyed hair and pink t-shirt with the midriff cut
out.
Patsy Cline's song "She's Got You" plays from a little
cassette deck.
Saul lies on her bed, sketching in a pad. We don't see what
he draws. He looks up to watch his mom put on her make-up.
Her make-up is spread out before her like the instruments of
a religious ritual.
SAUL
You know who was good at doing her
eyebrows? Veronica Castro. Am I
right?
Sabes quién sabia maquillarse bien
las cejas? Veronica Castro.
Verdad?
Yocasta agrees.
YOCASTA
Few can do it like her.
De las pocas que lo sabe hacer.
SAUL
Yeah.
Ey.
YOCASTA
I loved her hair most.
A mi lo que me gustaba era su pelo.
24.
SAUL
Oh, sure, the hair! Really
extraordinary.
Ah, si, el pelo! Era muy
impresionante.
YOCASTA
I'm running late. I don't look like
any actress.
Ya se me esta haciendo tarde. Pero
ya no me parezco a nadie.
Saul rises to help Yocasta get dressed.
SAUL
It's better that way. Much better.
You're good to go.
Mejor. Mucho mejor. Ahi estas, se
ve bien.
Yocasta stands, inspects herself in the mirror.
YOCASTA
I like it.
Bien, muy bien.
SAUL
Look at you! Rapunzel has nothing
on you!
Andale! Quién te viera, Rapunzel!
YOCASTA
Good? Don't wait up, son.
Esta? No me esperes, mijo.
SAUL
Okay.
No te espero.
She gets her purse and prepares to go out.
YOCASTA
Go to bed early.
Te duermes temprano.
SAUL
Sure.
Dale.
Yocasta waves him away. She leaves the house to go to a dance
club. Saul watches her go.
EXT. SABRINA'S BACKYARD - DAY
25.
Teenage kids practice tumbles in the ring. Sabrina and Saul
sit in lawn chairs as they watch.
SAUL (CONT'D)
Can I tell you something? It's
still a work in progress, okay, so,
you know...
Saul pulls out a sketch of a wrestler dressed in a long
women's cape, a dress, high heeled boots, and make-up. At the
bottom it reads CASSANDRA with the A crossed out to make it
an O -- CASSANDRO. Sabrina looks at it, LAUGHS.
SABRINA
That's an exotico.
SAUL
But he wins.
Sabrina looks at Saul with new feelings: delight, excitement.
Admiration.
INT. MECHANIC'S GARAGE, JUAREZ - NIGHT
A female wrestling match in progress as Saul and Sabrina make
their way through the auto shop.
SAUL
It's so crowded tonight.
SABRINA
This is it. Hey, you got this,
okay? Keep your chin up. Don't
worry about them, okay? All right?
And let me handle it, okay? I'll
just take care of it. Just get your
shit together.
The Announcer calls the next fight and Pete approaches.
PETE
You're up next, so get ready.
Sabrina butts in.
SABRINA
Yeah, hey, uh, listen, um, I just
want to talk to you. Things are
gonna be a little different
tonight.
PETE
Oh?
26.
SABRINA
Yeah, yeah.
PETE
Who are you?
SABRINA
I'm his trainer.
Recognizing her.
PETE
Lady Anarquia?
SABRINA
Yeah.
PETE
I'm a huge fan.
SABRINA
Oh, yeah? Um, here's the deal. So,
tonight, Gigantico is gonna fight
an exotico, and that exotico is
this guy right here.
PETE
Oh.
SABRINA
But here's the thing. The exotico's
gonna win. Yeah. Gonna turn the
tables.
Pete puffs on his cigarette. He's not one to underestimate
the power of a gimmick.
PETE
You got Gigantico to go along with
this?
SABRINA
No. No, it's a surprise.
Pete laughs in her face.
PETE
Ah, okay. Then stop wasting my
time, and, uh, you, get dressed as
El Topo.
Sabrina is momentarily crushed. Saul is half relieved, half
disappointed.
27.
INT. MECHANIC'S GARAGE, JUAREZ - DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT
Saul places his items on the dressing table: a photo of
Yocasta, and the eagle feather.
Saul goes to his chair with his rolling pink suitcase and
opens it. Inside is his regular El Topo spandex costume and
mask. Nestled beside that is a cassette tape labeled with
glitter pen and a stack of his mother's clothes and sparkly
boots. Saul hesitates.
INT. MECHANIC'S GARAGE, JUAREZ - MOMENTS LATER
The audience is primed for the next fight. Sabrina talks with
a referee. Pete looks on.
Suddenly the speakers crackle to life. The announcer breaks
in.
ANNOUNCER
I'm told that there's been a change
in the program. This is about to
get ugly! Debuting tonight, a
luchador you've never seen before.
Coming to you from El Paso...
Cassandro the Exotico!
Me informan que tenemos un cambio
en el programa. Esto se va a
poner muy feo! Tenemos el debut
estelar de un luchador nunca antes
visto. Con ustedes, desde El Chuco...
Cassandro, el exotico!
The crowd applauds. Gigantico looks confused. This wasn't the
plan. Pete looks around, pissed.
Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" comes blaring over the
speakers. Gigantico spins around, trying to figure out who's
coming out to fight him.
The crowd turns. Down the aisle comes Saul. His identity is
not hidden by his usual red spandex luchador mask. In fact,
he wears no mask at all. His face for the world to see.
Saul is wearing his mom's clothes - an ill-fitting purple
bra, green sequined cape, gloves, fishnets and garters, and
an ostrich feather plumed hat. To complete the look, Saul is
wearing high heeled pink sparkly boots.
CROWD MEMBER
Faggot!
Culero!
28.
For a moment, Saul feels like he's made a terrible mistake.
He's standing in his mother's underwear in front of scores of
screaming lucha fans with a hulking macho monster bellowing
inside ring, ready to take him down.
Saul almost loses his courage. For a second he thinks about
fleeing. He sees the mockery in the crowd's eyes.
Gigantico makes two huge muscles and encourages the crowd on
in their chanting.
Saul as "Cassandro" makes his way into the ring. The crowd
boos and yells.
MAN
Gigantico's gonna crush you! You're
nobody! Fucking faggot!
Gigantico te va a hacer pedazos!
No eres nadie! Pinche, puto --
Saul jumps into the ring. He doesn't lumber or make muscles
this time. He struts and pirouettes around the ring, his
confidence building further (he's also getting used to the
shoes). Gigantico, confused, steals a quick glance at Pete,
who shrugs and urges him on.
CROWD MEMBER
Fuck you, Cassandro!
No eres estética, culero! Chinga
tu madre, Cassandro!
Gigantico taunts. The crowd chants.
CROWD
Gigantico, Gigantico!
Gigantico roars and runs at Saul. Saul gracefully leaps
aside, and extends a leg with pointed toe, tripping
Gigantico. The crowd whoops.
Gigantico retaliates. He flips Saul in an Octopus clutch,
then reaches around with one massive hand to give him a titty
twister. Saul howls. Gigantico laughs at Saul, egging the
crowd on to join in. The whole audience laughs at Saul.
Gigantico releases Saul and mimics him, sashaying with a limp-
wristed gesture that regular exoticos use.
Saul looks out at the audience. He realizes it's the moment
of truth. Lose the audience forever or turn everything on its
head.
Saul takes a deep breath and looks out to the jeering crowd,
then looks down at his body in women's clothes.
29.
Something shifts, like his own body isn't his anymore, and
he's slowly rising up, looking at himself as if in a dream.
The lighting becomes dramatic, the sound in the ring becomes
heightened.
Saul starts to see things differently. The crowd and the
dirty garage recede into darkness around him.
As Cassandro feels himself become more fabulous, Gigantico
becomes smaller, no longer intimidating. Cassandro lifts his
arms up, sheathed with long beautiful gloves.
He squares Gigantico in his sights.
Cassandro deftly hops up on corner of the ropes and leaps
onto Gigantico's back. From here, Gigantico can't reach him,
and Cassandro pulls him off balance, toppling him. Cassandro
launches into the air and lands on Gigantico, knocking the
wind out of him. He grabs Gigantico in a camel clutch, almost
choking him. Gigantico flips over, and Cassandro waves his
ass in ladies underwear in Gigantico's face, teasing him.
Gigantico fumes.
SAUL
How's that?
Coman ahi!
The crowd starts to love this, the unexpected reversed power
dynamic. Suddenly one or two are cheering for Cassandro.
Cassandro feels the rush of their scattered cheers and starts
to flirt with the crowd, winking at them, teasing them as
well.
Sabrina sees the wink and smiles. It's working. She chants.
SABRINA (CHANTING)
Cassandro! Cassandro!
The crowd join in.
CROWD (CHANTING)
Cassandro! Cassandro!
Pete watches from the wings, floored.
Saul takes the upper hand and more of the crowd find
themselves rooting for this strange, short man in exotico
clothes. Gigantico is getting angry. Exoticos are supposed to
let the luchadores win.
30.
As Gigantico tries to regain control of the ring, Cassandro
spins and performs a breath-taking acrobatic kick that lands
on Gigantico's chests with such force that he goes flying
high into the ropes.
Sabrina cheers. She's bursting with adoration.
Gigantico flips and Cassandro gets him in a choke hold. The
crowd screams.
THE CROWD (CHANTING)
Cassandro! Cassandro!
Gigantico lifts Saul and throws him out of the ring.
SABRINA
No, Saul!
No! Saul!
Sabrina checks on Saul laying outside the ring. He gives her
a thumbs up.
ANNOUNCER
Ladies and gentlemen! The winner of
this spectacular battle, The
Executioner of Tijuana, Gigantico!
Damas y caballeros! El vencedor de
esta batalla espectacular, El
Verdugo de Tijuana, Gigantico!
The fight is over. Gigantico is victorious, but Cassandro has
won over the crowd. Sabrina is beaming. She punches him in
the shoulder and Saul flinches, then laughs.
INT. MECHANIC'S GARAGE, JUAREZ - DRESSING ROOM - LATER
Saul and Sabrina rest after match. Some of the other
wrestlers and exoticos packing up give Saul uncomfortable
looks. A small group of them don't like what Saul is doing.
The Masked Massacre calls out loudly to Saul from that group
and the room goes quiet.
MASKED MASSACRE
You better watch it, Topo. Don't
fuck with lucha libre. We have our
traditions, got it?
Topo, no te pases de verde. La
lucha es la lucha y se respeta,
capeas?
SAUL
What?
Qué?
31.
He gives Saul a look like he better watch it.
INT. BACK OF GARAGE - NIGHT
As Saul gets ready to go, he looks around for someone. At
first he can't find the person he's looking for, but then
spots him walking to the bathroom with his gym bag. It's
Gerardo, the luchador that Saul and Yocasta saw previously
with his family at the car wash.
Saul walks up, checking to see if anyone else is around.
Gerardo is a little tense when Saul approaches.
SAUL (CONT'D)
El Comandante.
(he walks in)
You saw me?
GERARDO
Let's talk on Saturday.
SAUL
Saturday?
(then)
So, they're going out of town?
GERARDO
Two days, yeah.
SAUL
Two days? Wow, that's a lot.
Gerardo gives him a small smile, then looks around anxiously.
GERARDO
I got to go.
SAUL
Okay, but you saw me?
GERARDO
It's better we talk about this at
my place.
SAUL
You saw me?
Gerardo's stiffness softens. He becomes tender for just a
moment.
GERARDO
Si, mi cielito. I saw you.
Gerardo furtively hurries off. Saul smiles, cheers him on.
32.
SAUL
Kill 'em! Kill them all!
Matalos, matalos!
INT. JUAREZ DIVE BAR - NIGHT
A dim, ramshackle bar filled with drunks, off duty cops,
wrestling fans, old men gambling and playing dice. Music
blares and the place is packed. Saul walks in with a little
swagger. Sabrina and a couple of his wrestler friends are
with him to celebrate after the match.
A tough, savvy-looking guy approaches. This is LORENZO (42).
LORENZO
(to Saul in a friendly
manner)
Look who's here! Welcome!
Miren nomas quién llego!
Bienvenido!
SAUL
Thanks.
Gracias.
LORENZO
We were waiting for you.
Te estamos esperando.
Saul, Sabrina, and his wrestler friends look at each other,
confused.
LORENZO (CONT'D)
Follow me. My name is Lorenzo.
Welcome to my bar. Can I buy you a
beer?
Bien, andale. Yo soy Lorenzo.
Pasale a mi bar. Me permites
invitarte unas chelas?
SAUL
Sure, thanks.
Claro que si.
Sabrina and Saul follow Lorenzo, surprised and delighted.
Saul's friends order shots.
Sabrina doesn't trust Lorenzo. She introduces herself.
SABRINA
Hey, I'm Sabrina, the trainer.
Lorenzo smiles wanly at her.
33.
LORENZO
Feel free to order.
Pide lo que quieras.
Lorenzo hands out beers, including to an older man with a
large mustache who is making out with a young woman. The
older man takes the beer and kisses the woman again. Saul
recognizes him.
SAUL
(to himself)
Commander Gomez Pulido, the police
chief.
Ay, cabron, ahi esta. Ey, el
Comandante Gomez Pulido, de la
policia.
Lorenzo tilts his head to the mustachioed older man.
LORENZO
(to Saul)
You know him?
Has hablado con él?
SAUL
(impressed but also wary)
No way. I only know him from the
newspapers.
No, no, lo conozco de los
periodicos, nada mas.
LORENZO
Come with me.
Ven.
Gomez grins at Saul's impressed look. Lorenzo slaps him on
the back and leads him over, away from Sabrina.
SAUL
Okay, I-I'll see you in a bit.
Bueno, te veo en un rato.
SABRINA
Oh. Alright.
SAUL
I'll see you in a bit.
Te veo en un rato.
Lorenzo leads Saul to Gomez's table.
GÓMEZ PULIDO
How's it going, Lorenzo?
Qué paso, Lorenzo?
34.
LORENZO
Our rising star.
El nuevo idolo de la raza.
GÓMEZ PULIDO
Hi, pleasure.
Hola, mucho gusto.
They shake hands at table.
SAUL
Nice to meet you.
Mucho gusto.
WOMAN AT TABLE
Hola.
SAUL
Hello. How are you? Well, sorry to
interrupt.
Hola. Qué tal? Perdon.
LORENZO
Let's talk over here. Have a seat.
Vente, vamos a hablar para aca.
Siéntate.
Lorenzo leads Saul find a table at the end of the bar. From a
distance, Sabrina watches Lorenzo with unease.
SAUL
Thanks.
Gracias.
LORENZO
Holy shit. What a performance! You
had us hypnotized.
Puta, qué pinche exhibicion diste,
cabron. Los tenias pendejos.
SAUL
Do you mean it?
En serio?
LORENZO
Oh, yeah. In bullfighting, they
say: "Holy fuck! There's a god
walking among us."
Si, si. El publico taurino dice:
"Puta madre, bajo-- bajo el faraon".
SAUL
It felt amazing. People seemed
happy.
(MORE)
35.
SAUL (CONT'D)
Es que si, me senti muy bien. Y vi
a la gente muy contenta.
LORENZO
They were happy all right. I was
about to book Gigantico for a match
in Monterrey, but now I'm not so
sure.
Si, si, la gente estaba bien
contenta. Yo pensaba escoger al
Gigantico para una exhibicion en
Monterrey, pero tu me estas
haciendo dudar muy cabron.
SAUL
You're a promoter?
Eres promotor?
LORENZO
I wear many hats in this life, but
I want us to be friends. Can I be
your friend?
Bueno, una de muchas cosas en esta
pinche vida, pero... pero yo prefiero
ser tu amigo. Me permites ser tu
amigo?
They shake hands again.
SAUL
Of course. Friends. I've never
fought outside of Juarez before.
Claro, amigos. No, amigos, amigos.
Yo nunca he peleado fuera de
Juarez.
LORENZO
The way I see it, lucha libre is
the same everywhere. People are
fucked up. That's why they like it.
The world is fucked up. For a brief
moment, the luchador offers escape.
From the ring, he tells a story
where good triumphs over evil. It's
the same everywhere. China, Japan,
Monterrey... The same formula no
matter where.
Ah, para mi, este pedo es igual en
todas partes. La raza esta jodida.
Por eso le gusta la lucha libre. El
mundo esta jodido. Y pues en un
ratito, un pinche luchador le da en
la madre, no? A la desgracia.
(MORE)
36.
LORENZO (CONT'D)
Desde un ring, te cuenta una
historia donde el bien derrota al
mal, no? Eso es asi. Asi es en el
pinche mundo. China, Japon,
Monterrey... La misma mamada en todas
partes.
Saul hangs on these words.
SAUL
I want to fight everywhere. In
Japan, China, Monterrey...
Yo quiero pelear en todos lados. En
Japon, China, Monterrey...
LORENZO
I bet you do.
Ey, cabron...
SAUL
Mexico City.
La Ciudad de México...
LORENZO
One thing at a time, kiddo. We
gotta do it here first.
Te subes a la moto, cabron. Primero
hay que resolver el pedo aqui.
FELIPE, a young man in his early 20s, attractive and wiry,
passes by.
LORENZO (CONT'D)
Felipe! Come here.
Felipe! Ven.
Felipe comes over. He has youthful charm but with a hint of
desperation. Despite his good looks, he appears unhealthy;
his eyes are a little sunken and his frame is gaunt.
FELIPE
Yeah, boss.
Mandeme, patron.
LORENZO
Do you know this guy?
Sabe usted quién es?
FELIPE
No, I don't think so.
No, no, no lo saco.
37.
LORENZO
Look again. Well, this is...
Miralo bien, cabron. Pues este
es...
SAUL
Saul. Cassandro.
Saul is attracted to Felipe, and smiles at him.
LORENZO
Cassandro, el Exotico.
FELIPE
Exotico? You're a luchador?
Exotico? Eres luchador?
SAUL
Yes.
Si.
FELIPE
Cool.
Ah, bien.
Saul feels a rush of pride. Lorenzo reaches into his pocket
and passes Saul a small bag of cocaine. Swept up in the
moment he takes it. Lorenzo turns to Felipe.
LORENZO
He's the one to watch. I want you
to show him around, and make sure
he has a good time.
Mira, no lo pierdas de vista.
Quiero que lo saques a dar la
vuelta, y que se la pase a toda
madre.
FELIPE
Sure thing, you got it. A fucking
good time!
Estas bien? Lo que necesites, me
lo dices y te lo consigo, eh?
Lorenzo stands up and walks over to friends, at the other
side of the bar.
INT. DIVE BAR KITCHEN - NIGHT
Saul and Felipe in the kitchen of the dive bar. They are
alone. Saul, not used to coke, snorts a heap off his house
key.
38.
FELIPE (CONT'D)
Are you feeling good? If you need
anything, just say the word.
Estas bien? Lo que necesites, me
lo dices y te lo consigo, eh?
SAUL
Cool, thanks. So you guys are in
the lucha business?
Gracias, no. No sabia que estaban
en la lucha ustedes. Que Lorenzo
era promotor.
FELIPE
Whatever you want.
Cuando cree, nah.
SAUL
Really? He was talking about a
match in Monterrey.
Ah, si? Pero me hablo de una pelea
en Monterrey.
FELIPE
He's a mover and a shaker, he has a
finger in every pie.
Él anda en la mera punta del tren,
le mueve a todo.
Saul snorts another bump.
SAUL
Where did you get this? It's pure
vanilla.
Ay, de donde sacaste esto? Esto es
vainilla pura.
He trails off, gritting his teeth.
SAUL (CONT'D)
Too bad you weren't there to see
Cassandro.
Qué mal que no fuiste a la lucha a
conocer a Cassandro.
FELIPE
Who?
A quién?
SAUL
Cassandro.
39.
FELIPE
Oh, yeah. I'm not really into lucha
libre. I prefer strip clubs, stuff
like that.
Oh, si, si, si. Yo no soy de las
luchas. Soy mas de strip clubs y
lugares asi.
SAUL
That's a shame. It's too bad,
because it's a beautiful show. Real
nice.
Qué triste tu caso. Qué mal porque
es un show muy, muy bonito. Muy,
muy lindo.
FELIPE
Well... I like the masks.
Fijate... Me gustan las mascaras.
SAUL
Yeah?
Ah, si?
FELIPE
Yeah, they're pretty cool. What's
yours like?
Si, me gustan las mascaras. A ver,
cual usas tu?
SAUL
Ain't got one.
Ninguna.
FELIPE
Really? No mask?
Ah, no? No mascara?
SAUL
No mask! None.
Sin mascara! Asi, fa...
FELIPE
You're different.
Diferente.
SAUL
Yeah, always.
Aja, siempre, siempre.
FELIPE
I like that.
Esta bueno eso.
40.
He looks into Felipe's eyes. Saul leans forward even more,
almost falling over.
SAUL
Yeah. And you're cute.
Si, claro. Y tu estas bien bonito.
FELIPE
Thanks.
Gracias.
SAUL
If Cassandro were here, he'd tell
you many things. Yeah, for example...
that he wants to kiss you.
Y si Cassandro estuviera aqui, te
diria muchisimas cosas. Si, te
diria, por ejemplo... que quiere
darte un beso.
He looks into Felipe's eyes. Saul leans forward.
SAUL (CONT'D)
(with an exaggerated sigh)
But Cassandro isn't here.
Pero Cassandro no esta aqui.
Felipe eyes him for a moment then laughs uncomfortably.
FELIPE
Good, 'cause I have a girlfriend.
Don't want any trouble.
Pues, qué bueno que no porque tengo
novia y no quiero problemas.
SAUL
I have a boyfriend, too.
Yo también tengo novio.
FELIPE
Yeah?
Si?
SAUL
Yeah. He's big. Really strong.
Really.
Si, esta bien grandote. Y bien
fuerte, si. En serio.
They share a LAUGH as they walk out.
INT. SAUL'S HOUSE - EARLY AFTERNOON
41.
Yocasta is up tying up bundles of laundry. Saul stumbles in
from his bedroom, hung over and exhausted. He sits down for
some very late breakfast.
Yocasta is quiet.
SAUL (CONT'D)
Sorry I came home late. Did I wake
you? Did I wake you?
Sorry, ma, por llegar tan tarde.
Te desperté? Te desperté?
YOCASTA
No. The phone did, ringing all
morning.
No. Me desperto el teléfono que
estuvo sonando toda la mañana.
Saul understands.
SAUL
Yesterday was amazing, Mom. It was
a great night, you should come
someday.
Estuvo espectacular, mama. Fue una
noche bien linda, de verdad, algun
dia deberias venir a verme.
YOCASTA
It didn't cross your mind. What's
your father going to say when he
hears about this? He's going to be
like a ranch dog when he finds out.
No se te ocurrio, verdad? No se
te ocurrio pensar lo que va a decir
tu padre cuando se entere? Porque
se va a enterar y se va a poner
como perro de rancho.
Saul stiffens. She holds up one of his sketches. Saul grabs
it. Saul runs from the room with the drawing.
YOCASTA (CONT'D)
Saul! Son!
Saul! Mijo!
He slams the door to the bathroom and locks it. Yocasta
knocks but he won't let her in.
YOCASTA (CONT'D)
It's not just that. You have to be
careful. Remember what those kids
did to Silvia's son?
No se trata solo de eso.
(MORE)
42.
YOCASTA (CONT'D)
Tienes que cuidarte. Mira lo que le
hicieron el año pasado al pobre
chamaco de la Silvia.
Saul doesn't respond.
INT. YOCASTA'S BEDROOM - DAY
Saul takes an old leopard print blouse out from her closet.
He lays it on the bed. The camera tilts to take in the blouse
on the bed, and as it does, the room transforms to --
INT. YOCASTA'S BEDROOM - DAY
Young Saul now walks into the room. He feels the blouse.
YOUNG YOCASTA (O.S.)
Te gusta, Saul?
Find Saul's mother, at 30 years old. YOUNG YOCASTA smiles and
puts on the blouse. Her hair is a fiery orange bouffant. This
memory is seen through little flashes of shots, hazy.
EXT. BANK OF THE RIO GRANDE - TWILIGHT
The whole neighborhood has turned out for a party by the
river. Grills are set up, cooking skewers of meat and
peppers, men are playing dominoes on card tables.
Young Saul and Young Yocasta exit their car and approach a
dominoes table carrying a plate of food.
YOUNG YOCASTA
Come, Saul.
Vente, Saul.
She gives it to a man, 36, with slicked back hair and his
shirt open. This is YOUNG EDUARDO, Saul's father.
YOUNG EDUARDO
Hey, big man. Are you having fun?
Thank you, baby.
Then Young Yocasta hears children laughing. She turns and
sees a young beautiful white woman, Eduardo's wife SARA (32)
walking up from the bank of the river with two young
daughters (5 and 7) and an older daughter REGINA (13).
SARA
Eduardo, honey.
43.
YOUNG EDUARDO
(to Young Yocasta)
You should go.
At the sight of Sara, Young Yocasta flees. Sara approaches
her husband Young Eduardo and kisses him.
SARA
How's it going?
YOUNG EDUARDO
Good, good. How are the girls?
SARA
Good.
YOUNG EDUARDO
They having fun?
SARA
Yeah. Everyone's good. I don't want
the girls to see her.
YOUNG EDUARDO
I told her to leave.
Young Yocasta is embarrassed and humiliated. Saul watches her
retreat to a tree by herself smoking.
In a flash of hazy memory, Saul runs to her and hugs her
belly. He buries his face in her bare stomach, lifting up her
blouse. She holds him, her fingers intertwining with his
hair. Young Saul looks back to his father.
INT. SAUL'S HOUSE - DAY
Saul sews the leopard blouse for ring attire.
INT. LUCHA VENUE DRESSING ROOM, EL PASO - NIGHT
CU of adult Saul in front of his mirror wearing the leopard
print blouse. He is startled. In the dressing room behind
him, other luchadores are getting ready.
The sound of the screaming audience is heard coming from the
arena.
Laid out in front of Saul on his dressing table in a
ritualistic semi-circle is make-up he's borrowed from his
mom.
44.
He puts the finishing touches on his eyelashes and takes in
his look - beaming with newfound confidence.
Now ready, he prays.
INT. LUCHA ARENA - NIGHT
He's been booked now at a legit wrestling venue in El Paso.
It's a squat cinder block affair that's really just a few
rungs higher than the previous place. But the ring is nicer
and there are real dressing tables in a separate room. The
crowd is bigger. And there are bleachers instead of folding
chairs. Moving up in the world.
Saul looks out at the hungry fans. He's never wrestled in
front of a crowd this large before. Sabrina coaches Saul
before the match backstage.
SABRINA
I saw your mom in the crowd.
SAUL
Yeah?
SABRINA
Yeah.
SAUL
Yeah, okay.
SABRINA
Are you ready?
SAUL
Always.
Siempre.
Saul steps forward as the announcer booms.
ANNOUNCER
Ladies and gentlemen... Welcome to
this lucha libre night!
Damas y caballeros... Bienvenidos a
esta noche de lucha!
The CROWD cheer. The Announcer stands in ring.
ANNOUNCER (CONT'D)
Facing Blue Flame tonight in the
main event... Let's welcome
Cassandro!
Enfrentando a Blue Flame esta noche
en la pelea principal, démosle la
bienvenida a Cassandro!
45.
Answering the announcers call, he bursts into the arena. As
the crowd yells, Saul leaps into action against Blue Diablo.
Yocasta sits ringside, gestures to Sabrina.
YOCASTA
Sabrina, here.
Sabrina, aqui.
Sabrina takes her seat in front of Yocasta as Saul taunts.
The match starts. Blue Flame thinks he has the upper hand,
but soon Cassandro is charming the crowd.
CROWD MEMBER
Faggot!
Pinche, puto!
Yocasta hears this, hits the MAN with her purse.
YOCASTA
Shut up, that's my son!
Callate, es mi hijo!
The two wrestlers roll on the mat. Sabrina watches, anxious.
Cassandro takes a kick. Announcer referee checks on him.
ANNOUNCER
Cassandro, are you okay?
Hablame, Cassandro, estas bien?
Saul nods, match continues. The crowd jeer, boo Saul.
CROWD (CHANTING)
Faggot, faggot! Faggot! Faggot!
Puto, puto! Puto, puto!
Saul feels Cassandro grow in strength and become more
glamorous. The gritty realism of the real world melts into a
fantasia of lucha libre spectacle - colors, lights,
acrobatics, smoke effects.
The fantasy world blooms around him. He tries different
things out, a scissor kick here, an iron claw there,
delighted in discovering what Cassandro's powers can do. The
audience eats it up.
CROWD MEMBER
Harder! Harder!
Duro! Duro!
Saul sits on ring post and taunts them.
46.
CROWD (CHANTING)
Homo!
Culero, culero!
ANNOUNCER
Focus on the fight.
Concéntrate en la lucha.
Concéntrese, señor, arriba.
Saul feels Cassandro grow in strength and become more
glamorous. He climbs a ring post to pump up crowd.
Lorenzo in audience stands and joins the CHEERS.
CROWD (CHANTING)
Cassandro! Cassandro!
Saul leaps from top rope and puts Blue Diablo in a pin.
ANNOUNCER
One, two... You can't get in here.
Uno, dos... No te puedes meter!
Another hulking luchador, Magic Torch, jumps into the ring.
Now it is two-on-one, and Cassandro toys with them, blowing
kisses to the audience before skipping along the ropes to
take the luchadores down.
As Cassandro woos the audience, the crowd suddenly starts
booing the two other luchadores while cheering Cassandro's
name. Blue Diablo and Magic Torch are baffled - they're the
good guys in this battle. Angry, they try to take Cassandro
out, but he is too wily for them. The crowd continues to fall
into Cassandro's hand.
DANTE (55), wearing a country western shirt and pencil thin
mustache, watches from the side of the ring, amazed at how
the crowd is reacting.
Saul grabs Magic Torch, the crowd cheer.
CROWD (CHANTING)
Kiss! Kiss!
Beso! Beso!
Cassandro rears his head back and gives Magic Torch a full
kiss on the mouth. The crowd goes wild as Cassandro leaps and
bounds around the ring in triumph.
Dante steps towards ring to Magic Torch and Blue Diablo.
DANTE
Cassandro wins. Double the pay for
everybody.
47.
The two luchadores look at him like he's crazy.
BLUE DIABLO
Screw you, gringo! Fucking traitor!
I don't lose to exoticos!
Sacate a la chingada, pinche
gringo traidor!Yo no pierdo con
exoticos!
Diablo storms out of the ring. The crowd throws beer cans at
Diablo as he abandons the stage. Magic Torch looks at Dante.
MAGIC TORCH
Double?
Doble?
DANTE
Double pay.
Dante nods and Magic Torch shrugs and turns back into the
ring to fight.
Magic Torch rears on Cassandro who is back up and dancing at
him with a new attack. Saul knocks Magic Torch comically high
up into the air, and then catches him like a groom carrying a
bride over the threshold. Cassandro blows kisses to the
audience. People throw roses.
Cassandro dispatches Magic Torch, flipping off the turnbuckle
onto him as he spins Magic Torch into a pin.
ANNOUNCER
One, two, three...
Uno, dos, tres!
He has won the match, and the crowd goes crazy. Cassandro
lifts his arms up in triumph.
Saul hugs Sabrina at ringside. Yocasta and Lorenzo celebrate
with the crowd.
LORENZO
Come on! My idol!
Vamos! Ídolo, idolo!
Saul basks in the adulation as the crowd cheers.
CROWD (CHANTING)
Cassandro! Cassandro!
Yocasta beams with tears of pride.
EXT. LUCHA VENUE BACK PARKING LOT - NIGHT
48.
Saul says goodbye to his mom as she sits in her car. He leans
in the driver side window.
SAUL
Did you see the crowd roaring?
Viste como se puso la gente?
YOCASTA
Mother of God.
Virgen santisima.
SAUL
Praised be the Lord! Now, picture
me in a stadium or in a real lucha
libre arena.
Alabado sea el señor. Imaginatelo
en un estadio o en una arena de
lucha libre de verdad.
YOCASTA
We'll cross that bridge when we get
to it, son.
Cuando lleguemos a ese puente, lo
cruzaremos, hijo.
He looks at his mother.
SAUL
Are you worried? You are! You're
worried about my dad. I know you
are.
Estas preocupada? Estas
preocupada, verdad? Por mi papa,
estas preocupada por mi papa.
Yocasta pointedly doesn't respond to that question.
YOCASTA
Go have fun. Don't stay up too
late.
Mejor ve a divertirte. No te
desveles mucho.
SAUL
I won't. I could drive you home.
No. Pues, te llevo.
Yocasta makes a gesture of "nah".
YOCASTA
No.
49.
SAUL
I'm serious.
Si, mejor te llevo, no?
YOCASTA
I'm not senile.
No estoy senil.
SAUL
Are you sure?
Estas segura?
YOCASTA
Si.
SAUL
Please remember what the medicine
man said. Drink the infusion.
Bueno, acuérdate lo que te dijo el
médico. Toma la infusion.
YOCASTA
Okay, don't make a ruckus.
No hagas escandalo.
SAUL
I promise I won't.
Es que no voy a hacer escandalo.
No, no voy a hacer escandalo
YOCASTA
Come on, go have fun, your friends
are waiting.
Anda, vete a divertirte, que ahi te
estan esperando.
SAUL
All right.
Dale.
YOCASTA
Don't cause a scene.
No hagas desfiguros.
SAUL
Same goes for you!
Usted!
Saul looks around after his mom leaves.
EXT. GERARDO'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Saul sneaks around to enter through the back door.
50.
INT. GERARDO'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Gerardo is fixing drinks as Saul walks in. The fridge is
covered with children's drawings. "Amor eterno" by Juan
Gabriel is playing in the back.
Saul kisses Gerardo and wraps his arms around his waist.
GERARDO
I missed your mouth. Espérate,
espérate. One thing at a time.
They kiss deeper, deeper. Saul's hands tracing down Gerardo's
back and clutching his ass.
Then Gerardo pushes him away.
GERARDO (CONT'D)
First we eat. Can make some drinks
for us.
SAUL
Okay, okay.
GERARDO
We need to celebrate.
Saul sings to Gerardo the Juan Gabriel's song. Gerardo joins
in as he stirs the pot.
INT. GERARDO'S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - LATER
The two say the Lord's Prayer in Spanish before dinner.
SAUL
Thank you, Universe, for allowing
me to be here, all alone with
Gerardo. Just me and him.
Gracias, universo, por dejarme
estar solo, solo, solo con Gerardo.
Solo él y yo.
Gerardo looks at Saul in a doting, caring way.
INT. GERARDO'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
The two have sex in Gerardo's bed. It's passionate and
sweaty. Saul is a bottom and after Gerardo climaxes the two
cuddle in bed. Saul knocks something off the bedside table.
51.
SAUL (CONT'D)
Oh, sorry. Sorry, sorry, sorry. I
think Cassandro's a top. He and I
are so different.
GERARDO
I don't like when you talk about
him like he's a real person.
SAUL
He's also very daring and really
fun and sexy. Don't you think he's
sexy?
Gerardo groans.
GERARDO
I mean, yeah, but... I liked you
better when you were just a regular
luchador.
SAUL
He'll come around. He'll grow up.
GERARDO
I like the way you are.
SAUL
Yeah, 'cause you like fucking
little weak topos.
GERARDO
Bastard. Stop it.
SAUL
Hija de la chingada...
Gerardo growls and grabs his wrists. They play wrestles in
bed, with Gerardo pinning a writhing Saul down and smothering
him, then kissing him.
Saul squeals.
GERARDO
Where's Cassandro now?
Gerardo easily holds down Saul as he tries to fight back.
Then the wrestling relaxes into more tender romantic kisses.
Gerardo rolls over on his back.
GERARDO (CONT'D)
I got to get a beer.
52.
SAUL
Okay.
He slips on underwear and walks to the main room. Alone, Saul
looks at the child's baseball hat hanging on the wall. Saul
hears Gerardo in the kitchen open the fridge and take out a
beer. Saul hears the sound of a beer can popping open.
EXT. SOFTBALL FIELD - AFTERNOON
Yocasta and Saul are in Yocasta's old beat-up car watching
Eduardo play in the softball game. Yocasta is in the driver's
seat. Saul is miserable that they are here again.
Saul angrily gets out of the car and walks around to her
driver side window.
SAUL (CONT'D)
Let's go, Mom. Let's go, scoot
over.
Vamonos, ma. Vamonos, orale.
YOCASTA
Leave me be.
No, Saul, déjame.
SAUL
I'm going to take you somewhere
special. Come on, let's go!
Te voy a llevar a un lugar bien
bonito, vas a ver. Órale, ya
estuvo.
Yocasta shifts over to the passenger seat as Saul gets in the
drivers side.
SAUL (CONT'D)
I'm telling you, you're gonna love
this place. All right? It's really
lovely.
Vas a ver, te va a encantar este
lugar que te voy a llevar. Bonito,
bonito.
Saul drives the car away.
INT/EXT. YOCASTA'S CAR - AFTER
Saul is now driving the car. Saul pulls into a beautiful
fancy neighborhood.
They look out at the houses for a while. Saul turns on the
radio.
53.
Yocasta points to a fancy house passing by.
YOCASTA
I have a huge crush on the guy who
lives there. I used to do his
laundry, he smelled incredible.
Mira, en esa casota vive un güey
que me encanta. Le hacia el laundry
y me encantaba el olor.
SAUL
Is he single?
Esta soltero?
YOCASTA
Nah. Married, with two kids. I'm
doomed.
No, hombre. Casado, con dos hijos.
Estoy perdida.
SAUL
Oh, no. Not again!
Ay, no, otra vez la mula al trigo.
They pass a mansion with a pool.
YOCASTA
Look. See that gnarly tree over
there? The woman who lives there is
a bed-wetter. Her bedsheets were
always soiled.
Mira. Ahi donde esta ese arbol ahi
medio chueco, ahi vive una viejilla
toda meada. Siempre me entregaba
las sabanas todas manchadas.
Yocasta mimes picking up a crusty towel and shakes her head.
Saul giggles.
SAUL
Gross!
Guacala!
YOCASTA
And her husband! I'm pretty sure he
jerked off at least three times a
day because the towels were always
stiff! They stood up on their own.
Y su viejo! Se me hace que se
tocaba tres veces al dia porque...
siempre me entregaba las toallas
asi! Se paraban solas.
54.
SAUL
Seriously? Damn.
En serio? Ay, cabron. No mames.
YOCASTA
It was gross! I can't think of any
other explanation.
Yo no sé qué--
SAUL
Look, mom.
Mira, ma.
YOCASTA
Sorry for being so crass.
Perdoname que esté de pelada, mijo.
SAUL
Check it out. Here we are.
Mira nomas, mira nomas. Ahi esta.
Saul pulls up in front of a beautiful sandstone house, not as
big as the others, but nice. The lights are off and there is
a FOR SALE sign out front. He turns off the car. Yocasta
looks at it, her eyes sunken. She is frail and deathly pale.
SAUL (CONT'D)
For sale.
Se vende.
YOCASTA
But, son... We can't afford this.
Hijo, pero, no nos alcanza para
tanto.
SAUL
Just you wait. A few fights here
and there in different cities. I'll
get a loan. We'll figure it out.
Let's go. Come on, Mom! I have a
surprise for you in the back, come
on.
Tu dame chance. Unas luchitas, por
aqui, por alla en diferentes
ciudades. Y luego pido prestado.
Ahi vemos. Mira, ven. Venga, ma.
Hay una sorpresita aqui atras, ven.
Saul looks at the house with pride. Yocasta's face, looking
out at the house, is filled with sadness.
SAUL (CONT'D)
Come here! Come on, hurry!
Ven! Andele, vente!
55.
Saul pulls her out and they sneak into the back of the house.
Saul strips to his underwear and jumps into the pool. Yocasta
shakes her head and tries to get him out.
He is playful and calls to her. She smiles. In a matter of
moments, she in her bra and panties and jumps in.
Mother and son splash and laugh in the backyard pool. Saul is
in heaven.
YOCASTA
You're going bald.
Te vas a quedar pelon.
SAUL
Don't even say it. No, don't say
it! When we get this house, I'll
make it a heart-shaped pool.
Ni lo digas. No, no lo digas!
Cuando la tengamos la casa, le voy
a poner asi, en forma de corazon.
YOCASTA
Like a heart?
De corazon?
SAUL
Yes.
Si.
YOCASTA
Why?
Por qué?
SAUL
Just because. Just to be faggy.
Nomas, por joto, nomas.
YOCASTA
Oh, son.
Ay, mijo.
They both float in the pool, enjoying the water.
INT. LUCHA VENUE AUDITORIUM - LATE AFTERNOON
Saul and Sabrina lay in the ring, post workout.
SAUL
It's beautiful. It's got a yellow
kitchen. I want to buy it as soon
as possible.
56.
INT. SAUL 'S CAR - ALLEY - NIGHT
Saul and Sabrina smoke cigarettes, parked. She waits for a
moment, decides to get a little personal for the first time.
SABRINA
Where's your dad?
SAUL
No.
SABRINA
It sounds like a story.
SAUL
Oh, no, there's nothing much to
tell, no.
SABRINA
Yeah, I don't believe that.
Saul thinks for a minute. Then slowly he opens up.
SAUL
So... my mom met him at a party when
she was... she was very young. And,
um, and they started to have an
affair, instantly. That lasted
years. But he had a wife. And then
he had many kids. My mom was so in
love with him. I think she still
is.
SABRINA
So you-you knew him?
Saul pauses, takes a long drag of cigarette.
SAUL
Yeah. Yeah, he introduced me to
lucha libre. Took me to a few
matches.
SABRINA
You don't... you don't see him no
more?
SAUL
No, not for a while. I came out
when I was 15. And he's very... He's
a lot into Jesus. So, one day, he
just stopped coming.
Sabrina nods, gives him space.
57.
INT. DONUT SHOP - LATE NIGHT
Young Eduardo and Young Saul sitting at the counter of an all-
night donut shop. Young Eduardo is seen indirectly, obscured.
Menudo's "Claridad" plays on the shop's jukebox in the
corner.
Young Eduardo dips his doughnut into his cup of black coffee
and passes it to Young Saul.
Young Saul takes the doughnut and savors a bite.
Young Saul dunks the last piece of his doughnut into his
father's cup, watching the doughnut fall apart into a soggy
mess. The powdered sugar from the doughnut swirls into a
whirlpool.
Music begins.
MONTAGE:
EXT. STREETS - DAY - MONTAGE
Saul runs as training, faster.
EXT. SABRINA'S BACKYARD - DAY - MONTAGE
Sabrina coaches Saul as he lifts weights.
EXT. WRESTLING VENUE - DAY - MONTAGE
Lorenzo smokes cigarettes as one of his cronies takes
pictures of Cassandro posing on an old point and shoot 35mm
camera.
EXT. EL PASO STREET - DAY - MONTAGE
We see hands putting up a makeshift flyer on telephone poles,
photocopied and typewritten, with one of the photos of
Cassandro advertising him on a fight card.
INT. WRESTLING VENUE - NIGHT - MONTAGE
Backstage at a fight, Sabrina unhappily watches as Lorenzo
flatters Saul, puts his arm around Saul's shoulder and
showers him with compliments.
LATER
In the ring: Saul, as Cassandro, is fighting and winning
against more luchadores, one a wrestler in a lizard costume.
58.
The crowds are bigger. Gerardo fights in his camouflage lucha
outfit.
Fighting the lizard man, blood covers his face pouring down
from his forehead with dramatic effect. With each victory the
crowd cheers louder.
CUT TO:
We see grown macho men in the audience pump their fist for
Cassandro.
INT. LARGER WRESTLING ARENA - NIGHT - MONTAGE
Cassandro, in a bigger ring, fights three luchadores from a
ladder and with break-away chairs. In the crowd, we see a
skinny teenage boy wearing a Cassandro-like tiara and
cheering loudly.
INT. WRESTLING ARENA - NIGHT - MONTAGE
Smash cut to a hulking lucha libre wrestler dressed as an
astronaut swinging a fluorescent light tube onto the face of
another luchador. The bulb shatters into a million pieces and
blood pours from the fighter's forehead.
A luchador jumps on Sabrina's back, and smashes her with a
2x4. Another wrestler tosses thumbtacks onto the ring's mat
and throws the astronaut onto the ground, his back now
pierced with tacks.
The crowd screams as blood trickles down the mat and from the
ropes. It's a chaotic scene, and blood, real blood, covers
everyone.
Into the arena steps Saul as Cassandro. The music changes to
a disco song and the spotlight catches him. He is carrying a
baseball bat and is wearing a lace cocktail dress and a
tiara.
INT. BACKSTAGE - NIGHT - MONTAGE
Lorenzo hands Saul a huge wad of cash after a fight. Saul, in
pain from the fights, injects himself with a painkiller.
EXT. SAUL'S HOUSE - DAY - MONTAGE
Saul leads his mom out front of their house and reveals the
shiny new red Harley. Yocasta can't believe it.
INT. DIVE BAR, JUAREZ - NIGHT - MONTAGE
59.
Saul clinks glasses with Lorenzo as money is counted.
EXT. DIVE BAR, JUAREZ - NIGHT - MONTAGE
Saul, Sabrina, Yocasta and Felipe dance as they celebrate
Saul's birthday. He blows out the candles as all cheer.
END MONTAGE
INT. SAUL'S HOME - NIGHT
Saul lights two cigarettes off the burner of the gas stove.
He enters the living room and looks at his mother lying on
the coach. He smokes both cigarettes at once.
SAUL
Where's yours?
Y el tuyo?
Saul gives her one cigarette.
Suddenly the sound of running from outside the house shakes
the window. Dogs barking. Saul looks out the window. He sees
two figures run by in the darkness.
Then another.
His mother hears them from the couch.
YOCASTA
Who's that son?
Quién es, mijo?
SAUL
Just some migrants. They've crossed
over.
Unos paisanos, ma. Estan cruzando.
YOCASTA
(weak)
Tell them to come inside, give them
some food. There are chili beans in
the fridge.
Diles que entren, dales algo de
comer. En el refri hay chile y
frijoles.
SAUL
They're already gone.
No, ya se fueron.
60.
Saul looks out the window into the darkness of their yard,
remembering. His mother quietly smokes.
YOCASTA
They must be hungry. Thirsty.
Deben tener hambre. Sed.
SAUL
They're gone, Mom.
Pero ya se fueron, ma.
YOCASTA
Sometimes they have little kids
with them.
A veces vienen con sus niños
chiquitos.
Saul understands she hasn't really understood him. It worries
him a little. He sits down, inspects pill bottles on table.
SAUL
Are these empty? Are you taking
them?
Te las acabaste? Te las estas
tomando?
YOCASTA
Yes, son. I ran out last night.
Si, mijo. Anoche se me terminaron.
Saul puts the bottle down, worried.
EXT. ALLEY - DAY
Saul rolls his suitcase as a MAN passes.
MAN IN STREET
Hey, blondie. Looking to score?
Party in a bag? No?
Ey, güero. No quieres fiesta?
Fiesta pa' llevar? No?
Saul wags his finger "no." Saul continues, stops at a El Hijo
Del Santo mural on the side of a building.
INT. LORENZO'S OFFICE - DAY
Lorenzo is on the phone. Saul and Felipe sit, waiting for him
to finish the call.
LORENZO
(into phone)
Yeah, man. Don't try to lowball me.
(MORE)
61.
LORENZO (CONT'D)
You know what's at stake here.
That's too much, I can't make that
work.
Si, pues. Bueno, pero no me estés
haciendo eso. Pues si sabes muy
bien que esto yo no lo puedo
plantear. O sea, de cuanto estamos
hablando? Eso es mucho. Yo no
puedo. Yo no puedo con esos
términos.
Lorenzo hangs up, turns his attention to Saul.
SAUL
Good afternoon, Lorenzo.
Buenas tardes, Lorenzo.
LORENZO
What's up?
Qué hubole?
SAUL
You know... just wondering about
Monterrey. I'm a little short on
cash...
Qué hubo, pues viendo lo de
Monterrey. Es que ando un poco
necesitado de lana, entonces...
LORENZO
No, man. Monterrey fell through.
But check this out. Palacio de los
Deportes in Mexico City, man! Son
of Santo wants to put on a big
fucking show! He's looking for a
rival fit for the challenge.
Someone different, worthy of him,
and I thought you could be it.
No, pues... Ya valio algo mal lo de
Monterrey. Pero checa este dato.
Palacio de los Deportes de la
Ciudad de México, cabron! El Hijo
del Santo quiere armar un pinche
show mamalon. Y anda buscando un
pinche rival a su altura. Alguien
distinto, digno para él. Y pensé
que tu eras el pinche rival.
SAUL
(shocked)
Against Son of Santo?
Contra el Hijo del Santo?
62.
FELIPE
The one and only.
El mismisimo.
LORENZO
You have your work cut out for you.
Te tienes que comer un pinche
pollote bien bañadote.
SAUL
I'm not fucking this up.
No, no la voy a cagar.
LORENZO
Will he step up, or wuss out?
Y tu qué crees? Que jale o que se
rane?
FELIPE
I think he'll wuss out.
Yo creo que se arrana.
Saul LAUGHS.
SAUL
So, that's how it is? Good to know,
man. I thought you knew me. Well
done, Lorenzo. Good job. Now that's
a deal.
Asi vas a estar? Algo-- vas a ver,
eh? Vas a ver, no, ya habiamos
quedado. Eso, Lorenzo, bien. Esta
facil asi hacer negocios.
Saul shakes Lorenzo's hand as Felipe closes the door.
EXT. GERARDO'S HOUSE - EARLY AFTERNOON
Saul is pacing the living room. Gerardo listens, excited.
GERARDO
It's what you always wanted. And
the money.
SAUL
Yeah, and like 22,000 people, they
say. Yeah. That way, I can get the
house for my mom.
GERARDO
I'm so proud of you.
63.
SAUL
Why don't you come with me, then?
Come.
GERARDO
No.
SAUL
Come on. Be my man. Come on.
GERARDO
I'll still be watching you.
SAUL
From home. With your kids. And your
wife. On your sofa. Big like in
your home theater.
GERARDO
You don't understand.
SAUL
I don't...
GERARDO
You don't have...
SAUL
I don't have what? What don't I
have? I don't have a family?
Saul looks off. His hands are shaking. He feels like he's
just vomited.
He races to the door.
SAUL (CONT'D)
Fuck you!
Chinga tu madre!
Gerardo rises, tries to stop him.
GERARDO
Saul. No, the back door.
EXT. GERARDO'S HOUSE - EARLY AFTERNOON
Saul runs out. Gerardo rushes to the door. Saul is shaking on
the front porch.
SAUL
Fuck you!
Chinga tu madre!
64.
GERARDO
What are you doing? What are you
doing? Come in here. Saul, get in
here. Come on.
Saul doesn't move. Gerardo starts to seem a little panicked.
Saul looks at him and then around at the yards of the nearby
houses. He suddenly knows why Gerardo is so tense. Gerardo
gestures for him.
SAUL
Fucking hell.
Gerardo chases Saul around the car to get him inside.
SAUL (CONT'D)
Everyone should see us! Everyone!
Saul spins around, raising his voice to the other houses.
Gerardo freaks out.
GERARDO
Shut up! Get in the house!
Callate! Adentro!
SAUL
Everyone!
INT. GERARDO'S HOUSE - EARLY AFTERNOON
Gerardo pulls him inside and closes the door. He pushes Saul
who crumples onto the floor of the entryway. Saul keeps
yelling out.
SAUL
Your kids!
Gerardo smothers Saul's mouth with his giant paw of a hand.
Eventually Saul quiets down and lets his body slacken.
GERARDO
Fucking idiot. What are you doing?
Shut up! Come on, stop.
Pinche... No, qué haces? Calmate!
Ya, calmate.
Saul slowly and gently peels Gerardo's hand from his mouth.
He kisses Gerardo. Gerardo is tense and cold. Saul whispers
to him as he kisses and caresses his body.
65.
INT. GERARDO'S BATHROOM
Saul and Gerardo sit in a hot bath together. Gerardo looks
down, torn about something.
GERARDO
The other wrestlers think you're
getting too big.
SAUL
What do you mean? That's a good
thing, no?
GERARDO
You're pushing things.
Gerardo gets out of the bath. He stands with his back to
Saul.
SAUL
So it's my fault? Are you saying
it's my fault?
GERARDO
That's not what I'm saying. I'm
worried about you. Things before
were... Everything had a place.
SAUL
Yeah. I was there when you wanted
to fuck me and out of the way when
you didn't.
Gerardo is silent.
SAUL (CONT'D)
I want you to leave her. You heard
me.
Gerardo stiffens. He does not say anything.
Gerardo walks out of the bathroom, leaving Saul alone in the
tub.
INT. SAUL'S CAR - NIGHT
Saul drives home pensively.
INT. SAUL'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Saul walks into his house. Many people are already there,
with grave faces. An older woman, Saul's aunt, sees him and
hugs him.
66.
SAUL
Hello.
Hola.
SAUL'S AUNT
Sweetie. I'm so sorry.
Mijo, lo siento.
FAMILY MEMBER
It was her heart, Saul.
Su corazon ya no aguanto, Saul.
INT. YOCASTA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Yocasta's lifeless body is lying in her bed. Candles and
herbs surround her. Family and friends have gathered to
mourn. Saul enters the bedroom.
His cousins talk to the medicine man.
Family members looks at him with empathetic eyes. Saul
ignores everyone in the room. He approaches the bed and
touches his mother's cheek.
GRIEVING FAMILY MEMBER
We didn't know what to do.
Mijo, no supimos qué hacer.
MEDICINE MAN
The burial will be tomorrow at 2:00
p.m.
El entierro sera mañana a las 2:00
p.m.
Around him, family members have hushed conversations.
LATER
Mourners usher themselves out. The room is silent.
Saul goes to his mom, caresses her cheek, gazing at her.
He goes and gets his mom's make-up kit from her bag. He lays
it all out in the ritualistic fashion just as his mother used
to, under the Catholic icons and Dia de Muertos imagery.
He kneels beside her bed and carefully, tenderly, does her
make-up. It's the best damn make-up job he's ever done.
He looks at her as if she might still open her eyes and see
him again. She looks beautiful.
67.
INT. SAUL'S HOUSE - BURIAL CEREMONY - DAY
Saul stands surrounded by Sabrina and his extended family.
The Medicine Man places herbs in the coffin, which is already
filled with many of Yocasta's belonging - clothes, jewelry.
Saul crosses himself.
The Medicine Man does a ritual with smoke over Yocasta lying
in bed.
MEDICINE MAN (CONT'D)
Today is a good day to die.
Hoy es un buen dia para morir.
Saul looks to his mother and the icon of Christ above her.
INT. SAUL'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Saul's house is messier than before his mother died. There
are old fast food wrappers, dirty dishes.
Walking by Yocasta's room, Saul pauses to look at her now
empty bed.
INT. SAUL'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT
Saul lights only one cigarette off the gas stove.
EXT. SABRINA'S BACKYARD - NIGHT
Sabrina and Saul are watching an old movie projected from a
beat-up video projector onto a bedsheet in her backyard.
Sabrina wears an old ripped T-shirt with a logo for the band
"The Specials." Sabrina's daughter and teenagers from the
neighborhood have come to watch the movie.
They are watching Santo y Blue Demon contra los Monstruos
(1970) and cheering Santo, doing their own moves and playing
acting in the throw of the projector. Saul is wrapped up in
the movie.
SABRINA
She's gonna be watching over you in
Mexico City. Everyone will. You're
gonna be all over TV.
Saul is barely listening, so intent on the movie.
SAUL
Shit yeah?
68.
SABRINA
Shit yeah.
She swigs a beer. This last line hits Saul. He starts to feel
scared.
EXT. MEXICO CITY - DAY
Aerials of Mexico City. Sabrina and Saul marvel at the city -
they've never seen an urban center like this before.
EXT. PALACIO DE LOS DEPORTES - AFTERNOON
The magnificent domed stadium towers above Saul and Sabrina
as they enter the building. Saul is wearing sunglasses and a
zebra print top.
SABRINA
It's huge.
Saul and Sabrina are met at the entrance by an assistant.
RICARDO
Cassandro! Welcome, how are you?
What's your name?
Cassandro! Bienvenido, como
estas? Tu como te llamas?
SABRINA
Sabrina.
RICARDO
Nice to meet you. I'm Ricardo. Come
on. My uncle is waiting for you.
Mucho gusto, Sabrina, yo me llamo
Ricardo. Mi tio los esta esperando.
Ricardo leads them inside.
INT. PALACIO DE LOS DEPORTES AUDITORIUM - AFTERNOON
Saul and Sabrina sit in the cavernous auditorium with the
event producer. Men are working to put up a professional ring
in the middle. Others are hanging lights on the grid. Saul
can't believe the size of the place, with its 16,000 seats.
PRODUCER
Of course, Santo always wins, you
know that. Your goal is to prove
you're worthy of fighting the king.
He's very excited to work with you.
Only the greatest artists have
played here.
(MORE)
69.
PRODUCER (CONT'D)
He saw you in video or something.
You're gonna like him. I mean...
he's the Son of Santo.
Va a estar cabron, ganarle al Hijo
del Santo. Lo que tienes que lograr
es que toda esta gente, hasta la
ultima silla, te idolatre. Que esta
bastante emocionado en conocerte,
por cierto. Quiere que le enseñes
la Vicente Guerrero que la vio en
no sé qué video. Es un tipazo. Te
va a caer muy bien. Digo, es El
Hijo del Santo.
SAUL
The legend!
La leyenda!
PRODUCER
Exactly.
La leyenda, no?
SAUL
A living legend!
Es la leyenda viviente!
PRODUCER
For now, get some rest. Try not to
party too hard while in Mexico
City.
Mira mas, descansa. No vayan a
agarrar mucho pinche desmadre aqui
en la Ciudad de México.
The producer winks at Saul.
SAUL
No, of course not. No, we're
focused.
Ah, no, no. No, estamos
concentrados.
INT. NIGHT CLUB - NIGHT
Sabrina and Saul are out at a gay night club in Mexico City.
Saul dances through the crowd until he finds Sabrina and
dances with her.
LATER
Sabrina orders at the bar.
70.
SABRINA
Two tequilas, please.
Dos tequilas, porfa.
Saul joins her at the bar.
SAUL
Sabri.
SABRINA
What's up?
He reveals a large bag of coke in his coat pocket.
SABRINA (CONT'D)
Hey. What is that? Put it away. Put
it away.
SAUL
For after the fight.
SABRINA
Put it in your pocket.
He playfully puts it away.
SAUL
Okay. Okay. Mm. Pocket. Okay, okay.
Pocket. Mm.
Saul hugs Sabrina, enjoying the moment.
SAUL (CONT'D)
I love you. I love you.
SABRINA
Okay. I love you, too. I love you,
too. Yeah, yeah.
SAUL
Love you very much.
Saul looks into the crowd and disappears into a sea of
dancing men.
Sabrina gets the drinks for both of them from the bar,
bopping to the music. When she turns back she sees Saul on
the dance floor, now dancing with a cute young buff guy, MAN
IN CLUB.
SABRINA
Here. Saul?
71.
Saul looks over from dancing. He's grinding with the man, who
slides his hands over Saul's hip. The music blares and lights
flash.
INT. CLUB BACK ROOM
Saul and the man do a line of coke together.
SAUL
Hey, do you want some?
Quieres un poquito?
MAN IN CLUB
Yeah, there you go. You're from the
north, right?
Si, eso. Eres norteño, verdad?
SAUL
How did you know?
Como sabes?
MAN IN CLUB
(mimicking Saul's accent)
You have a thick accent. Are you
from Chihuahua?
Porque hablas aca, bien golpeado.
Eres de Chihuahua?
SAUL
(yelling over music)
I'm from El Paso.
Del Chuco, del Paso.
MAN IN CLUB
So you're a gringo! Welcome, then.
Ah, entonces eres pocho.
Bienvenido, paisano.
SAUL
Thanks.
Gracias.
MAN IN CLUB
What brings you here?
Qué te trae por aqui?
SAUL
(flirting)
I was looking for you.
Andaba busque y busque.
MAN IN CLUB
No, seriously. Come on, tell me.
No, ya bien. Ya bien, platicame.
72.
He caresses Saul's arms.
SAUL
The truth is... I'm a luchador. I'm
fighting Son of Santo tomorrow
night.
Mira, la neta es que... Soy luchador.
Y voy a enfrentarme al Hijo del
Santo mañana.
MAN IN CLUB
Yeah, right... liar.
Si, chucha y tus calzonzotes.
SAUL
No, I'm serious.
En serio, es neta.
MAN IN CLUB
Well then, nice to meet you, I'm
Selena.
Y yo, mira, y yo soy Selena.
SAUL
My pleasure.
Y luego?
MAN IN CLUB
I saw that poster on the street,
girl. You're cute, really cute, but
that ain't you.
Ya vi el cartel en la calle,
querida. Si estas cuera, estas
cuera, pero esa no eres tu.
SAUL
Lucha. Lucha libre. Lucha libre,
libre. Lucha libre. I'm free.
Lucha. Lucha libre. Lucha libre,
libre. Lucha libre. Soy libre.
Energized, Saul walks out to return to the dance floor.
INT. TAXI CAB - NIGHT
Sabrina is sitting next to Saul in the back of the cab
looking pissed. Saul rambles and mumbles into her shoulder,
slurring his words.
At a stoplight, he manages to open the door to lean out and
vomit, but can't get back up. Sabrina has to reach over to
help him sit up and close the door.
73.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - BATHROOM
Saul washes his hands. He catches his reflection of himself
in the mirror, studying what he sees.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
It's 4am. Sabrina is passed out asleep in the single bed.
Saul is sitting in a chair by the window, smoking a cigarette
and drinking a beer with a few more empty bottles in front of
him.
Saul crushes the cigarette out in the ashtray and lights a
new one.
SAUL
Sabri?
He says it calmly. He waits for her to move.
SAUL (CONT'D)
Sabri. Sabri!
Sabrina opens an eye and sees Saul collapsed on the chair.
SAUL (CONT'D)
They sold the house. The one up the
hill with the heart-shaped swimming
pool. It's gone. They bought it.
Somebody bought it. It's gone,
Sabri.
Sabrina sits up in bed, listening.
SAUL (CONT'D)
Ah, we were gonna be dancing.
Living room with a fireplace and
smoking in the kitchen, the huge
yellow kitchen that was there.
(then, pained)
Oh, fuck. Ay.
La puta madre. Ay.
Saul pauses, taking a drag in his cigarette. Sabrina gets out
of bed and goes to Saul.
SAUL (CONT'D)
That-that was the only reason I
wanted to be here.
Saul collects himself, looks to his cigarette.
74.
SAUL (CONT'D)
But it's over. I'm done. Last one.
I'm done. No more.
Pero ya. Ya. La ultima. Y ya. Ya no
mas.
Saul looks at her with hooded lids. His eyes open. Sabrina
embraces him.
SABRINA
Saul.
SAUL
No more.
SABRINA
Don't.
SAUL
Hey. Hey.
SABRINA
Come on.
SAUL
No.
SABRINA
Come on.
She guides him to slowly to bed.
SAUL
Si. I love you, girl.
Si. Te quiero, morra.
SABRINA
I love you too.
Yo también te quiero.
INT. ARENA WINGS - NIGHT
Lorenzo, wearing a slick suit, stands with Saul by the stage
door. Lorenzo slaps him on the back.
LORENZO
Twenty-two thousand people are
coming to see you, man. I told you.
We made it!
22 mil personas vienen a verte,
cabron. Te lo dije, lo logramos!
75.
SABRINA
Yeah.
Ey.
LORENZO
Do you have someone watching at
home?
Tu te crees que te estén viendo en
tu casita?
SAUL
No. You know, because...
No. No, porque...
(he thinks, then)
Well, maybe my dad. Yeah, maybe
him. I hope so.
Bueno, por ahi mi papa. Yo creo que
mi papa. Ojala.
Lorenzo puts his hand on Saul's shoulder, walks away.
INT. ARENA MÉXICO - NIGHT
Saul in a massive dressing room. Naked from the waist-up
except for purple sequined elbow length opera gloves, he
reaches into his pink rolling suitcase. He places the photo
of his mother and the eagle feather on the dressing table.
Then he carefully lays out and performs his make-up ritual.
He applies lipstick, powder, blush. He slips into the rest of
his outfit.
It's his most flamboyant Cassandro outfit yet. Towering
feather plumage, a floor length evening gown. He looks
stunning.
He can hear the crowd chanting from the stadium.
CROWD (CHANTING)
Santo! Santo! Santo!
INT. SAUL'S HOUSE - NIGHT
We hear the deep voice of Young Eduardo call and yell at the
wrestlers on the TV.
ECU of Young Saul's eyes watching.
Eduardo woops in delight. Young Saul watches in hushed awe,
taking it all in. He joins his father in a cheer.
YOUNG EDUARDO/YOUNG SAUL
Santo! Santo! Santo! Santo!
INT. RING - NIGHT
76.
A microphone is lowered from the ceiling to the announcer in
middle of ring.
ANNOUNCER
Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to
welcome you all to the Palace of
Lucha Libre! Tonight's main event
features a terrific luchador! He
came all the way from El Paso,
Texas. And also straight from the
beauty parlor! Let's give a warm
welcome to... CASSAHHHHHN-DRO!
Señoras y señores, sean ustedes
bienvenidos al Palacio de la Lucha
Libre! Hoy, en su presentacion
estelar de un magnifico luchador,
el cual viene directamente desde El
Paso, Texas. Y por si esto fuera
poco, recién desempacado del salon
de belleza! Vamos a recibir con
una fuerte ovacion a CASSAHHHHN-
DRO!
At the stage door, Saul pauses for a second. He looks down at
his beautiful purple elbow length evening gloves. Then he
looks at the TV cameras and the blazing lights. He looks
right at the lens of one of the cameras, imagining where that
picture will end up. For a moment he is terrified. He buries
his fear as deep down as he can. He summons up everything he
has.
He bursts out into the arena. Gloria Gaynor's "I Will
Survive" suddenly rocks the arena. The crowd doesn't know
what's hit them. They begin to boo and jeer.
Sabrina cheers him on from the crowd.
Cassandro ascends the ring, his theme song blaring. Shot from
behind, silhouetted, Cassandro is having his "A Star is Born"
moment.
He feasts in the lights, the crowds, the music.
Sabrina watches from her seat, in awe. But the Mexico City
crowd isn't used to Cassandro's exotico.
The Referee moves to check Cassandro's wrestling attire.
REFEREE
Ready, Cassandro? Let me check you.
Thanks.
Venga, Cassandro, lo reviso, por
favor. Gracias.
77.
Undaunted, Cassandro encourages them, grinning and waving his
hands for more. He feeds off them.
Suddenly, the music stops and the lights go off.
ANNOUNCER
And now, ladies and gentlemen...
let's welcome the descendant of a
legend! He's the true heir of the
Silver Mask! Let's give a big round
of applause to... The Son of Santo!
Ahora, señoras y señores... vamos a
recibir al descendiente de una
leyenda! Es el gran legado que ha
dejado la Mascara de Plata! Vamos a
recibir con un fuerte aplauso a...
El Hijo del Santo!
The lights come up as the crowd explodes. Like a god is about
to appear.
CROWD (CHANTING)
Santo! Santo! Santo! Santo!
Santo bounds into the ring and looms over Cassandro like a
giant. Santo bellows like a bull.
The two warm-up and shake hands. The battle begins.
The crowd is screaming for Santo, but soon enough they find
themselves struck by Cassandro's confidence, his bravado. His
powerful style. They're entertained, and soon they are
falling for him too.
The fight is epic, with Santo and Cassandro working together
to put on a great show. Cassandro is, for the first time,
fighting someone who he respects, and it gives the fight a
whole new level of depth, chemistry, and excitement.
Sabrina watches, holding her breath the entire time. She
can't believe they're here but also feels she's left out and
forgotten now that they are.
Towards the end of the fight, Cassandro takes down Santo in a
head lock. The crowd loses it. They can't believe it.
Santo spins Saul into a pin.
REFEREE
One, two...
Uno, dos...
Saul kicks out of the pin, spins Santo into a hold.
78.
CROWD
Puto, puto! Puto, puto!
REFEREE
One, two...
Uno, dos...
Santo now spins out of the hold as the two continue to
battle. Saul spins Santo into another hold, grabbing arm.
In the ring, Santo looks up at Saul, who is supposed to let
him go now. But Saul is not letting go.
EL HIJO DEL SANTO
(whispering)
Let me go!
Suéltame!
WOMAN IN CROWD
Let him go, motherfucker!
Suéltalo, hijo de tu puta madre!
MAN IN CROWD
Hey, let go! Santo! Santo! Santo!
Oye, cuera, suéltame! Santo!
Santo! Santo!
Saul doesn't hear him. He is entranced by the lights, the
crowds, the screams. Suddenly he sees one of the large TV
cameras on the side of the ring, filming them and beaming the
image to TV sets all over Mexico. To his father. He looks
directly into the camera and freezes.
We see a close-up of the eye of the TV camera lens, pushing
into it....
CUT TO:
INT. SAUL'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Young Eduardo and Young Saul sit on the couch together,
watching a hulking luchador battle an exotico. Young Eduardo
laughs at the mincing exotico.
YOUNG EDUARDO
Fucking exotico faggot.
SMASH CUT TO:
79.
INT. RING - NIGHT
Back in the ring with Santo, the sound is deafening.
Something in Saul snaps.
Sabrina sees this and gasps.
Saul is frozen. The Referee pulls Saul off Santo, who pushes
him.
SANTO
What's wrong with you?
Qué te pasa, cabron?
CROWD (CHANTING)
Faggot! Fagott!
Puto! Puto!
Overcome, Cassandro rolls out of the ring and runs. Runs
right out of the arena to the exit door as the Crowd get on
their feet to see where he went.
The screaming mob looks around, confused. As does Lorenzo,
Sabrina, the Referee, and Santo.
Then Santo points up to the balcony. A spotlight catches a
lone figure standing high on the edge of the balcony. It is
Cassandro. The crowd gasps.
Cassandro makes a flamboyant upward gesture with his arms.
With that, he swan dives fifty feet right down into the
audience below. He is caught by the crowd, and carried across
the rippling hands and faces of the screaming masses.
Cassandro acts like he is floating in the sea, pantomiming
swimming and crowd surfing. He then somersaults back into the
ring, and Santo bellows.
Cassandro blows a kiss to the crowd and winks. They cheer him
on. Sabrina and Lorenzo leading the cheer.
CROWD (CHANTING) (CONT'D)
Cassandro! Cassandro! Cassandro!
Cassandro leaps up on top of the ropes and nimbly dances
along them like a tight rope walker. But Santo comes up
behind him and yanks his legs, sending Cassandro toppling to
the ground. It isn't long before Santo has him in a ghastly
choke hold.
The fight is over, with Santo the winner as he must be.
The Referee holds the belt for Santo. Cassandro rushes to
grab it, hands it to Santo himself. They share a hug.
80.
Cassandro has come out on top nonetheless. The crowd loves
him. As he bows and twirls in front of the audience, the
crowd throws roses at him and screams.
LORENZO
Bravo!
A number of super fans start to scramble up into the ring.
Sabrina muscles her way up too. She reaches Saul in the
spotlights, ecstatic.
Out of respect, Santo puts Cassandro on his shoulders and
walks him around the ring. He is surrounded and his new fans
reach out to try to touch his cape.
EXT. CEMETERY - DAY
Saul is in the cemetery where his mother is buried. The edges
of the frame team with the colorful plastic blossoms, and the
piles of them stretch on forever.
He sits at his mother's grave.
SAUL
He carried me on his shoulders, and
everyone was screaming.
Me llevo en hombros, toda la gente
gritaba.
Tears fall from his eyes. He laughs a little through them.
It's the first time we've seen Saul cry.
INT. SAUL'S CAR - CEMETERY - DAY
Saul lifts up an unlit cigarette from the ashtray. He studies
it a moment, decides to put it back.
In his rearview mirror he sees a man now at the grave.
It is his father, EDUARDO. Now age 59.
Saul freezes, he starts the car and drives away.
INT. JUAREZ BAR - NIGHT
Back in Juarez, Saul is out drinking with his wrestling crew
to celebrate his success in Mexico City. Gerardo sits amongst
them at the bar.
SAUL
I was talking to Santo's team. They
want to set something up in New
York, or maybe Boston.
(MORE)
81.
SAUL (CONT'D)
I don't remember which cities
exactly.
No, si estuve hablando ahi con la
gente del Santo. Como para ir a
montar algo ahi en Nueva York, o en
Boston. O algo asi, no me acuerdo
qué ciudades.
EL MYSTERIOSO
So, just between us, what was he
like?
Oye, ya asi, en corto, como se
porta?
SAUL
He's a nice guy.
Bien.
WRESTLER #2
Did he take off his mask backstage?
No se quito la mascara en el
camerino?
SAUL
No way, he's the real deal. They
say he never takes it off, not even
when he sleeps.
No, pues es de verdad. Si, ni
siquiera para dormir, dicen. En
serio.
Gerardo doesn't say anything but drinks his beer quietly.
EL MYSTERIOSO
How much did you make?
Oye, como cuanta feria te dieron?
SAUL
A fair amount, yeah. Get yourself a
drink.
Pues bien, eh. Bien, pidete algo.
EL MYSTERIOSO
(to Bartender)
Get me another one.
Si, échate otro trago.
As the conversation moves on, Saul walks over to Gerardo. He
leans in so that no one can hear them:
SAUL
Hey.
Qué hubo?
82.
Gerardo shifts uncomfortably.
SAUL (CONT'D)
We can talk because they think
we're talking about El Santo, so
it's okay. I think we have to be
together. I need you.
Gerardo drinks his beer, and tries to look like he's just
listening to Saul talk about Mexico City.
GERARDO
(loudly)
Did he show you his scalp
collection?
Y te enseño su coleccion de
cabelleras?
SAUL
What?
GERARDO
(louder)
Santo. The scalps. Did you see
them?
Santo. Sus cabelleras. Te las
enseño?
Gerardo continues to ignore him, growing more uncomfortable.
He nods as if Saul is saying something about Santo.
SAUL
Okay, if you want to keep it a
secret, we'll keep it a secret.
It's fine. It's just that, you
know... you can come to my place now.
That way, she won't know. I promise
I won't tell anyone. Never. Never.
It's our secret. Ours.
GERARDO
She knows. She says she's taking
the boys and leaving if it doesn't
stop.
Saul's heart drops. He knows it's over.
Gerardo plays it off like they are talking about something
about Santo.
83.
GERARDO (CONT'D)
(talking loudly now)
Do you think he'll give you a
rematch?
Y a poco te va a dar la revancha?
SAUL
Yes. I think so. That's what he
said. I don't know when, but yes.
Si, creo que si. Dijo que si. No sé
cuando pero si.
GERARDO
What else did he show you?
Y qué mas te presumio?
SAUL
(painfully trying to play
act the conversation)
He showed me the scalps and the...
the lock of hair he took from
Ultraman. Belts from the time he
fought Blue Demon Jr. and Huracan
Ramirez. And his trophies. It was
full of trophies. Like I'd never
seen before.
Todas las cabelleras, todo el... la
cabellera que le gano al Ultraman.
El cinturon de campeonato que le
gano a Blue Demon Jr. Al Huracan
Ramirez. Todos sus trofeos. Asi,
lleno de trofeos. Como nadie en la
vida.
EL MYSTERIOSO
They say he's a real stand-up guy
who treats everyone with respect.
Dicen que es bien gente, que trata
a todos con madres.
WRESTLER #2
Look at you, Saul. Rubbing elbows
with royalty. That's amazing, Saul.
You made it! Congratulations, man.
Quién te viera, pinche Saul.
Codeandote con la nobleza, cabron.
Al huevo, pinche Saul. Ya la
armaste! Felicidades, cabron.
Two stools down, Saul spots Felipe. He walks over to him.
SAUL
Felipe.
84.
FELIPE
What's up?
Diga?
SAUL
You got some?
Traes mugrero?
FELIPE
Yeah, in the office. Let's go.
En la oficina tengo. Vamos.
SAUL
Are you fucked up?
Estas chisquiado?
Felipe shrugs.
FELIPE
You know it.
Ya casi, ya casi.
Felipe starts to laugh. Saul makes sure to make eye contact
with Gerardo as he and Felipe disappear into the bathroom.
At the table of wrestlers, one of the wrestlers goes to use
the bathroom, but comes right back.
EL MYSTERIOSO
Damn, Saul's going to make out with
that little gangster. I don't care
that he bats for the other team,
but why does he have to rub it in
our faces?
Pinche Saul ya se va a jainear con
ese pinche halconcillo. A mi no me
importa que sea del otro bando,
pero por qué nos lo tiene que
estar restregando en la jeta?
WRESTLER #2
I know, man. If he's in the
bathroom, I'm scared to pull my
dick out. Wouldn't want to catch
something.
Ya sé, ni me digas, cabron. Si
cuando voy al baño y esta él da
miedo sacarme esa madre porque no
me vaya a pegar algo, no, cabron?
EL MYSTERIOSO
Don't flatter yourself.
No, tampoco fantasee.
85.
Everybody laughs except Gerardo. He listens to all of this,
his heart aching. After a moment, he gets up to leave.
GERARDO
See you, fellas. I think I'll call
it a night.
Se ven, camaradas. Yo ya.
WRESTLER #2
Already?
Qué, ya?
GERARDO
Yeah, good night.
Si, gracias.
He turns and they quickly forget him, they're so drunk.
Gerardo walks out. He is almost in tears.
INT. LORENZO'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Felipe taps coke out on his hand for Saul.
FELIPE
Right from my hand, like a bird.
En la mano, como los pajaritos.
SAUL
There it is. That's good.
Ahi esta. Ven.
FELIPE
Si.
Saul snorts off Felipe's hand, moving to kiss him. Felipe
gently pushes Saul away again and lowers his head.
FELIPE (CONT'D)
I really can't do this.
No puedo, no puedo.
SAUL
It's okay, don't worry. Don't freak
out. It's okay.
Esta bien, esta bien. No te
preocupes, esta bien. No te ondees.
Esta todo bien.
Felipe shakes his head.
FELIPE
I'm sorry.
Perdoname.
86.
SAUL
See you around, stud.
Nos vemos, mi rey.
Saul exits the office.
INT. JUAREZ BAR - NIGHT
Saul drunkenly searches the bar after he leaves the office.
He looks around at each table for Gerardo. But Gerardo is
gone.
Saul passes Lorenzo who is talking to a young up-and-coming
luchador.
LORENZO
(to the young luchador)
I want us to be friends.
Yo lo que quiero es ser tu amigo.
YOUNG LUCHADOR
Si, señor.
LORENZO
Can I be your friend?
Me permites ser tu amigo?
YOUNG LUCHADOR
Yo quiero aprender.
LORENZO
Listen, you can be famous! You
don't know your potential, but I
have a nose for these things. Trust
me.
Muy bien. Tu puedes llegar a ser
famoso. Tu no sabes lo que tienes,
pero mira, yo tengo olfato para
eso. Confia en mi.
Drunkenly, Saul stumbles his way out of the bar.
Music begins. Synth music, the opening theme song of a TV
show.
CUT TO:
INT. TELEVISION STUDIO - DAY
It is ONE YEAR LATER.
A bustling TV studio. Lights are being hung and positioned.
87.
A CU of a pixelated video screen, showing a hulking man in a
luchador mask surrounded by smoke effects. Music continues to
play. A yellow title of the TV show appears:
"EXPERIENCIAS con El Hijo del Santo"
This is the recently retired El Hijo del Santo's new cable
access talk show. Cassandro is tonight's guest. El Hijo del
Santo is a little heavier than when Cassandro fought him in
Mexico City. He now wears a boxy black business suit. But the
iconic silver mask on his head is the same.
On the video screen, El Hijo greets the TV viewer.
EL HIJO DEL SANTO
Welcome once again to Experiences
with the Son of Santo.
Bienvenidos a una edicion mas de
Experiencias con el Hijo del Santo.
He opens a giant door and smoke pours out of the entrance. El
Hijo enters a dramatic set, with all black walls, filled with
podiums and glass cases filled with awards, locks of hair,
and trophies.
EL HIJO DEL SANTO (CONT'D)
I won this trophy a year ago at
Palacio de los Deportes against a
great luchador who was unknown back
then. Although I defeated him, that
night, a star was born.
Este trofeo lo gané hace un año en
el Palacio de los Deportes frente a
un gran luchador quien entonces era
un perfecto desconocido. A pesar de
que lo derroté, esa noche, surgio
un gran idolo.
Santo makes his way to the stage.
EL HIJO DEL SANTO (CONT'D)
Tonight, he will join us to look
back on this time and so I can pay
my respects and show my admiration
to a pioneer of the gay community
in the world of lucha libre.
Esta noche, nos acompaña para
recordar esos grandes momentos y
para poderle mostrar mis respetos y
mi admiracion a un pionero de la
comunidad gay en la lucha libre.
Santo continues to address his audience at the stage.
88.
EL HIJO DEL SANTO (CONT'D)
He has changed the image of exotico
wrestlers. Joining us tonight in
Experiences with the Son of Santo,
my dear old friend, Cassandro the
Exotico.
Él ha cambiado la imagen de los
luchadores exoticos. Esta noche
esta con nosotros en Experiencias
con El Hijo del Santo, mi querido y
gran amigo, Cassandro el Exotico.
Saul enters to big applause. He is interviewed by El Hijo del
Santo on a set with a small table, a potted plant, and bright
TV lighting. Saul as Cassandro is in full make-up, hair
teased up, and wearing a black silk shirt unbuttoned to the
navel. His body seems stiffer, beaten up over the last four
years. His forehead under the make-up is covered in razor-
slash scars.
Audience cheer as Saul gives Santo a hug in the middle of the
stage.
EL HIJO DEL SANTO (CONT'D)
Welcome, dear friend.
Bienvenido, mi querido amigo.
SAUL
Thank you so much.
Muchas gracias.
EL HIJO DEL SANTO
Do you want to fight, or talk?
Vamos a luchar o vamos a platicar?
SAUL
No.
EL HIJO DEL SANTO
It's better if we talk, please have
a seat. We will talk as friends.
Cassandro, you know that our
audience wants to learn new things
about our old friends.
Mejor platicamos, verdad? Toma
asiento, por favor. Vamos a charlar
entre amigos. Cassandro, tu sabes
que al publico de Experiencias pues
le gusta conocer lo desconocido de
sus conocidos.
Saul and Santo sit down in the chairs.
89.
SAUL
Sure.
Claro que si.
EL HIJO DEL SANTO
Tell us something.
Cuéntanos algo.
SAUL
Well... For me... my greatest source
of inspiration are women. I was
raised by women. Women have helped
me learn who I want to be, where I
want to go, and where I come from.
I have great admiration for Mother
Teresa, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz,
Marie Curie and for Princess Diana.
Bueno... Para mi, mi mas grande
fuente de inspiracion son las
mujeres. Creci entre mujeres. Es
entre mujeres con quien he
encontrado quien quiero ser, hacia
donde quiero ir, de donde vengo
también. Admiro mucho a la Madre
Teresa de Calcuta, a Sor Juana Inés
de la Cruz, Marie Curie a la
Princesa Diana.
(reflects, then)
Lady Anarquia, my friend and
trainer. She's always been there.
And... My mother, of course. My
mother was the one who made me who
I am.
A Lady Anarquia, mi amiga, mi
entrenadora. Siempre estuvo
conmigo. Y... Bueno, claro, si, a mi
madre. Mi madre es quien de alguna
manera, gracias a ella, soy quien
soy.
EL HIJO DEL SANTO
How have you overcome adversity and
strife? What's your secret?
Como has logrado, después de
tantas adversidades, de tantos
tropiezos...? Cual es tu secreto?
SAUL
I just try to be myself. Just being
me. I think that's how.
Creo que siendo yo mismo. Siendo
yo. Creo que es asi.
90.
EL HIJO DEL SANTO
What's next for Cassandro?
Qué sigue en la carrera de
Cassandro?
SAUL
I have the pleasure to announce
we're launching a world tour. We're
bringing Mexican wrestling
everywhere because it's the best in
the world.
Tengo el placer de anunciarles que
vamos a empezar una gira mundial.
Vamos a llevar la lucha libre
mexicana a todas partes del mundo
porque es la mejor del mundo.
The audience cheer and clap at this.
EL HIJO DEL SANTO
That's right.
Claro que si.
SAUL
We're taking it everywhere.
Por todos lados, todos lados.
EL HIJO DEL SANTO
Cassandro, if you allow me, I would
like to pass the mic to a young man
who has a message for you.
Cassandro, si me permites, quiero
cederle el microfono a un joven que
quiere enviarte un mensaje.
SAUL
Of course.
Claro que si.
EL HIJO DEL SANTO
Shall we?
Lo escuchamos?
SAUL
Yes, where is he?
Si, donde esta?
EL HIJO DEL SANTO
Right here, in front of us.
Aqui esta, en frente de nosotros.
The cameras pan to the group of fifty or so people watching
in folding chairs. One YOUNG MAN, about 21, stands up. He is
nervous, searching for his confidence. He is star struck.
91.
YOUNG MAN
Cassandro, it's a dream come true
to talk to you in person. I've seen
all your fights on the Saturday
shows, and I've seen you live five
different times. I also collect
your merch, including your action
figure.
Cassandro, es un sueño hecho
realidad poder dirigirte la palabra
en persona. He visto cada uno de
tus combates en las funciones de
los sabados, y he ido a verte en
cinco ocasiones en vivo. También
colecciono tus productos,
incluyendo la figura de accion.
He holds up the doll, pauses and collects himself.
YOUNG MAN (CONT'D)
(fighting back tears)
A few... A few months ago... I came
out to my father. I told him, and
he... he gave me his support. He's
here with me tonight. I couldn't
have done it if it wasn't for you.
Mira... Hace... hace unos meses... sali
del closet con mi papa. Le conté y
él... él me apoyo. Él esta aqui
conmigo. No podria haberlo hecho si
no fuera por ti.
The young man gestures to his father sitting next to him who
nervously nods. A good dad - a gay son isn't what he wanted,
but still. He's there.
CROWD MEMBER
Bravo.
YOUNG MAN
Thank you, Cassandro!
Gracias, Cassandro!
The audience cheer and clap. Saul looks on beaming, but
underneath it all he is devastated. He is thinking of his own
father, and what it would be like to have a father who would
stand with him, accept him. Behind his smile is resentment
and sadness.
El Hijo del Santo stands and claps and the tearful audience *
joins him.
INT. SOFTBALL FIELD - PARKING LOT - DAY
92.
Alone now, Saul sits in his car as he smokes a cigarette. He
watches the game.
INT. EL PASO BAR - DAY
Saul walks into an El Paso bar but the butch look is nowhere
to be seen. Instead he is dressed fabulous and flamboyant,
complete with rhinestone rimmed sunglasses. He looks around.
He sees his father sitting alone at a booth with a bottle of
beer. His father is 63. He is clearly sick and looks much
older than he is. His skin is thin and blotched and he is
stooped. He still has the same mustache, but it is now white.
Without a word, Saul sits down across from his father. The
server appears and asks what he wants. Saul orders a seltzer.
He looks up at his father.
He suddenly thinks this is a terrible mistake.
They don't speak for a while. Then:
EDUARDO
When Sara told me you called, I
didn't believe her. I thought you
never wanted to see me again.
SAUL
I thought you were the one who
didn't want to see me again.
EDUARDO
People tell me you're really good.
I see your posters around town,
even in my church. Last week, I see
you on a mural. How was it like
wrestling El Hijo del Santo?
Saul can't believe it.
SAUL
You didn't see?
Eduardo sighs and shakes his head.
EDUARDO
I... I didn't want to watch what
happened to my little boy.
SAUL
I needed you. At a certain point in
my life, I-I needed you. But now I
don't. And it's okay.
93.
Saul slowly starts to realize that it doesn't matter anymore
what his father thinks or feels. He has said what he wanted
to say.
Eduardo looks at his son.
EDUARDO
Saul... Sometimes I think I didn't
have a choice about the person that
I ended up being.
SAUL
Neither did I.
The two men look at each other for a long time. Eduardo looks
at his son in his flamboyant outfit. Saul looks at his dad.
Slowly, Saul feels the pain and anxiety that has weighed on
him for years lift from his shoulders. He no longer needs his
dad's approval.
For the first time, we see an emotion on Saul's face we
haven't seen before. A feeling of relief from the pain.
Saul leaves Eduardo at the table as he walks out.
EXT. EL PASO - DAY
Saul leans on the hood of his car, looking up at a mural,
half-completed, of Cassandro on a two story building.
Cassandro's painted figure is saintly with beams of light
radiating from his head.
INT. WRESTLING ARENA, EL PASO - LOCKER ROOM - NIGHT
Saul prays before a match at his dressing table where the
photo of Yocasta and the eagle feather sit.
INT. WRESTLING ARENA, EL PASO - NIGHT
The wrestling venue is packed and ready for Cassandro.
Saul stands alone in the wings, silhouetted and framed by the
wide door opening into the auditorium.
ANNOUNCER
It's my pleasure to introduce...
Cassandro...
Con ustedes, desde El Chuco...
Cassandro...
He takes in the cheering crowd. Sabrina approaches.
SABRINA
You ready?
94.
SAUL
Yeah.
ANNOUNCER
...el Exotico!
SAUL
Yeah.
Saul waits a moment for dramatic effect and then steps out
into the spotlight. The fans in the arena jump to their feet.
Saul's POV: his way to the ring, mobbed by fans. He signs
autographs. A skinny BOY (10) strains to touch his dress.
Cassandro sees the young boy and steps over to him. The boy's
parents are beside him, thrilled.
Saul gets nearer the ring. He tosses off his sparkly yellow
cape and the crowd grabs at it, cheering.
He leaps into the ring and lifts his arms to the deafening
cheers of the crowd.
CUT TO BLACK
END
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