SCENES
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
Scene Map 60
# PG SLUGLINE
1 2
INT NORKIN SHOES - STOCKROOM - LOWER EAST SIDE, NYC
2 5
INT NORKIN SHOES - MURRAY’S OFFICE CONTINUOUS
3 8
INT LAWRENCE’S PING PONG PARLOR CONTINUOUS
4 9
INT PHONE BOOTH MOMENTS LATER
5 10
INT RACHEL’S APARTMENT - 2 FLOORS UP MOMENTS LATER
6 11
INT HARDWARE STORE - MIDTOWN - SOON
7 14
EXT ORCHARD STREET DUSK
8 17
INT NORKIN SHOES - BACK ROOM CONTINUOUS
9 19
EXT 20,000 FEET IN THE AIR
10 21
INT WEMBLEY STADIUM - IATT OFFICE DAY
11 23
INT RITZ HOTEL - LOBBY DAY
12 25
INT RITZ HOTEL - ROYAL SUITE MORNING
13 27
INT RITZ HOTEL - DOVER SUITE SAME TIME
14 31
INT WEMBLEY STADIUM LATER
15 38
EXT AUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU - 1944 DAY
16 39
INT WEMBLEY STADIUM DAY
17 42
EXT 5TH ARRONDISSEMENT - PARIS DAY
18 48
EXT AUDITORIUM - BOSNIA EVENING
19 53
INT MAUSER APARTMENT - MAIN ROOM CONTINUOUS
20 56
INT MAUSER APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM CONTINUOUS
21 59
INT ESSEX STREET PETS - LOWER EAST SIDE MOMENTS LATER
22 60
INT ESSEX STREET PETS - BACK ROOM CONTINUOUS
23 63
INT HALSEY HOTEL - LOBBY LATER
24 65
INT HALSEY HOTEL - ROOM 503 - BATHROOM - AFTER
25 67
INT ROOM 403 - BATHROOM CONTINUOUS
26 70
INT 4TH FLOOR - HALLWAY - SOON
27 73
INT TAXI CAB - LINCOLN TUNNEL - SOON
28 74
INT BOWLERO - CRANBURY, NEW JERSEY LATER
29 79
INT BOWLERO - LANE 5 LATER
30 81
INT TAXI CAB - CRANBURY, NJ LATER
31 84
EXT LAWRENCE’S - 53RD AND BROADWAY - AFTER
32 87
INT SUBWAY CAR - SOON
33 89
INT BEDROOM CONTINUOUS
34 92
EXT THEATER DISTRICT - SOON
35 97
INT MOROSCO THEATER - AUDITORIUM CONTINUOUS
36 98
EXT MOROSCO THEATER CONTINUOUS
37 101
INT EDISON HOTEL - BATHROOM DAY
38 106
EXT CRANBURY NEW JERSEY - LATE AFTEROON
39 108
EXT HOFF’S FARM - CRANBURY - SOON
40 109
INT KAISER SAME TIME
41 112
EXT USED CAR LOT LATER
42 116
INT DION’S APARTMENT - PETER COOPER VILLAGE - LATE NIGHT
43 119
INT BEDROOM CONTINUOUS
44 122
INT PETER COOPER VILLAGE - ELEVATOR - SOON
45 124
INT RACHEL’S APARTMENT - LOWER EAST SIDE - AFTER
46 126
EXT SEWARD PARK - SOON AFTER
47 130
INT MOROSCO THEATER - DRESSING ROOM DAY
48 135
EXT CENTRAL PARK - JUST PAST MIDNIGHT
49 138
EXT FIFTH AVENUE - SOON
50 140
EXT 870 FIFTH AVENUE - AFTER
51 141
INT 870 FIFTH AVENUE - 2RD FLOOR MOMENTS LATER
52 143
INT 870 FIFTH AVENUE - STUDY MOMENTS LATER
53 145
INT LAWRENCE’S PING PONG PARLOR - LATERN
54 147
INT NASH AMBASSADOR - CRANBURY, NJ LATER
55 152
INT HANEDA AIRPORT - JAPAN MORNING
56 153
INT UENO PARK AMPHITHEATER - LEFT OF STAGE
57 156
EXT UENO PARK AMPHITHEATER - BY THE STAGE - AFTER
58 158
EXT UENO PARK AMPHITHEATER LATER
59 162
EXT UENO PARK AMPHITHEATER LATER
60 166
EXT YOKOTA AIR BASE - AIRFIELD NIGHT
INT EXT INT/EXT hover for full slug
Scene Map
60
# PG SLUGLINE
1 2
INT NORKIN SHOES - STOCKROOM - LOWER EAST SIDE, NYC
INT. NORKIN SHOES - STOCKROOM - LOWER EAST SIDE, NYC
INT. NORKIN SHOES - STOCKROOM - LOWER EAST SIDE, NYC C.U. of a shoe box. MARTY MAUSER [23, lanky, glasses] dumps out a pair of size 9 shoes onto the floor, replaces them with a size 8. Track with him and out of the stockroom, up the stairs...
2 5
INT NORKIN SHOES - MURRAY’S OFFICE CONTINUOUS
INT. NORKIN SHOES - MURRAY’S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
INT. NORKIN SHOES - MURRAY’S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS MURRAY Here. I got you something. MURRAY draws a business card out of a box and hands it over. It reads: “NORKIN SHOES -- FAMILY FOOTWEAR -- NEVER-ENDING
3 8
INT LAWRENCE’S PING PONG PARLOR CONTINUOUS
INT. LAWRENCE’S PING PONG PARLOR - CONTINUOUS
INT. LAWRENCE’S PING PONG PARLOR - CONTINUOUS MARTY — stripped to a sleeveless undershirt, dripping in sweat — practices table tennis opposite his friend WALLY [20s, Harlem native]. Excited onlookers follow the ball with their eyes. One of them, DION [30s, heavyset] roots for MARTY
4 9
INT PHONE BOOTH MOMENTS LATER
INT. PHONE BOOTH - MOMENTS LATER
INT. PHONE BOOTH - MOMENTS LATER MARTY enters the booth and picks up the receiver. MARTY Yeah? JUDY (PHONE)
5 10
INT RACHEL’S APARTMENT - 2 FLOORS UP MOMENTS LATER
INT. RACHEL’S APARTMENT - 2 FLOORS UP - MOMENTS LATER
INT. RACHEL’S APARTMENT - 2 FLOORS UP - MOMENTS LATER RACHEL rushes into her apartment and beelines for the phone. Her husband -- IRA -- calls out weakly from the bedroom. IRA (O.S.) Hello?
6 11
INT HARDWARE STORE - MIDTOWN - SOON
INT. HARDWARE STORE - MIDTOWN - SOON
INT. HARDWARE STORE - MIDTOWN - SOON DION keeps watch while MARTY grabs a can of spray paint off a shelf and paints a ping pong ball orange. INT. GALANIS OFFICE - SOON
7 14
EXT ORCHARD STREET DUSK
EXT. ORCHARD STREET - DUSK
EXT. ORCHARD STREET - DUSK We track with MARTY as he runs across 3rd Street, scarfing down a hot dog. GALANIS (V.O.) I don’t know anything about this
8 17
INT NORKIN SHOES - BACK ROOM CONTINUOUS
INT. NORKIN SHOES - BACK ROOM - CONTINUOUS
INT. NORKIN SHOES - BACK ROOM - CONTINUOUS The second MARTY enters the room, LLOYD swings the safe shut and spins the combo. MARTY What was that?
9 19
EXT 20,000 FEET IN THE AIR
EXT. 20,000 FEET IN THE AIR
EXT. 20,000 FEET IN THE AIR A Pan American propeller plane soars through the sky. INT. AIRPLANE - FIRST CLASS - DUSK MARTY sips coke from a glass, chewing ice. He peers out the window at a lightning storm raging in distant clouds.
10 21
INT WEMBLEY STADIUM - IATT OFFICE DAY
INT. WEMBLEY STADIUM - IATT OFFICE - DAY
INT. WEMBLEY STADIUM - IATT OFFICE - DAY A stern looking MARTY, sweaty from game play, makes his way into a large busy office. He makes a beeline for RAM SETHI, the head of the International Association of Table Tennis . MARTY
11 23
INT RITZ HOTEL - LOBBY DAY
INT. RITZ HOTEL - LOBBY - DAY
INT. RITZ HOTEL - LOBBY - DAY A press junket is underway in the elegant lobby of the Ritz Hotel. MARTY holds court, seated with a group of reporters. REPORTER 1 This is a nice hotel, the IATT
12 25
INT RITZ HOTEL - ROYAL SUITE MORNING
INT. RITZ HOTEL - ROYAL SUITE - MORNING
INT. RITZ HOTEL - ROYAL SUITE - MORNING MARTY sits on the bed in a lavish suite, phone receiver pressed to his ear. He’s wearing a plush robe, newspapers and room service trays splayed out in front him. He sips fresh squeezed juice.
13 27
INT RITZ HOTEL - DOVER SUITE SAME TIME
INT. RITZ HOTEL - DOVER SUITE - SAME TIME
INT. RITZ HOTEL - DOVER SUITE - SAME TIME KAY opens the newspaper and flips to an article from the previous day’s junket: headline “THE CHOSEN ONE?”, accompanied by a photograph of MARTY, glasses off, holding the Marty Supreme prototype next to his face.
14 31
INT WEMBLEY STADIUM LATER
INT. WEMBLEY STADIUM - LATER
INT. WEMBLEY STADIUM - LATER Tracking shot with KAY as she makes her way through the arena, taken aback by the throngs of spectators watching the game. Text on screen: SEMIFINALS She gets to her seat and fixes her attention on MARTY, who
15 38
EXT AUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU - 1944 DAY
EXT. AUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU - 1944 - DAY
EXT. AUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU - 1944 - DAY BÉLA sits by the edge of the woods -- a barbed wire fencing visible in the distance -- hunched over a small 50kg bomb. BÉLA (V.O.) So each morning they’d send me into
16 39
INT WEMBLEY STADIUM DAY
INT. WEMBLEY STADIUM - DAY
INT. WEMBLEY STADIUM - DAY A coin flip. MARTY loses. First serve goes to Endo. MARTY assumes his place at the table. Text on screen: FINALS The stadium is packed, standing room only. SETHI, BÉLA,
17 42
EXT 5TH ARRONDISSEMENT - PARIS DAY
EXT. 5TH ARRONDISSEMENT - PARIS - DAY
EXT. 5TH ARRONDISSEMENT - PARIS - DAY MARTY walks down a busy street bordering the Seine. Text on screen: PARIS He approaches a restaurant and enters...
18 48
EXT AUDITORIUM - BOSNIA EVENING
EXT. AUDITORIUM - BOSNIA - EVENING
EXT. AUDITORIUM - BOSNIA - EVENING ‘Sweet Georgia Brown’ blasts over the PA. The Globetrotters are in full slapstick mode, playing in an outdoor stadium in the rain. Text on screen: SARAJEVO
19 53
INT MAUSER APARTMENT - MAIN ROOM CONTINUOUS
INT. MAUSER APARTMENT - MAIN ROOM - CONTINUOUS
INT. MAUSER APARTMENT - MAIN ROOM - CONTINUOUS MARTY enters. A uniformed COP is there waiting for him. MARTY Can I help you? The COP approaches with handcuffs.
20 56
INT MAUSER APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM CONTINUOUS
INT. MAUSER APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
INT. MAUSER APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS MARTY How much is he paying you? COP What’s that?
21 59
INT ESSEX STREET PETS - LOWER EAST SIDE MOMENTS LATER
INT. ESSEX STREET PETS - LOWER EAST SIDE - MOMENTS LATER
INT. ESSEX STREET PETS - LOWER EAST SIDE - MOMENTS LATER ...casually enters a large pet store. Behind a rabbit enclosure, RACHEL tends to a MOM and her DAUGHTER. She looks over the enclosure at MARTY, shocked to see him. MARTY
22 60
INT ESSEX STREET PETS - BACK ROOM CONTINUOUS
INT. ESSEX STREET PETS - BACK ROOM - CONTINUOUS
INT. ESSEX STREET PETS - BACK ROOM - CONTINUOUS She closes the door behind them. RACHEL Aren’t you going to say something?
23 63
INT HALSEY HOTEL - LOBBY LATER
INT. HALSEY HOTEL - LOBBY - LATER
INT. HALSEY HOTEL - LOBBY - LATER A bloodied BEAT-UP MAN pleads into a payphone. BEAT-UP MAN Look, it’ll be the last time, I promise...To the Western
24 65
INT HALSEY HOTEL - ROOM 503 - BATHROOM - AFTER
INT. HALSEY HOTEL - ROOM 503 - BATHROOM - AFTER
INT. HALSEY HOTEL - ROOM 503 - BATHROOM - AFTER C.U. of running faucet. MARTY checks the water temperature with his hand. Note: The bathtub is buttressed by a series of wooden stints holding it in place. MARTY
25 67
INT ROOM 403 - BATHROOM CONTINUOUS
INT. ROOM 403 - BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS
INT. ROOM 403 - BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS The tub splits the crossbeams, severs pipes, and plummets to the floor of the bathroom below. It lands on MISHKIN, in the midst of giving his DOG a bath. MARTY is violently tossed to the floor. Water and huge hunks of plaster rain down.
26 70
INT 4TH FLOOR - HALLWAY - SOON
INT. 4TH FLOOR - HALLWAY - SOON
INT. 4TH FLOOR - HALLWAY - SOON The elevator door opens. MARTY and WALLY exit. The hall is flooded. Seedy hotel guests loiter outside their doors, some are laying towels at the bottom of the doorframes to stop the water from entering.
27 73
INT TAXI CAB - LINCOLN TUNNEL - SOON
INT. TAXI CAB - LINCOLN TUNNEL - SOON
INT. TAXI CAB - LINCOLN TUNNEL - SOON Tunnel lights whip hypnotically past the dashboard. WALLY drives. The DOG paces back and forth on the back seat wheezing. MARTY is pouring bourbon from a flask onto a paper cup of ice-cream.
28 74
INT BOWLERO - CRANBURY, NEW JERSEY LATER
INT. BOWLERO - CRANBURY, NEW JERSEY - LATER
INT. BOWLERO - CRANBURY, NEW JERSEY - LATER MARTY enters a crowded bowling alley and crosses the room, passing occupied lanes and clusters of ping pong tables. He stops in front of a table where WALLY -- both nostrils stuffed with toilet paper -- is playing against TERRY [early
29 79
INT BOWLERO - LANE 5 LATER
INT. BOWLERO - LANE 5 - LATER
INT. BOWLERO - LANE 5 - LATER STRIKE! Pins fly in every direction. A bowling ball barrels down the return alley and rises up into the carousel. ROGER looks over to the tables and sees a large crowd gathered around MARTY and WALLY’s game.
30 81
INT TAXI CAB - CRANBURY, NJ LATER
INT. TAXI CAB - CRANBURY, NJ - LATER
INT. TAXI CAB - CRANBURY, NJ - LATER High excitement. WALLY surfs the radio dial while MARTY counts up their winnings. MOSES paces around the back seat. MARTY Two hundred, two-oh-five, two-ten,
31 84
EXT LAWRENCE’S - 53RD AND BROADWAY - AFTER
EXT. LAWRENCE’S - 53RD AND BROADWAY - AFTER
EXT. LAWRENCE’S - 53RD AND BROADWAY - AFTER The damaged cab pulls up in front of Lawrence’s. MARTY gets out. MARTY I’m really sorry-
32 87
INT SUBWAY CAR - SOON
INT. SUBWAY CAR - SOON
INT. SUBWAY CAR - SOON MARTY and RACHEL are seated together in a sparsely populated train car. Each with luggage by their side. He’s got his arm around her, her head in his lap. INT. DION’S APARTMENT - PETER COOPER VILLAGE - SOON
33 89
INT BEDROOM CONTINUOUS
INT. BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
INT. BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS A dozen cardboard boxes branded with ‘HALEX’ stamps are stacked against the wall. MARTY This is them? Oh my god.
34 92
EXT THEATER DISTRICT - SOON
EXT. THEATER DISTRICT - SOON
EXT. THEATER DISTRICT - SOON MARTY walks down 45th street towards the Morosco Theater. RECEPTIONIST (V.O.) I see. MARTY (V.O.)
35 97
INT MOROSCO THEATER - AUDITORIUM CONTINUOUS
INT. MOROSCO THEATER - AUDITORIUM - CONTINUOUS
INT. MOROSCO THEATER - AUDITORIUM - CONTINUOUS MARTY follows MILTON and the PRODUCTION MANAGER down a long hallway. MILTON -it’s a story about poor people yet
36 98
EXT MOROSCO THEATER CONTINUOUS
EXT. MOROSCO THEATER - CONTINUOUS
EXT. MOROSCO THEATER - CONTINUOUS MARTY Mr. Rockwell! Hold up. Can we just talk for a second? MILTON
37 101
INT EDISON HOTEL - BATHROOM DAY
INT. EDISON HOTEL - BATHROOM - DAY
INT. EDISON HOTEL - BATHROOM - DAY MARTY and KAY are having sex in the shower. She bites his tongue, holds it between her teeth. He turns her around, grabs hold of her shoulder and, using his other hand, delicately unclasps her expensive-looking necklace. It slides
38 106
EXT CRANBURY NEW JERSEY - LATE AFTEROON
EXT. CRANBURY NEW JERSEY - LATE AFTEROON
EXT. CRANBURY NEW JERSEY - LATE AFTEROON MARTY drives the Galanis’ Kaiser on a rural road flanked by farmland, RACHEL in the passenger seat. DION (V.O.) Hang on....RACHEL! MARTY’S ON THE
39 108
EXT HOFF’S FARM - CRANBURY - SOON
EXT. HOFF’S FARM - CRANBURY - SOON
EXT. HOFF’S FARM - CRANBURY - SOON The car drives drives down a long gravel driveway towards the house. MARTY hops out of the car, steps up on a rotting porch and knocks. No answer. A dog starts barking from inside. He knocks again. The barking continues. A beat. MARTY steps off
40 109
INT KAISER SAME TIME
INT. KAISER - SAME TIME
INT. KAISER - SAME TIME A beat-up pick-up truck pulls into the drive way. RACHEL immediately honks the horn several times. HOFF [60s, bedraggled, dirty clothes] pulls up behind her -- blocking the Kaiser in -- and steps out, confused to see a fancy car
41 112
EXT USED CAR LOT LATER
EXT. USED CAR LOT - LATER
EXT. USED CAR LOT - LATER Night has fallen. MARTY and RACHEL are crammed in a telephone booth. RACHEL is dialing the number off the dog collar. A few rings and... MISHKIN (PHONE)
42 116
INT DION’S APARTMENT - PETER COOPER VILLAGE - LATE NIGHT
INT. DION’S APARTMENT - PETER COOPER VILLAGE - LATE NIGHT
INT. DION’S APARTMENT - PETER COOPER VILLAGE - LATE NIGHT C.U. of a deadbolt, sound of keys jingling, the bolt turns. MARTY and RACHEL quietly enter the apartment. They’re intercepted by DION. DION
43 119
INT BEDROOM CONTINUOUS
INT. BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
INT. BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS ...and start gathering their things. DION stands in the doorway, keeping watch. MARTY You have any idea what I’ve been
44 122
INT PETER COOPER VILLAGE - ELEVATOR - SOON
INT. PETER COOPER VILLAGE - ELEVATOR - SOON
INT. PETER COOPER VILLAGE - ELEVATOR - SOON MARTY and RACHEL ride the elevator down in silence. They reach the lobby and step out. INT. PETER COOPER VILLAGE - LOBBY - CONTINUOUS
45 124
INT RACHEL’S APARTMENT - LOWER EAST SIDE - AFTER
INT. RACHEL’S APARTMENT - LOWER EAST SIDE - AFTER
INT. RACHEL’S APARTMENT - LOWER EAST SIDE - AFTER RACHEL enters her apartment. She crosses though the darkness to the bedroom, where she sees IRA asleep on the bed. She approaches, stands over him. His eyes closed. His face bruised and swollen.
46 126
EXT SEWARD PARK - SOON AFTER
EXT. SEWARD PARK - SOON AFTER
EXT. SEWARD PARK - SOON AFTER RACHEL stands in the middle of the crowded park, waiting. She spots two men -- MISHKIN and MITCH -- approaching. MISHKIN has his arm in a cast and sling. MISHKIN
47 130
INT MOROSCO THEATER - DRESSING ROOM DAY
INT. MOROSCO THEATER - DRESSING ROOM - DAY
INT. MOROSCO THEATER - DRESSING ROOM - DAY KAY is seated in front of her dressing room mirror signing thank you notes to cast and crew. There’s a knock at the door. KAY
48 135
EXT CENTRAL PARK - JUST PAST MIDNIGHT
EXT. CENTRAL PARK - JUST PAST MIDNIGHT
EXT. CENTRAL PARK - JUST PAST MIDNIGHT Tracking shot. KAY approaches MARTY, who is waiting by a park bench. She pulls him by the hand to an archway tunnel, enveloping them in darkness. She kisses him, wrapping her tongue around his.
49 138
EXT FIFTH AVENUE - SOON
EXT. FIFTH AVENUE - SOON
EXT. FIFTH AVENUE - SOON KAY and MARTY rush down the block, the necklace no longer around his neck. MARTY Uh, do you think you can go grab me
50 140
EXT 870 FIFTH AVENUE - AFTER
EXT. 870 FIFTH AVENUE - AFTER
EXT. 870 FIFTH AVENUE - AFTER MARTY looks at his watch. KAY has not come down and he has grown impatient. He paces in front of the building. A pack of PARTYGOERS approach. MARTY blends in with them as they enter the lobby.
51 141
INT 870 FIFTH AVENUE - 2RD FLOOR MOMENTS LATER
INT. 870 FIFTH AVENUE - 2RD FLOOR - MOMENTS LATER
INT. 870 FIFTH AVENUE - 2RD FLOOR - MOMENTS LATER ...and walks into the den. MILTON is seated with a group of well-groomed middle aged men, conversing, eating, drinking whiskey. The vibe is jocular, relaxed -- a stark contrast to the dour mood coating the rest of the apartment.
52 143
INT 870 FIFTH AVENUE - STUDY MOMENTS LATER
INT. 870 FIFTH AVENUE - STUDY - MOMENTS LATER
INT. 870 FIFTH AVENUE - STUDY - MOMENTS LATER MARTY enters the study and heads to the desk. He picks up a sponge racket with the Rockwell Ink logo screen-printed on it. 168A INT. 870 FIFTH AVENUE - DEN - MOMENTS LATER 168A
53 145
INT LAWRENCE’S PING PONG PARLOR - LATERN
INT. LAWRENCE’S PING PONG PARLOR - LATERN
INT. LAWRENCE’S PING PONG PARLOR - LATERN MARTY enters the parlor and approaches LAWRENCE in the cage. MARTY Hey. LAWRENCE
54 147
INT NASH AMBASSADOR - CRANBURY, NJ LATER
INT. NASH AMBASSADOR - CRANBURY, NJ - LATER
INT. NASH AMBASSADOR - CRANBURY, NJ - LATER MISHKIN’s car drives along a dark rural road. REUBEN drives. MISHKIN sits in the passenger seat. MARTY and RACHEL exchange glances, crammed in the back with MITCH. RACHEL looks both frightened and ashamed. The mood in the car is quiet, tense.
55 152
INT HANEDA AIRPORT - JAPAN MORNING
INT. HANEDA AIRPORT - JAPAN - MORNING
INT. HANEDA AIRPORT - JAPAN - MORNING A private plane with the Rockwell Ink logo emblazoned on its side gleams on the tarmac — polished aluminum catching the morning light. The plane door swings open. A stewardess, crisp in her
56 153
INT UENO PARK AMPHITHEATER - LEFT OF STAGE
INT. UENO PARK AMPHITHEATER - LEFT OF STAGE
INT. UENO PARK AMPHITHEATER - LEFT OF STAGE MARTY is 10th in line, a hat pulled down low over his brow to hide his identity. He looks towards the stage and watches another challenger lose a point. To his right he sees an entire section devoted to the press --
57 156
EXT UENO PARK AMPHITHEATER - BY THE STAGE - AFTER
EXT. UENO PARK AMPHITHEATER - BY THE STAGE - AFTER
EXT. UENO PARK AMPHITHEATER - BY THE STAGE - AFTER MARTY, lost in pensive thought, is now next in line. On the stage a challenger loses a point to ENDO and gets his picture taken. It’s now MARTY’s turn. He darts his eyes over to MILTON.
58 158
EXT UENO PARK AMPHITHEATER LATER
EXT. UENO PARK AMPHITHEATER - LATER
EXT. UENO PARK AMPHITHEATER - LATER A pack of kids rush through the concession booths and into the amphitheater, where MARTY and ENDO are battling on the stage. The place is packed. Spirits are high. ENDO is up 19 - 14.
59 162
EXT UENO PARK AMPHITHEATER LATER
EXT. UENO PARK AMPHITHEATER - LATER
EXT. UENO PARK AMPHITHEATER - LATER It’s standing room only now, people packed into the amphitheater like canned sardines. The score is 17 - 17. ENDO and MARTY are both drenched in sweat, stripped down to
60 166
EXT YOKOTA AIR BASE - AIRFIELD NIGHT
EXT. YOKOTA AIR BASE - AIRFIELD - NIGHT
EXT. YOKOTA AIR BASE - AIRFIELD - NIGHT A U.S. Army jeep drives MARTY through a sprawling military base in the pouring rain. The jeep drives onto a tarmac, where a large transport aircraft is being readied for take- off.
INT EXT INT/EXT tap to expand

Marty Supreme

In 1950s New York, a brash table tennis prodigy hustles his way to international glory, only to confront the personal costs of his unyielding ambition when family secrets and a rigged rivalry force him to choose between victory and redemption. Other loglines ›

Take the Tour Download PDF

Overview

Poster
Unique Selling Point

This script offers a uniquely unflinching portrait of American ambition through the lens of a niche sport in post-war America. Unlike typical sports underdog stories, it presents a deeply flawed, manipulative protagonist whose talent is matched only by his self-destructive tendencies. The Safdie-esque style—combining period authenticity with raw, chaotic energy—creates a distinctive viewing experience that blends sports drama, character study, and social commentary about the dark side of the American dream.

AI Verdict

OpenAI
 Recommend
Score 8.3
Gemini
 Recommend
Score 8.3
Grok
 Recommend
Score 8.3
Claude
 Recommend
Score 8.3
DeepSeek
 Consider
Score 7.3
Average Score: 8.1
Key Takeaways
For the Writer:
To improve the script, focus on refining the middle act's pacing by streamlining repetitive sequences, such as the Globetrotters tour and New Jersey subplots, to maintain narrative momentum. Additionally, develop supporting characters like Rachel and Kay with clearer motivations and independent arcs to avoid them feeling reactive to Marty's journey, and ensure tonal consistency, particularly in handling sensitive topics like the Holocaust, to create a more cohesive emotional through-line. These adjustments will enhance the script's depth and audience engagement, making Marty's arc more impactful and the overall story less episodic.
For Executives:
The script has strong value as a character-driven drama with a unique sports angle and arthouse appeal, offering potential for critical acclaim and festival buzz due to its bold protagonist and vivid set pieces. However, risks include an unlikeable lead that may alienate mainstream audiences, tonal inconsistencies that could confuse viewers, and pacing issues in the middle act that might lead to disengagement, limiting its commercial viability and requiring significant polishing for broader market acceptance.
See Details in P/C/R/HR Section
Story Facts
Genres:
Drama 50% Crime 25% Comedy 20% Romance 15% Action 25% Thriller 20%

Setting: 1952, New York City and Japan

Themes: Ambition and the Pursuit of Greatness, Self-Invention and Identity, The Corrupting Influence of Power and Wealth, Moral Compromise and Pragmatism, The Nature of Success and Validation, Dysfunctional Family and Relationships, The Illusion of Control and Fate, The Search for Belonging and Connection

Conflict & Stakes: Marty's struggle to succeed in table tennis while dealing with personal issues, including his relationship with Rachel and family obligations, with the stakes being his future and reputation.

Mood: Dramatic with elements of humor and tension.

Standout Features:

  • Unique Hook: The combination of table tennis as a central sport in a dramatic narrative.
  • Character Development: Marty's journey from a struggling salesman to a competitive athlete.
  • Historical Context: Set in 1952, providing a rich backdrop for character interactions and societal norms.
  • Romantic Subplot: Marty's relationship with Rachel adds emotional depth and stakes.
  • Cultural Exchange: The contrast between American and Japanese cultures during the ping pong championship.

Comparable Scripts: The Graduate, The Pursuit of Happyness, Catch Me If You Can, The Big Lebowski, The Office (US), The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Frances Ha, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Royal Tenenbaums

Script Level Analysis

Writer Exec

This section delivers a top-level assessment of the screenplay’s strengths and weaknesses — covering overall quality (P/C/R/HR), character development, emotional impact, thematic depth, narrative inconsistencies, and the story’s core philosophical conflict. It helps identify what’s resonating, what needs refinement, and how the script aligns with professional standards.

Screenplay Insights

Breaks down your script along various categories.

Overall Score: 7.30
Key Suggestions:
To elevate the script's creative potential, focus on deepening the character arcs of supporting characters like Rachel and Wally by giving them more defined motivations, goals, and emotional challenges that parallel Marty's journey. Additionally, incorporate techniques such as flashbacks or enhanced sensory details in key scenes to improve emotional resonance and clarity, making the narrative more immersive and relatable while maintaining the strong foundation of Marty's development.
> Go to Screenplay Insights
Story Critique

Big-picture feedback on the story’s clarity, stakes, cohesion, and engagement.

Key Suggestions:
The script effectively captures a compelling underdog story in the world of table tennis, but key areas for improvement include refining uneven pacing to maintain engagement and deepening secondary character motivations to heighten emotional stakes. By incorporating smoother transitions, clearer foreshadowing, and more authentic dialogue, the writer can enhance the narrative's flow and resonance, making Marty's journey more impactful and relatable.
> Go to Story Critique
Characters

Explores the depth, clarity, and arc of the main and supporting characters.

Key Suggestions:
The character analysis highlights that while the protagonists like Marty and Rachel have compelling foundations, their backstories and emotional arcs need deeper exploration to enhance authenticity and growth. Focusing on clarifying transformation triggers, such as Marty's journey from ambition to responsibility, and Rachel's struggle for independence, will strengthen emotional resonance and make the narrative more engaging. Additionally, incorporating more nuanced dialogue and vulnerabilities across characters can elevate the script's craft, turning potentially stereotypical elements into multifaceted portrayals that drive conflict and theme.
> Go to Characters
Emotional Analysis

Breaks down the emotional journey of the audience across the script.

Key Suggestions:
To improve the script's emotional depth and engagement, focus on diversifying the emotional range to avoid repetitive frustration and disappointment, enhance character empathy by showing more genuine connections and internal conflicts, and ensure a smoother progression of emotional intensity and arcs. Incorporating suggestions like adding moments of wonder, varying responses to setbacks, and strengthening secondary character agency will create a more nuanced and resonant story, ultimately making Marty's journey more compelling and the audience's emotional investment stronger.
> Go to Emotional Analysis
Goals and Philosophical Conflict

Evaluates character motivations, obstacles, and sources of tension throughout the plot.

Key Suggestions:
The analysis reveals that Marty's journey is deeply rooted in his internal and external goals, evolving from self-centered ambition to embracing authenticity and familial connections. To enhance the script, focus on tightening the philosophical conflict—such as individual ambition versus familial responsibility—by introducing earlier, subtler hints of Marty's internal struggle. This will create a more cohesive character arc and deepen emotional resonance, ensuring that key resolutions feel earned rather than abrupt, ultimately strengthening the thematic depth and audience connection.
> Go to Goals and Philosophical Conflict
Themes

Analysis of the themes of the screenplay and how well they’re expressed.

Key Suggestions:
From a creative perspective, the script's exploration of ambition is compelling but could be enhanced by deepening Marty's emotional vulnerabilities and relationships, such as with Rachel or his family, to create a more nuanced character arc and avoid one-dimensional portrayals. This would improve pacing and audience investment, ensuring that the theme of ambition's costs resonates more profoundly, while tightening the moral ambiguities in key scenes to heighten dramatic tension and provide clearer character growth opportunities.
> Go to Themes
Logic & Inconsistencies

Highlights any contradictions, plot holes, or logic gaps that may confuse viewers.

Key Suggestions:
The script's inconsistencies in character development and plot logic disrupt the narrative flow and audience immersion. To enhance creative integrity, focus on grounding character arcs in consistent motivations and ensuring seamless timeline progression, which will strengthen emotional depth and make the story more compelling and believable from a craft perspective.
> Go to Logic & Inconsistencies

Scene Analysis

All of your scenes analyzed individually and compared, so you can zero in on what to improve.

Scene-Level Percentile Chart
Hover over the graph to see more details about each score.
Go to Scene Analysis

Other Analyses

Writer Exec

This section looks at the extra spark — your story’s voice, style, world, and the moments that really stick. These insights might not change the bones of the script, but they can make it more original, more immersive, and way more memorable. It’s where things get fun, weird, and wonderfully you.

Unique Voice

Assesses the distinctiveness and personality of the writer's voice.

Key Suggestions:
The writer's voice excels in crafting sharp, realistic dialogue and building tension, but to improve the script, focus on balancing the confrontational elements with more introspective moments to deepen character development and explore themes like ambition and moral ambiguity more subtly. This would prevent over-reliance on shock value and enhance emotional resonance, making the narrative more layered and relatable.
> Go to Unique Voice
Writer's Craft

Analyzes the writing to help the writer be aware of their skill and improve.

Key Suggestions:
The screenplay showcases strong dialogue and character dynamics, but to enhance its creative impact, focus on infusing more subtext into conversations for greater emotional depth, fleshing out character motivations and arcs to build stronger audience connections, and tightening pacing to maintain consistent tension and engagement across scenes.
> Go to Writer's Craft
Memorable Lines
Spotlights standout dialogue lines with emotional or thematic power.
> Go to Memorable Lines
Tropes
Highlights common or genre-specific tropes found in the script.
> Go to Tropes
World Building

Evaluates the depth, consistency, and immersion of the story's world.

Key Suggestions:
The script's world building is a strength, vividly contrasting urban grit with international spectacle to mirror Marty's ambition and failures, but to improve craft, focus on refining the integration of cultural and societal elements to avoid overwhelming the narrative. By ensuring that settings like the Holocaust flashbacks or Japanese tournaments serve character development more seamlessly, you can heighten emotional resonance and thematic coherence, making Marty's journey feel more organic and less episodic.
> Go to World Building
Correlations

Identifies patterns in scene scores.

Key Suggestions:
The script excels in emotional depth and tense pacing that drive character growth and story progression, but could benefit from diversifying confrontational scenes to avoid repetition and integrating emotional elements into less intense moments for greater consistency. Balancing sarcasm and humor is key to maintaining high stakes without diluting tension, ensuring a more dynamic and engaging narrative overall.
> Go to Correlations
Loglines
Presents logline variations based on theme, genre, and hook.
> Go to Loglines

Script•o•Scope