THE BALLAD OF JOHN & YOKO Written by Luken Tonjes SincerelyLuken.com ACT 1 1 EXT. NEW YORK CITY. MUSEUM OF MODERN ART. AFTERNOON 1 We see a 1966 JOHN LENNON. He is wearing an English cap, signature sunglasses, and a scarf. JOHN is standing outside of the Museum of modern art, the sound of the city bombards him, the head liner is “YOKO ONO” he is curious so he walks in. R INT. MUSEUM OF MODERN ART. AFTERNOON. It is now quiet. He takes off his cap and sunglasses and proceeds down the hall. There is a picture of YOKO as he is walking in. JOHN sees a ladder in the middle of the room with a magnifying glass hanging from the ceiling, and a canvas attached to the wall. He decides to climb it, he picks up the magnifying glass and takes a look at the canvas. It reads “yes” JOHN is in awe and takes a look to his right, there stands YOKO ONO. She is talking to someone and is laughing. JOHN gives a faint smile. CUT TO: INT. NEW YORK CITY. MUSEUM OF MODERN ART. AFTERNOON.- LATER It is towards the end of the show, there are men taking down some of the pieces. YOKO is directing them and she has a clipboards in her hand. JOHN walks up to YOKO in confidence and taps her on the shoulder. She turns quickly. JOHN Hi, I just wanted to introduce myself, I loved the show. Especially the one piece- YOKO And you are? JOHN is shot down JOHN Sorry? 2. YOKO You said you were going to introduce yourself. There was no name. JOHN (beat) I’m John. Lennon. JOHN is in shock. YOKO is smiling and is happy to meet him. YOKO Hello John , I’m- JOHN Yoko Ono. I figured that one out. I loved the show. YOKO giggles YOKO Well, I’m glad you liked it. Hope to see you at the next one. She is turning as if it is goodbye. JOHN gets frantic, he does not want to say goodbye. JOHN Do you need any help taking down some of your pieces? I’d be happy to help. YOKO No, they got it. JOHN looks distraught. He worries she is not interested in him. It surprises him that she is not one of his crazed fans. YOKO (CONT'D) But a cup of coffee would be nice. JOHN looks at her and gives the same smile that he did when he first saw her. He is in love. CUT TO: EXT. MUSEUM OF MODERN ART. AFTERNOON. JOHN and YOKO exit the MOMA and JOHN puts on his cap and sunglasses. YOKO It isn’t cloudy. Why the hat? 3. JOHN Well it’s not for me, it’s for- Just then a young couple, a little younger than JOHN come up to him. They are very excited. MAN Can I have your autograph? JOHN Sure. JOHN signs a piece of paper and his goodbye to them is inaudible. YOKO is shocked and confused. The two of them continue walking YOKO I’m guessing not old friends. (pause) Who are you? JOHN I make music, I’m in a band. YOKO No. I did not ask what you do. I asked who are you. Your accent, your clothes, that hair. Where are you from? JOHN England. Liverpool. You’re not exactly a New York native either. YOKO Japan. It was pretty until the bombs. Do you like Liverpool better than the states. JOHN Liverpool? No it’s kind of a shit hole. But it’s my home. YOKO Does your family still live there? JOHN I don’t have much of a family. YOKO Everyone has a family. 4. JOHN Biologically, yes. But it wasn't much. It goes into a flashback and JOHN continues to narrate. CUT TO: INT. JULIA’S HOUSE.AFTERNOON- 1943 We see JOHN’s dad, Alfred. He is dressed in a 1950s navy uniform and is hugging his mother goodbye. JOHN (New York) My father walked out on my mom when I was real young. Left to New Zealand for “the navy” and never came back. From then on my mother felt that she couldn't take care of me. CUT TO: INT. JULIA’S HOUSE. EVENING- 1944 A young JOHN is climbing on the counter to get a bowl from the cabinet. The already has the cereal out. His mom comes home late and sits down at the couch absolutely exhausted. JOHN continues to reach for his bowl. JOHN (V.O.) It wasn’t her fault. But I ended up living with my Aunt Mary, or Mimi, for most of my life. CUT TO: EXT. MIMI’S HOUSE. MORNING- 1944 JULIA is distraught at her sister’s doorsteps. JOHN is shyly in front of his Mother. JOHN (V.O.) From then on, it was Mimi and I. Till the end. CUT TO: 5. 2 INT. MIMI’S HOUSE. AFTERNOON- 1950 2 A young JOHN LENNON is sitting in front of the television. He is watching Elvis sing. The doorbell rings MIMI (From another room) John! Can you get that? JOHN Sure, Mimi JOHN opens the door and it is his Mother. She has a guitar case in her hand. JOHN (CONT'D) Hi Mom! JULIA Hi Johnny! JULIA gives him a big hug. JOHN What’s that for? JULIA I’ll show you in a minute. Where’s Mimi? JOHN She’s in the kitchen (Yelling To MIMI) Mimi! JOHN stands behind JULIA, eagerly waiting to see what she is holding. MIMI walks in the living room. MIMI Hey Julia. JULIA Hey Mary. MIMI and JULIA sit down on the couch. JOHN stands at the end of it. MIMI You really like that Elvis Character, huh? 6. JOHN Mom, he’s the king. JULIA That Elvis is definitely a character. MIMI Him and John have that in common, don’t you think? They both laugh JOHN Mom, what’s in the box? JULIA Just a little something I picked up. JOHN is excited with anticipation. JOHN What is it? JULIA opens up a suitcase and a guitar is inside. JOHN (CONT'D) Wow! A guitar. I love it. Thanks, mom JULIA hands him the case. She realizes a sticker that says “1/2 Off” is still on it. She rips it off. It leaves some on the paper on it JOHN holds it in his hands. It is bigger than he is. JULIA You’re welcome! JOHN Now I can be just like Elvis! (To JULIA) Will you teach me how to play? JULIA Of course. Here you go, hold it like this. She is teaching him a cord. She is moving his fingers with hers. JULIA (CONT'D) Now go down. 7. She moves his opposite hand to play a cord. JOHN plays the first cord of “Imagine” JOHN Cool! JOHN gets up and starts dancing like Elvis with the guitar in his hand. JULIA Well if you are gonna play like him, you got to look like him too. JOHN gives a wonder-filled look to his mother. CUT TO: 3 EXT. MIMIS HOUSE. OUTSIDE. AFTERNOON 3 A young JOHN walks home from school. His hair is identical to Elvis’. He walks closer to the door and he sees a man at his aunt’s door. It is his father. JOHN pauses but proceeds with caution. JULIA You’ve been gone for 9 years and you think he’s all yours now! AL I’m home now, aren’t I? JULIA Until when? You have another “deployment” Bull. Shit. AL Well there he is now. JOHN walks up to the door. AL holds his son tightly. JOHN is caught by surprise. AL (CONT'D) Hey Johnny! JOHN Dad? 8. JULIA See, he doesn’t even know who you are. AL Of course he does, I look just like him. Handsome. JOHN Why are you here? AL I came back for you. I want you to live with me. JULIA He wants to take you from me. You are coming to live with me. AL Let’s not choose for the boy, its his pick. What’s it gonna be John? Your dear old dad, that you have so much to catch up with? Or your mom? JOHN Um. JULIA Al, stop. This is cruel. AL It’s what he wants. The pace picks up between them JULIA You don’t get to decide what he wants. AL Sure I do, he’s my son. JULIA And he’s not mine? MIMI walks into the doorway MIMI What’s all this about? Come on John, lets get some food in you. MIMI takes JOHN and holds onto his shoulders inside the house, but the door is still open. 9. AL I guess that settles it. Goodbye, Julia. Mimi, John. AL leaves. MIMI closes the door on JULIA. Leaving her there alone. JOHN (New York) And I never saw him again. He could be in Africa for all I know. YOKO And your mom? JOHN (beat) She died a few years later. Car crash JOHN looks down at the ground in sadness YOKO I’m so sorry. I know what it’s like to lose someone. A home. (pause) It was hard. But we continue. (pause) How did you deal with your mother’s death? JOHN Yes, we do. FADE TO: 4 INT. CHURCH BUILDING. LIVERPOOL. AFTERNOON 4 It is his mother’s funeral. Her coffin is there, her picture is up. But then it fades into a concert with a banner that says “The Quarrymen” JOHN (V.O.) Afterward, I started this band.