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Soderbergh, Steven
Sex Lies And VideoTape (1989)
Director Steven Soderbergh's voyeuristic indie film paints an intense, intimate portrait of discord among a frigid housewife (Andie MacDowell), her philandering husband (Peter Gallagher), her adulterous sibling (Laura San Giacomo) and an out-of-towner (James Spader). Spader arrives with a trunk load of videotapes -- interviews with women he's known confessing their sexual secrets -- and his presence gradually turns the quartet's lives inside out.
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Soderbergh, Steven. Sex Lies And VideoTape
Sex, Lies and Videotape Script
1 EXT. HIGHWAY -- DAY
GRAHAM DALTON, twenty-nine, drives his ’69 Cutlass while smoking
a cigarette. One could describe his appearance as punk/arty,
but neither would do him justice. He is a man of obvious
intelligence, and his face is amiable. There is only one key
on his keyring, and it is in the ignition.
ANN
(voice over)
Garbage. I started thinking about
what happens to all the garbage.
I mean, where do we put all of
it, we have to run out of places
to put it eventually, don’t we?
This happened to me before when
that barge with all the garbage
was stranded and nobody would take
it? Remember that?
2 INT. DOCTOR’S OFFICE -- DAY
ANN BISHOP MILLANEY, twenty-six, sits opposite her therapist.
She is an extremely attractive woman, dressed in a mature preppy
style. There is a wedding ring on her left hand.
DOCTOR
Yes, I remember. What do you do
when these moods overtake you?
ANN
Nothing. I mean, nothing. I try
not to do anything that will
produce garbage, so obviously we’re
talking about eating and basic
stuff like that. Did you know that
the average person produces three
pounds of garbage a day?
DOCTOR
No, I didn’t.
ANN
Don’t you think that’s a lot of
garbage? I’d really like to know
where it’s all going to go.
DOCTOR
Do you have any idea what triggered
this concern?
ANN
Well, this weekend John was taking
out the garbage, and he kept
spilling things out of the
container, and I started imagining
a container that grew garbage,
like it just kept filling up and
overflowing all by itself, and
how could you stop that if it
started happening?
DOCTOR
Ann, do you see a pattern here?
ANN
What do you mean?
DOCTOR
Well, last week we talked about
your obsession with the families
of airline fatalities, and now
we’re talking about your concern
over the garbage problem.
ANN
Yeah, so?
DOCTOR
If you think about it, I think
you’ll see that the object of your
obsession is invariably something
negative that you couldn’t possibly
have any control over.
ANN
Well, do you think many people
run around thinking about how happy
they feel and how great things
are? I mean, maybe they do, but
I doubt those people are in
therapy. Besides, being happy isn’t
all that great. My figure is always
at its best when I’m depressed.
The last time I was really happy
I put on twenty-five pounds. I
thought John was going to have
a stroke.
JOHN
(voice over)
It’s true, I’m telling you.
3 INT. LAW OFFICE -- DAY
JOHN MILLANEY, twenty-nine, sits at his desk talking on the
telephone. He is dressed very well, sporting real suspenders
with his striped pinpoint oxford shirt and cotton suit. He
fingers the wedding ring on his left hand.
JOHN
As soon as you’ve got a ring on
your finger, you start getting
serious attention from the opposite
gender. Seriously, I wish I had
Super Bowl seats for every time
I had some filly just come up
and start talking to me without
the slightest provocation. That
never happened before I got
married. Shit, if I’d known that,
I’d have gone out and bought me
a ring when I was eighteen and
saved myself a lot of time and
money.
John looks at his watch.
JOHN
Shit, I gotta be someplace.
(quickly)
Look, racquetball Thursday? You’re
the coolest.
John presses the intercom button while putting on his jacket.
JOHN
Uh, Janet, re-schedule Kirkland.
Tell him to come in Friday at 1:30.
DOCTOR
(voice over, to Ann)
Are you still keeping these
thoughts from John?
ANN
(voice over)
Yes.
4 INT. LAW OFFICE BATHROOM -- DAY
John brushes his teeth and combs his hair very carefully.
DOCTOR
(voice over, to Ann)
Are you afraid of his reaction?
Of his finding you silly for
thinking of such things?
ANN
(voice over)
No. I don’t know. I haven’t told
him about the garbage thing because
I’m pissed off at him right now.
He’s letting some old college buddy
stay at our house for a couple
of days, and he didn’t even ask
me about it. I mean, I would’ve
said yes, I just wish he would’ve
asked.
5 INT. DOCTOR’S OFFICE-DAY
DOCTOR
What upsets you about that?
ANN
I guess I’m upset because I can’t
really justify being upset, I mean,
it’s his house, really, he pays
the mortgage.
DOCTOR
But he asked you to quit your job,
and you do have housework.
ANN
Yeah, I know.
DOCTOR
This unexpected visit
notwithstanding, how are things
with John?
ANN
(shrugs)
Fine, I guess. Except right now
I m going through this where I
don’t want him to touch me.
6 INT. CYNTHIA BISHOP’S APARTMENT -- DAY
CYNTHIA BISHOP, Ann’s SISTER, opens her door to reveal the
freshly coifed John Millaney. They kiss passionately and begin
to disrobe. Cynthia bears a slight resemblance to Ann, but
is not as overtly attractive. She does, however, have a definite
carnal appeal and air of confidence that Ann lacks.
DOCTOR
(voice over)
When did you begin having this feeling?
ANN
(voice over)
About a week ago. I don’t know
what brought it on, I just started
feeling like I didn’t want him
to touch me.
DOCTOR
(voice over, to Ann)
Prior to this feeling, were you
comfortable having physical contact
with him?
ANN
(voice over)
Oh, yeah.
(pause)
But see, I’ve never really been
into sex that much, I mean, I like
it and everything, it just does’t
freak me out, I wouldn’t miss it,
you know? But anyway, lately we
haven’t been doing anything at
all. Like I said, it’s not that
I miss it, but I m curious the
way things kind of slacked off
all of a sudden.
John and Cynthia are now having sex.
DOCTOR
(voice over)
Perhaps he senses your hesitance
at being touched.
ANN
(voice over)
But see, he stopped before I got
that feeling, that’s why it seems
weird to me. I mean, I’m sure he
wishes I would initiate things
once in awhile, and I would
except it never occurs to me, I’m
always thinking about something
else and then the few times that I
have felt like starting something
I was by myself.
DOCTOR
(voice over)
Did you do anything?
A pause.
ANN
(voice over)
What do you mean?
DOCTOR
(voice over)
Did you masturbate?
7 INT. DOCTOR’S OFFICE -- DAY
ANN
(taken aback)
God, no.
DOCTOR
I take it you’ve never masturbated?
ANN
(slightly uncomfortable)
Well, I kind of tried once. It
just seemed stupid, I kept seeing
myself lying there and it seemed
stupid, and kind of, uh, I don’t
know, and then I was wondering
if my dead grandfather could see
me doing this, and it just seemed
like a dumb thing to be doing when
we don’t know what to do with all
that garbage, you know?
DOCTOR
So it was recently that you tried
this.
ANN
(exhales, head down)
Well, kind of recently, I guess.
But not too recently.
There is a pause.
ANN
I’m really not up to having a guest
in the house.
8 INT. CYNTHIA BISHOP’S APARTMENT -- DAY
John and Cynthia are lying in bed, bathed in sweat.
JOHN
I’ve got to get back to the office.
CYNTHIA
I only get one today? Gee, how
exciting.
John rolls over and begins to put his clothes on.
JOHN
I can’t let my lunch hour go on
too long. I’ve already skipped
one meeting.
CYNTHIA
Don’t give me this
passive/aggressive bullshit. If
you want to leave, leave. My life
doesn’t stop when you walk out the
door, you know what I’m saying?
John shakes his head.
JOHN
Why don’t you just tell me how
you really feel?
John stands and begins putting on his clothes.
JOHN
I have a friend coming in from
out of town, I’ll probably be
spending some time with him the
next couple of days.
CYNTHIA
Meaning we’ll have to cool it for
awhile, right?
JOHN
Right.
A silent shrug from Cynthia. John is almost completely dressed.
JOHN
I wish you’d quit that bartending
job.
CYNTHIA
Why?
JOHN
I hate the thought of guys hitting
on you all the time.
CYNTHIA
I can handle it. Besides, the money
is good and some of the guys are
cute. And you are in no position
to be jealous.
JOHN
Who said I was jealous?
CYNTHIA
I did.
John says nothing.
CYNTHIA
You know, I’d like to try your
house sometime. The idea of doing
it in my sister’s bed gives me
a perverse thrill.
John thinks about that.
CYNTHIA
I wish I could tell everybody that
Ann’s a lousy lay. Beautiful,
popular, Ann Bishop Millaney.
JOHN
Could be risky.
CYNTHIA
Well, maybe I could just start
a rumor, then.
JOHN
No, I mean doing it at my house.
CYNTHIA
Afraid of getting caught?
JOHN
Maybe.
CYNTHIA
You should be. Can I meet this
friend of yours?
JOHN
Cynthia, I don’t think you want
to, I mean, you should see the
way he dresses. I really think
he’s in a bad way.
CYNTHIA
I’m intrigued.
JOHN
You’re intrigued?
CYNTHIA
Sure. Maybe he’s the man I’m
looking for. Then I won’t have
to fuck worried husbands all the
time.
John looks at her for a moment before heading for the door.
JOHN
Bye.
9 EXT. JOHN AND ANN MILLANEY’S HOUSE -- DAY
Graham has parked in the Millaney’s driveway. He opens the
trunk, revealing a Sony 8mm Video rig and a single black duffle
bag. He grabs the duffle bag and shuts the trunk.
Graham knocks at the door. He is stubbing out a cigarette with
his beaten tennis shoe when Ann answers the door. She is unable
to hide her suprise at his appearance.
GRAHAM
Ann?
ANN
Yes?
GRAHAM
(extends his hand)
Graham Dalton.
Ann shakes his hand.
GRAHAM
Can I use your bathroom?
Ann withdraws her hand.
ANN
Yes. Yes, come in, please.
Graham moves inside.
10 INT. JOHN AND ANN MILLANEY’S HOUSE -- DAY
Ann closes the door and motions Graham to the rear of the house.
ANN
Straight back, first door on the
left.
Graham heads for the bathroom. Ann heads for the phone. She
dials John’s office.
VOICE ON PHONE
Forman, Brent, and Millaney.
ANN
John Millaney, please. This is
his wife.
Graham exits the bathroom. Ann quickly hangs up the phone.
ANN
That was quick.
GRAHAM
False alarm.
ANN
Oh. Well, please sit down.
Graham sits, his manner pleasantly animated. He gets his Gitanes
from inside his scuffed black leather jacket and looks around
for an ashtray. Ann swallows uncomfortably.
ANN
We...don’t usually let people smoke
in the house. We have a patio if you --
GRAHAM
Oh, no problem. It can wait.
A moment of silence. Graham looks at Ann directly. It is not
a challenging stare, he’s just trying to ascertain what kind
of person she is. Ann, to her credit, somehow meets his gaze.
Something subtle passes between them.
ANN
(looks at duffle bag)
Do you have other things?
GRAHAM
Yes.
(pause)
Oh, you mean to bring in! No. Yes,
I have some other things, no, I
don’t need to bring them in. This
is all I need to stay here.
ANN
Oh.
Graham smiles. He has an unusual face, a face that fluctuates
between remarkably handsome and just plain strange.
GRAHAM
Have you ever been on television?
ANN
Televison?
GRAHAM
Yes.
ANN
No. Why?
GRAHAM
(shrugs)
Curious.
The central air-conditioning switches on. Ann smiles.
ANN
Graham is an unusual name.
GRAHAM
Yeah, I guess it is. My mother
is a complete Anglophile, anything
British makes her drool like a
baby. She probably heard the name
in some movie. She’s a prisoner
of public television now.
ANN
Oh, uh-huh.
GRAHAM
Are you uncomfortable with my appearance?
ANN
(downplaying)
No, I think you look...fine.
GRAHAM
(smiles)
Oh. Well, maybe I’m uncomfortable
with my appearance. I feel a little
out of place in these surroundings.
ANN
Well...
GRAHAM
I used to take great pleasure in
that, being purposefully different,
rubbing people’s noses in it.
Didn’t you do that when you were
younger?
ANN
(thinks)
No, not really.
GRAHAM
Oh. Well, I did. I was in a band
once, and the music was always
secondary to just flat out
offending as many people as
possible.
ANN
You play an instrument?
GRAHAM
No, I was in charge of kind of
standing at the microphone and
reciting these really depressing
lyrics in a monotone. The whole
thing was really .... irrelevant.
How do you like being married?
ANN
(caught slightly off
guard)
Oh, I like it. I like it very much.
GRAHAM
What about it do you like? I’m
not being critical, I’d really
like to know.
ANN
Well.....well, the cliché about
the security of it, that’s really
true. We own a house, and I really
like that, you know? And I like
that John was just made junior
partner, so he has a steady job
and he’s not some...
Ann looks at Graham and stops. He smiles again.
ANN
...free-lance. You know.
GRAHAM
Yes. So you feel security,
stability. Like things are going
to last awhile.
ANN
Oh, definitely. I mean, just this
past year has gone by like phew!
I hardly even knew it passed.
GRAHAM
Did you know that if you shut
someone up in a room, and the only
clock he has reference to runs
two hours slow for every
twenty-four, that his body will
eventually adjust to that schedule?
Simply because the mind honestly
perceives that twenty-six hours
are twenty-four, the body follows.
And then there are sections of time.
Your life can be broken down into
the sections of time that formed
your personality (if you have one).
For instance, when I was twelve,
I had an eleven minute conversation
with my father that to this day
defines our relationship. Now,
I’m not saying that everything
happened in that specific section
of time, but the events of my
childhood involving my father led
up to, and then were crystallized
in, that eleven minutes.
Ann is fascinated, if a bit overwhelmed.
ANN
Oh, uh-huh.
GRAHAM
(smiles)
Anyway, I think the mind is very
flexible as far as time is
concerned.
ANN
You mean like "time flies"?
GRAHAM
Exactly. I would say the fact that
you feel the first year of your
marriage has gone by quickly means
lots of things. Or could mean lots
of things.
ANN
How long has it been since you’ve
seen John?
GRAHAM
Nine years.
ANN
Nine years?
GRAHAM
Yes. I was surprised that he
accepted when I asked if I could
stay here until I found a place.
ANN
Why? Didn’t you know him well?
GRAHAM
I knew him very well. We were
extremely close until I dropped
out.
A pause.
ANN
Why’d you drop out?
GRAHAM
Oh, lots of reasons, most of them
boring. But, up until I dropped
out, John and I were...very much
alike.
ANN
That’s hard to believe. The two
of you seem so different.
GRAHAM
I would imagine that we are, now.
I think I’m ready to use the
bathroom, finally.
Graham gets up and heads for the toilet. Ann watches him go,
a bemused smile on her face. After she hears the door close,
she can’t resist the impulse to take a closer look at Graham’s
bag.
IN THE BATHROOM, Graham pokes around, looking through the
medicine cabinet and sniffing towels.
JOHN
(voice over)
Call the cops.
11 INT. JOHN AND ANN MILLANEY’S HOUSE -- NIGHT
John, Ann and Graham are eating dinner.
JOHN
(to Graham)
That’s the first thing that ran
through my mind when I saw you.
I thought this is not the same
man that rode the unicycle naked
through the homecoming parade.
ANN
(to Graham)
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