Beautiful in White

List of Characters:
Gideon- protagonist, son of Mr. Halder.
Mr.Halder- Father of Gideon, slave owner.
Bethany- enslaved African girl.
Mary- house maid.



FADE IN
EXT. OPEN SEA- DAY
A large ship is sailing amidst calm waters. A crew member
approaches the Captain.
CREW
Sir, weâre nearing. Should we
begin?
The Captain gives a curt nod as the crew member scurries
away.
EXT. SHIP DECK- DAY
The crew are busily bathing and cleaning the Africans who
are still in chains while some are being fed.
EXT. DOCKS- DAY
The Africans are lined up before a group of white men who
are eying them. The Captain stands to the side.
CAPTAIN
Commence!
The group rush forward in a frenzy and start to grab onto
the Africans they want. Screams of terror ring out as the
white men fight for them. A girl of about 18 is taken into a
group and bustled onto a truck by some men.
EXT. HOUSE- DAY
The Africans are standing in the sun, still in chains, the
white men waiting beside them. A middle-aged man, MR.
HALDER, walks out and stands on the porch. He scans them
while fiddling with his newspaper.
MR. HALDER
(to the overseer)
Very good. You know what to do.
INT. ROOM- DAY
A YOUNG MAN, 23, with short dark hair, sits at his desk
writing. He hears the commotion outside and gets up, going
towards the window. He pulls back the curtain and sees the
men splitting the Africans into groups and leading them
away.
2.
INT. KITCHEN- DAY
Mr. Halder sits at the table sipping from a cup and reading
the newspaper when the young man walks in and sits opposite
him.
MR. HALDER
Fine day today, isnât it, Gideon?
GIDEON
Father, what are you doing?
MR. HALDER
Hmm?
GIDEON
I saw them. The people outside...
MR. HALDER
People? Youâre mistaken, my boy.
Theyâre just simply Negros and
nothing more than that.
GIDEON
Didnât you read those pamphlets I
gave you?
MR. HALDER
I donât have the time to read that
nonsense.
GIDEON
Theyâre not. My friend in London
said there is a campaign to end
this once and for all!
MR. HALDER
End slavery? How absurd!
GIDEON
You said that you would leave it.
Why do you continue?
MR. HALDER
This trade is very profitable and I
see no other venture that would
result otherwise.
GIDEON
Father, they are people, men, just
as we are! They are not born to be
under subjection but to be free!
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 3.
MR. HALDER
Enough with all this silliness,
Gideon. Stop filling your head with
all these ideas. One day youâll
take my place.
GIDEON
No, Father. I wonât.
MR. HALDER
(drinking)
Then what will you do?
GIDEON
I wish to become a clergyman.
Mr. Halder chokes on his drink then regains composure.
GIDEON(CONTâD)
Are you alright?
MR. HALDER
A clergyman? Son of a slave owner?
That would make the joke of the
century!
GIDEON
It is what I want.
MR. HALDER
Excuse me, I have things to tend
to.
He gets up and leaves with Gideon staring after him.
EXT. GARDEN- DAY
Gideon strolls along the footpath, reading from his Bible.
GIDEON
"There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither slave nor free,
there is neither male or female;
for you are all one in Christ."
He looks up toward the sky and sighs. As he approaches the
shed he hears a voice.
MAN (O.S)
Youâre very pretty. Come here, I
have something for you if you do...
4.
INT/EXT. GARDEN SHED- DAY
Gideon looks in and sees the overseer cornering the young
African girl, his arm trapping her in place. He strokes her
face as she flinches from his contact.
GIDEON
What do you think youâre doing?!
The overseer jumps and turns around. Gideon enters.
OVERSEER
Young Master! I--uh--...
GIDEON
(gritting)
You disgust me! If you ever try
something like this again, I swear,
youâll regret very greatly.
OVERSEER
Yes--yes...
GIDEON
Leave.
The overseer hurries out. The African girl cowers in the
corner as Gideon approaches her. He walks carefully with one
arm stretched out while the other still holding his Bible.
He squats down in front of her.
GIDEON(CONTâD)
There, there...do not be afraid.
Iâm here now, youâre safe.
The girl looks at him, eyes full of fear. She glances at his
Bible.
GIDEON
Do you have a name? Iâm Gideon.
He pats his chest as he says this. The girl shifts her arm
and he notices a marking.
GIDEON(CONTâD)
(whispers)
S.H. Sam Halder.
(beat)
Iâll call you...Bethany, for you
have unfortunately come to the
house of affliction.
5.
He smiles tenderly at her.
INT. DINING ROOM- NIGHT
Gideon and his father sit at the table as the maid, MARY,
60s, serves their dinner. He thanks her as she places his
plate in front of him.
GIDEON
Father, I stumbled upon something
rather distressing.
Mr. Halder looks at him as he eats a forkful of food.
GIDEON(CONTâD)
The overseer was trying to violate
the African girl in the shed.
MR. HALDER
Thatâs nothing new.
GIDEON
(shocked)
Nothing new?!
MR. HALDER
Its normal. You canât expect men to
be completely virtuous under these
circumstances.
GIDEON
So youâre saying its acceptable for
women to be treated as such?!
(beat)
Did you do it too?!
MR. HALDER
Eat up, your dinnerâs getting cold.
Gideon stares at his plate, his face burning.
GIDEON
My appetiteâs left me. May I be
excused?
MR. HALDER
Son, donât be like that...
He sighs.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 6.
MR. HALDER(CONTâD)
Yes.
Gideon gets up and leaves.
INT. ROOM- NIGHT
Gideon sits on his bed holding a picture frame, gazing at
it. He touches the face of a smiling woman.
GIDEON
Mother, how I miss you so!
Tears start to flow from his eyes. He hastily wipes it away.
GIDEON(CONTâD)
Did you know about all this? What
Father has been doing? How did you
cope? Was that the reason you fell
so ill?
He hugs the picture and breaks down in sobs.
INT. KITCHEN- DAYBREAK
Gideon stands in front of the stove flipping something over.
Mary shuffles in and is surprised to see him. She rushes
forward.
MARY
Young Master! What you do?
GIDEON
Oh, morning, Mary. Just making some
breakfast, pancakes. I made extras
if you want some.
MARY
You no spose do this, I do.
GIDEON
Its alright, I can also do things
for myself too.
MARY
I remember you no eat dinner,
thatâs why?
GIDEON
Right.
Gideon places the pancakes onto a plate and pours syrup over
it. Taking a fork, he goes and sits at the counter. He takes
a sip from his cup and starts eating.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 7.
GIDEON(CONTâD)
My Mother made this for me all the
time and she taught me how to make
it.
He smiles at the memory. Mary joins him.
MARY
I know your Father..he no bad
man...he good now.
GIDEON
May God forgive him of his sins.
MARY
Yes..God always good.
Gideon continues to eat as Mary goes back to her chores.
EXT. PLANTATION- DAY
Gideon walks through the plantation, watching the slaves
work. A male slave collapses in the field and the overseer
without a word, whips him. The slave cries out. Gideon
rushes to his aid.
GIDEON
Stop! Stop it! Must you do that?
OVERSEER
How else will they work then?
The overseer immediately withdraws his whip as Gideon kneels
down beside the agonized slave as the others watch.
GIDEON(CONTâD)
Are you alright?
The slave speaks in a foreign language and points at the
scorching sun then to his head.
GIDEON(CONTâD)
This man is suffering from heat
stroke, he must take rest.
OVERSEER
Man? He most certainly is not!
Gideon gets up and comes face to face with him.
GIDEON
What makes you so sure he is not?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 8.
OVERSEER
Look at the creature, black as the
devil and an uncivilized savage!
GIDEON
But he can also talk, work and is
physically like us...does that
still make him anymore different?
MR. HALDER(O.S)
Gideon! Enough, come along now.
Gideon leaves and joins his father.
EXT. GARDEN- DAY
Both men walk alongside each other.
MR. HALDER
Youâre beginning to learn of things
you never knew before.
He glances at Gideon.
MR. HALDER(CONTâD)
City life covers up things that
happen out here.
GIDEON
I canât make up my mind if I like
being here ever since...Mother...
MR. HALDER
You would have bound to know about
this side of life sooner or later.
They approach Mary who is teaching Bethany to do gardening.
Mary acknowledges them. Bethany looks up at Gideon.
GIDEON
Hello, Bethany.
MR. HALDER
Who?
GIDEON
I gave her a name.
They go pass them.
MR. HALDER
Gideon, giving it a name too soon
will complicate things.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 9.
GIDEON
It?! You canât be serious...
MR. HALDER
These Negros are nothing more than
mere objects, property of their
owners.
GIDEON
Why then does Mary have a name?
MR. HALDER
Sheâs been with us for some time
and she deserves that privilege.
The others will have to earn their
right to be given an identity.
GIDEON
This just gets more and more
unbearable.
INT. KITCHEN- DAY
Bethany is cutting some carrots and potatoes. Gideon enters
and goes to the fridge, taking out a bottle of water.
Simultaneously, she goes toward the fridge as he turns
around. He moves to one side and so does she. Then he moves
to the other side, getting the same result. He laughs and
gestures while he talks.
GIDEON
How about this. I stand here and
you go, ok?
She does this and smiles at him.
GIDEON
Great.
He laughs to himself as he leaves. She looks at him.
BETHANY
(whispers)
Gi--de--on...Gideon.
EXT. PORCH- NIGHT
Gideon sits on a chair, looking up at the star-filled sky.
Bethany comes out carrying a heavy looking sack on her head.
He sees her with it and jumps up, hurrying to her.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 10.
GIDEON
Here, let me.
He takes it off of her and puts it on his shoulder.
GIDEON(CONTâD)
Where to?
Bethany points to the garden.
GIDEON(CONTâD)
Lead the way.
EXT. GARDEN- NIGHT
Gideon locks the shed and they walk back. The moonlight
illuminates their path.
GIDEON
I love everything about night; the
stars, the moon and how its quiet
as everyone sleeps.
He glances at her.
GIDEON
You donât understand what Iâm
saying, right? Thatâs OK.
They continue walking to the sound of chirping.
EXT. HOUSE- DAY
The overseer is waving a cup at Bethany.
OVERSEER
You call this tea?! It tastes like
crap! You need to be taught a
lesson!
Just then, Gideon comes out and sees the overseer pick up a
pot, aiming it at her. He runs out and takes her place,
pushing her to the ground behind him. The hot water burns
him and he yells out in pain, dropping to his knees.
OVERSEER
Young Master! Where--what...
Bethany gets up and comes to his aid. She uses her apron to
dry him. Mr. Halder arrives from the garden.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 11.
MR. HALDER
What on earth is happening here?!
OVERSEER
Master,-- it was-- an- accident.
The Young Master intervened-- and
received the Negroâs punishment.
GIDEON
Iâll be alright...
MR. HALDER
Take him inside.
INT. ROOM- DAY
Gideon lies on his bed on his side, staring out the window.
He touches his mildly burnt arm and grimaces.
INT. KITCHEN- DAY
Bethany washes the dishes absentmindedly. She seems to be in
deep thought. We are then shown the flashback of how Gideon
saved her from the overseer and being burnt. Her face
softens at this memory.
EXT. GARDEN- NIGHT
Gideon sits on the bench, humming. He hears approaching
footsteps. He turns and sees Bethany. She is surprised then
goes to sit with him.
GIDEON
What are you doing here, Bethany?
She points at his arm.
GIDEON(CONTâD)
Itâll be fine...nothing to worry
about.
He taps it with a smile. Bethany holds his hand and looks at
him, saying something foreign. Then she bows her head.
GIDEON(CONTâD)
You donât have to thank me. He
shouldnât do that anyway.
Suddenly water droplets start to fall.
GIDEON
We better get back.
12.
Rain pours down heavily as Gideon takes off his outer shirt
and holds it above their heads as they run back.
EXT. PORCH- NIGHT
They come running onto the porch, slightly wet. Bethany
watches Gideon as he wrings his outer shirt. She takes out
her handkerchief and goes to him. Reaching up, she dries his
face. He freezes, watching her. Then she steps back,
smiling.
GIDEON
Thank you...I--uh--...better go in.
Donât want to catch a cold now, do
we?
He chuckles nervously.
GIDEON(CONTâD)
Well...good night.
He goes in. Bethany stands there with a hand over her chest.
INT. ROOM- NIGHT
Gideon lies asleep with gentle snores. Suddenly, someone
bangs at the door. He stirs and looks at his clock- 3am. He
gets up and shuffles to the door, opening it.
GIDEON
Bethany?!
She begins to speak in her foreign language while taking his
arm and pulling him away.
GIDEON
Where are you taking me? Whatâs
going on?!
INT. KITCHEN- NIGHT
They enter where Mary and his father are seated at the
table.
GIDEON
Father, what is the meaning of
this?!
MR. HALDER
Gideon, donât be alarmed when I say
this...
(beat)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 13.
A slave revolt is headed this way.
Gideon gasps and stumbles slightly.
MR. HALDER(CONTâD)
The overseer and the others were
killed while defending us...weâre
trapped here.
Mary who is peering out between the curtains makes a gasp
and backs away.
MARY
They come!
GIDEON
We can talk to them...make peace.
MR. HALDER
No, it wonât work. Theyâre too
angry...vengeful.
GIDEON
There must be a way, Father!
Suddenly loud raps on the door are heard amidst shouting.
Gideon then begins to say the Lordâs Prayer as the two women
weep silently.
MR. HALDER
They say regret is something that
hits you when youâre faced with a
situation you canât escape from.
He laughs sadly as the door bursts open and the slave men
advance toward them. Bethany grabs hold of Gideonâs hand and
looks at him. He then smiles and gazes upwards.
THE END
FADE OUT