screenplay

The Ballad of Regina and Sal, Starring Sebastian Chacon and Riley Keough

BEN WEARS: Jacket by Isabel Marant. Tank Top from Palace. Pants by Salvatore Ferragamo. SEBASTIAN WEARS: Top by Palace. Pants by The Row. Jewelry (worn throughout) Sebastian’s Own. RILEY WEARS: Top, Briefs, Tights, and Shoes from Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello.

The story of two lovers from opposite sides of town, and a boy with fiery eyes and dreams no one could steal.

Starring Riley Keough, Sebastian Chacon, and Ben Smith-Petersen.

Original Screenplay by Jeremy O. Harris.

———

EXT. CITY CENTER MOTEL – POOL – DAY

SAL, MID 20s LATINX with a James Dean swagger in a Pacino body, sits by the pool of the City Center hotel, pensive and demure.

He was waiting, as he often did on a Wednesday afternoon, for the sound of tires on gravel and the quiet SLAM of a too expensive convertible door in the parking lot behind him.

Top from Palace. Pants by Marni.

CUT TO:

EXT. CITY CENTER MOTEL – PARKING LOT – CONTINUOUS

A blood red convertible speeds through the parking lot with abandon before comfortably pulling into a spot without hesitation. In an instant the door opens and out steps REGINA, MID 20s WHITE a Lauren Bacall who grew up on Fassbinder.

She stomps from the car and pulls her scarf tight around her face. She’s obviously both familiar with the location and utterly disgusted by it.

Coat by Prada. Scarf (worn on head) and Gloves from Palace. Sunglasses by Oliver Peoples. Ring by Bvlgari. Boots by The Row.

REGINA
(a la Betty Davis)
“What a dump”…

She makes her way towards the motel’s “porter”…a booth in a cement wall.

PORTER
(Off-screen)
Twice in a week? You can’t get enough.

REGINA
I have no idea what you’re talking about.

She places a two hundred dollar bill in front of him before backing away and looking around.

The porter chuckles before tossing her the key.

PORTER
I don’t have a clue either baby. Have a lovely afternoon.

CUT TO:

INT. CITY CENTER MOTEL – ROOM 23

Regina enters the room, her fur coat falling from her shoulders and immediately shuts the blinds before reopening them to look at the street.

Before she can close them again the telephone begins to ring.

RING RING RING RING

It’s much too loud.

REGINA
(answering)
Hello? Sal? You know I don’t like this. The walls so thin it feels like every ear in the county will hear you whimper my name…

She listens.

REGINA (CONT’D)
That’s right…whimper…

She hears a knock at the door. She looks over concerned.

CUT TO:

EXT. CITY CENTER MOTEL – ROOM 23

Sal sits next to a hand made DO NOT DISTURB SIGN and begins knocking at the door.

Top from Palace. Pants by The Row.

SAL
(whimpering)
Re-gin-a…re-gin-a.

The door opens and he stands looking down at Regina with a mischievous smile.

Belt from Palace. Sunglasses by Oliver Peoples.

REGINA
Does Alison know you like it this dirty?

SAL
Does Frank?

He pushes his way in.

INT. / EXT. CITY CENTER MOTEL ROOM 23

The blinds still opening Sal begins to walk in closer to Regina who feigns fear but keeps giggling in spite of herself.

SEBASTIAN WEARS: Pants by Balenciaga. Tank Top and Belt from Palace. Boots by Giuseppe Zanotti. RILEY WEARS: Coat by Prada. Scarf (worn on head) and gloves from Palace. Sunglasses by Oliver Peoples. Ring by Bvlgari. Boots by The Row.

REGINA
Oh he knows how dirty his gal is.

SAL
He knows she likes unwashed sheets? And swimming in pools with needles?

Regina picks up the phone and lies on the bed. Sal stands over her.

REGINA
Should I call and ask?

SAL
How crazy are you?

REGINA
Crazy crazy…

She begins to dial a number. Sal lights a cigarette and begins to laugh.

SAL
This ain’t how I thought this movie would play out.

REGINA

(on the phone)

Hey Frank? It’s your missus. I’m calling to tell you I’m at a motel in the center of the city. Sal is standing right beside me. And I’m gonna make him go wild and crazy for my body for a few hours in this room. Till he’s sweaty and hot and can’t take it anymore. Then I’m gonan fuck him and come home to make dinner for you. Love you baby.

She hangs up the phone.

CUT TO:

EXT. CITY CENTER MOTEL – PARKING LOT

The CAMERA FINDS OUR COUPLE ON A BALCONY STARING OUT, PICTURESQUE.

We slowly ZOOM in.

SAL
(VOICE OVER)
Regina was the best time. None better. We composed symphonies out of the squeaks of mattresses and the screams of metal bed frames. She liked me dirty and I liked her crazy. Wild. Unfettered. Like a pig.

INT. CITY CENTER MOTEL – ROOM 23

REGINA AND SAL lie on a couch lazy in each other’s arms, drunk on pheromones and lust.

Riley Keough

REGINA
Lick my toes…but only the ones that smell.

Sal smiles and begins to take off her shoe slowly.

Riley Keough

REGINA (CONT’D)
But do it like Brando did it in that one movie.

Sal raises an eyebrow.

SAL
(slowly )
Like this?

 

Regina lights a cigarette and falls back.

REGINA
Exactly like that.

Riley Keough

Suddenly a shadow passes by the window. But no one notices.

CUT TO:

INT. / EXT. CITY CENTER MOTEL

Riley Keough

Dress and Boots by Bottega Veneta. Earrings (worn throughout) Riley’s Own.

FRANK, LATE 20s a Steve McQueen stuck with a John Wayne glare, is staring at them from outside the window as they lie together pre-coital…

TAP. TAP. TAP. TAP.

Sal and Regina look over to the window.

FRANK
You said he’d be sweaty and hot. He look pretty dry, pretty cool to me.

Sal looks to Regina who just reaches over and picks a cigarette before lighting it.

SAL
You crazy bitch. You actually called him?

REGINA
You told me to…who’s crazier?

CUT TO:

EXT. CITY CENTER MOTEL – ROOM 23

The three stand outside.

Riley Keough

SEBASTIAN WEARS: Top from Palace. Pants by The Row. RILEY WEARS: Top, Briefs, and Tights by Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello. Rings (worn throughout) Riley’s Own. BEN WEARS: Jacket by Isabel Marant. Tank Top from Palace.

REGINA
It’s not hard to see where this is gonna go.

She moves her hands across Frank’s belt.

FRANK
Honey if it’s hard you’re looking for you won’t find it here.

SAL
Frank —

Regina reaches over and touches his lips before shaking her head.

Riley Keough

BEN WEARS: Pants by Salvatore Ferragamo.

REGINA
(to Frank then Sal)
Look in my eyes. Both of you.

They do.

Riley Keough

Shorts by Gucci. Briefs by Supreme.

Regina reaches to one, places her hand on his cheek. Then the other. Before:

 

FADE TO BLACK.

FADE TO:

EXT. CITY CENTER MOTEL – THREE DAYS LATER

In the same outfit Regina lies upon the bed phone in her lap, Sal above her…

REGINA (CONT’D)
Does Alison know you like it this dirty?

SAL
Does Frank?

REGINA
Should I call and ask?

She looks into the camera then picks up the phone.

SCENE.

———

Hair (Riley): Mark Townsend using Dove at A-Frame Agency.

Makeup (Riley): Rachel Goodwin using Chanel Beauty at A-Frame Agency.

Grooming (Sebastian): Stephanie Hobgood at Cloutier Remix.

Production: Collins Salovaara.

Photography Assistant: Peri Rosenzweig.

Fashion Assistants: Carlee Barrow and Karina Hoge.