*** WARNING: THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS SPOILERS AND HARSH LANGUAGE *** 'MAGNOLIA' : THE SECRET OF THE WORM While you won't find me arguing that Paul Thomas Anderson's MAGNOLIA isn't a perfect film, astute moviegoers may've noticed that one particular plotline involving a murdered body in a closet was never quite dealt with. There were certainly clues; the rap, the booking, the loss of the gun, and the gathering of the rapping son, Dixon (Emmanuel Johnson), but it's almost as if there's a character missing from the final film... And that character is Orlando Jones (Mad TV, 7-UP). It should be noted that filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson made the film the way he wanted it to be, and he's of the mind that the theatrical copies of his films (...except, perhaps, HARD EIGHT/SYDNEY...) are the final "Director's Cut" of his films, but a look at Jones' character of The Worm certainly offers a more complete picture of MAGNOLIA. Now ZEN was able to get a hold of a copy of a script sent out to actors sought for the film many months ago... I began reading it, but 20 or so pages in, I realized how much I wanted to be surprised by everything as it happened on screen. If you've seen the film, you know how intense and artistic that beginning is. Looking back, the script I have clearly isn't finished... It's missing officer Jim Kurring (John C. Reilly) losing his gun though the scene is clearly referenced later, and the film ends on a much more upbeat, almost typical ending for Jim and Claudia (Melora Walters). The following passages from the script to the NEW LINE production are those involving the character of The Worm, along with one final note on the end of the film of another scene which was shot. And these scenes were shot. The footage does exist, and thanks to the marvel that is the DVD, perhaps we'll all be seeing these scenes in our own homes before the end of the year. DIXON'S RAP Presence - with a double ass meaning gifts I bestow, with my riff, and my flow but you don't hear me though think fast, catch me, yo cause I throw what I know with a Resonance - fo'yo'trouble-ass fiend in weenin yo-self off the back of the shelf Jackass crackas, bodystackas dicktootin niggas, masturbatin' yo trigga butcha y'all just fake-ass niggas -- -- livin' to get older with a chip on your shoulder 'cept you think you got a grip, cause you hip gotta holster? Ain't no confessor, so busta, you best just Shut the fuck up, try to listen and learn -- Check that ego - come off it - I'm the profit - the proffesor Ima teach you 'bout The Worm, who eventually turned to catch wreck with the neck of a long time oppressor And he's runnin from the devil, but the debt is always gaining And if he's worth being hurt, he's worth bringin' pain in When the sunshine don't work, the Good Lord bring the rain in. Now that shit with help you SOLVE the case. [ZEN: Jump ahead, to when Julianne is waiting in the pharmacy, and the WHAT DO KIDS KNOW? gameshow is starting...] INT. POLICE STAION - THAT MOMENT CAMERA pushes in on MARCIE who's being processed and finger printed/questioned. Two DETECTIVES exchanging information OC. A small portable TELEVISION in the b.g., plays the show. DETECTIVE (OC) -- identified as Porter Parker, aged 59. Sound familiar as your husband, Marcie? DETECTIVE #2 (OC) Why'd you kill your husband, Marcie? What'd he do that made you that mad? DETECTIVE (OC) -- who you trying to protect, maybe that? DETECTIVE #2 (OC) Who you trying to help that wouldn't help you? INT. NORTH HOLLYWOOD APARTMENT - THAT MOMENT CAMERA pushes in on the little kid, DIXON, who gave Jim Kurring the rap before. Sitting around with the friends who we saw earlier in one of their apartments. They're glued to the TELEVISION. The BACK OF A FIGURE (black male) enters FRAME and taps Dixon's shouler with a "let's go" motion and Dixon gets up and follows... CAMERA keeps going in towards the television -- (Cuts back to gameshow host Jimmy Gator) [ZEN: Jump ahead, to when Donnie's keys stick in the door, and Jim & Claudia are on their date...] INT. BURGER KING - THAT MOMENT Stanley finished his cookie. Worm, sitting across from him, starts to cry a little, very quietely. He hides it best he can. Stanley looks up here and there from his books. They make another moment of eye contact... then: WORM Hi. STANLEY Hi. WORM ..sorry... STANLEY It's ok. BEAT. STANLEY Are you alright? Worm looks up. [ZEN: A few scenes later... Donnie heads back to return the money he stole, and Earl mutters obscenities while Frank (Tom Cruise) sits by his bed.] EXT. VENTURA BLVD - THAT MOMENT CAMERA with the Buick Regal. It moves past CAMERA, which PANS and DOLLIES over to -- THE LAMPLIGHTER COFFEE SHIP. Looking inside, through the window to see Stanley and Worm, sitting....talking... CAMERA GOES INSIDE THE LAMPLIGHTER COFFEE SHOP QUICK DESOLVE TO: INT. LAMPLIGHTER - THAT MOMENT Worm is in tears, talking to Stanley. SLOW ZOOM IN. WORM ....you have it... east... you know? You have a father who loves you, huh? STANLEY Yes. WORM You know what it's like to come home scared, scared that maybe if you don't have the money you're supposed to go out each day and get that you're gonna get beaten... by a belt... he hits me with a belt, Stanley.... and my sisters, too. (beat) I'm supposed to sell those candy bars, and if I don't, I come home without the money... STANLEY ....Why does he do it? WORM Cause he hates me... he hates me so much. STANLEY It's not right. WORM I hate it. CU - Worm. He hesitates... looks at Stanley and says: WORM I think... that if you're zero... like when you're born to when you're eighteen years old maybe... you should just get love. Just love and attention... and presents and love and things from your parents... because after that... we are all going to discover how hard it is... how hard this is... but it should just be good from when you're zero to when you're eighteen... let all the hard stuff come after that. STANLEY I have money. WORM ...what...? STANLEY I have money to give you. WORM No. No. I have to do this on my own. STANLEY I can take you to get money. I don't need it... I don't need it -- listen to me: I can let you have my money so your father won't hit you ever again -- you'll have the money because I don't need it. CAMERA pushes in on Worm. 30fps. WORM Where do you have it? CAMERA holds the 2-shot, looking out the window onto the street. We PUSH PAST THEM AND THROUGH THE WINDOW, picking up with a YELLOW CAB as it drives by, PAN with it.... [ZEN: A few frog-falling scenes later...] INT. LAMPLIGHTER - THAT MOMENT Stanley and Worm. CAMERA holds as all around... through the glass windows... it RAINS FROGS...smashing to the ground.....hitting a couple odd parked cars... they sit, watching, stunned...in a sort of daze. Stanley seems almost happy. Worm, shocked, scarred; WORM What is that? STANLEY It's frogs. It's raining frogs. WORM ...fuck you mean, it's raining frogs? STANLEY It's raining frogs from the sky. WORM ....what the fuck, what the fuck.... STANLEY This hapopens... this is something that happens. WORM What the fuck is goin' on? WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON? CU - STANLEY. HOLD ON HIS FACE extremely tight. In the reflection of his eyes, we see the Frogs falling.... past the neon sign that reads "Fresh Coffee." ANGLE, DIXON. He comes running into the Burger King and over to Worm and Stanley... he's scarred shitless and frantic -- DIXON DADDY! DAD! DAD WHAT THE HELL IS GOIN' ON? WORM Stay quiet... stay quiet, son -- DIXON LET'S GO, LET'S GO, LET'S GET HIS MONEY AND GO -- DID YOU GET HIS MONEY? DID YOU GET IT? DID YOU GET HIS MONEY, DAD? WORM No, Son... be quiet... be quiet now... DIXON C'mon, Dad. We gotta just GET HIS MONEY AND GO. WORM W're not gonna do that now. We're not gonna do that now and that's over. DIXON BULLSHIT. BULLSHIT, DAD WE NEED TO GET HIS MONEY AND GO. Dixon takes out a large POLICE ISSUED REVOLVER, AIMS at STANLEY'S FACE. DIXON GIVE US YOUR MONEY MAN. WORM Son, don't -- DIXON BULLSHIT, BULLSHIT DAD WE GOTTA GET HIS MONEY -- WORM -- no. DIXON (to Stanley) GIVE US YOUR MONEY. WORM Put the gun down, please, boy. DIXON GIVE US YOUR MONEY, KID. WORM Son, please, now.... DIXON DAD -- WORM Please, boy, put it down and it's ok. Dixon stars to get nervous and well with tears... he skaes a little.... WORM It's ok - DIXON We gotta get his money so we can get outta here -- we gotta -- WORM That idea is over now. We're not gonna do that now. Dixon stars crying and shaking and backing away -- DIXON DADDY, FUCK, DADDY, DON'T GET MAD AT ME. DON'T GET MAD AT ME -- (to Stanley) JUST GIMME YOUR MONEY. WORM I'm not mad, son, I will not be mad at you and it's ok and please put it down and I won't be mad and I won't -- DIXON DAD. Dixon stars to lower the gun a bit, crying and shaking... He lowers the gun and hands it over to his father... Dixon is sort of flinching...the possibility that his Father may strike him... ...Stanley is frozen... Dixon is hyperventilating.... DIXON I - just - thought - that - I - didn't want - I didn't - I didn't - WORM It's ok, boy. HOLD. Que. "Bein Green," by Kermit the Frog/Aimee EXT. LAMPLIGHTER/VENTURA BLVD. - THAT MOMENT CAMERA holds a wide angle on the Lamplighter Coffee Shop. Frogs falling from the sky onto and around the streets.... EXT. THE SKY - THAT MOMENT CAMERA up with the Falling Frogs.... CAMERA is moving down with them... it becomes almost musical... like Busby-Berkely-style coreography of Frogs That Fall In The Sky... MUSIC/KERMIT THE FROG "It's not easy bein' green... Having to spend each day the color of the leaves..." [ZEN: So Dixon has the gun... A few moments later, as Jim and Quiz Kid Donnie Smith sit bloodied at the gas station, a car pulls up and Dixon tosses the gun, which does not fall from the sky, onto the ground in front of them...] All Script Excerpts are Copyright NEW LINE CINEMA and are Reprinted for Journalistic Purposes Only.