"FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF" by John Hughes July 24, 1985 "FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF" 1 BLACK SCREEN 1 MAIN TITLES IT'S SILENT. A BEAT...AND AN EXPLOSION OF SOUND. A HOUSEHOLD IN THE MORNING. KIDS GETTING READY FOR SCHOOL. CLOCK RADIOS. KITCHEN APPLIANCES. SHOWERS. FIGHTING. PEOPLE YELLING. DOG BARKING. APPLIANCES BUZZING. CAR HORNS. IT SOUNDS JUST LIKE YOUR HOUSE DID. STREAMS OF ROCK'N ROLL FADE IN AND OUT. HUEY LEWIS TO LIONEL RITCHIE TO HUSKER DU. SURROUND MAKES IT FEEL LIKE YOU'RE IN THE ROOM. AN AURAL TOUR OF A HOUSE ON A SCHOOL MORNING. BEGINNING IN THE KITCHEN AND MOVING UPSTAIRS. FATHER'S VOICE (TOM) Where's my wallet?! SEVEN YEAR OLD BOY (TODD) YOU IDIOT!! TWELVE YEAR OLD GIRL (KIMBERLY) MOM! TODD SHUT-UP! EIGHTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL (JEANIE) I NEED A TOWEL!! TOM JOYCE! KIMBERLY (whispers, sadistic) When you turn ten, your head's going to swell up real big like a watermelon and we're going to have to put you to sleep like they do with a dog. TODD MOM! TOM JOYCE!! JEANIE WHO PISSED ON THE TOILET SEAT!? MOTHER!! TOM Where's Mom? TODD Is my head going to swell up? TOM What?! JEANIE OH, MY GOD! THE TOILET PAPER'S ALL WET!!! MOTHER (JOYCE) (screams) TOM! The house falls dead SILENT. We hear footsteps thundering through the house. A TENSE STRAIN OF MUSIC FADES UP. TODD What's that? KIMBERLY Wait! Hold still! TODD What?! KIMBERLY You heads starting to swell up!! Todd screams. We hear the sound of Tom's footsteps running through the kitchen, down the hall, up the stairs, up the hallway. A door open. TOM (breathless) What's the matter? JOYCE (worried) It's Ferris! TOM What's wrong? JOYCE (snaps) What's wrong? For Christ's sake! Look at him! 2 CLOSE-UP. FERRIS 2 An eighteen year-old boy. He's staring lifelessly at CAMERA. His mouth's open. His eyes are bugged-out. His tongue is fat and dry in his mouth. He's laying in bed, on his side. 3 INT. BOY'S BEDROOM 3 Ferris' parents, TOM and JOYCE BUELLER are standing at bedside. They're in their late forties, early fifties. Handsome, upper-middle class parents. They're both dressed for work. TOM Ferris? JOYCE He doesn't have a fever. But he says his stomach hurts and he's seeing spots. 4 CLOSE-UP. FERRIS 4 His lifeless eyes blink. 5 INT. BEDROOM. PARENTS 5 Tom bends down and touches Ferris' forehead. TOM What's the matter, Ferris? JOYCE Feel his hands. They're cold and clammy. Tom takes one of Ferris' hands. TOM (discreetly) Should you call the doctor? JOYCE (whispers) He doesn't want me to. TOM Why don't you want Mom to call the doctor? Ferris exhales loudly. He tries to speak but all he can manage is a choked gasp. TOM What? Ferris tries again. FERRIS (raspy) Don't make a fuss. I'm fine. I'll get up. He starts to get up. Joyce gently pushes him back down. FERRIS I have a test today. I have to take it. I want to get into a good college so I can have a fruitful life... JOYCE You're not going to school like this. (to Tom) Maybe I should call the office and tell them I won't be in. FERRIS I'm okay, Mom. I feel perfectly...Oh, God! He's gripped by a seizure. His body stiffens and he chokes. His older sister, JEANIE, walks into the room. She's dressed for school. She's cute and stuck-up. A major pill. JEAN Oh, fine. What's this? What's his problem? JOYCE He doesn't feel well. JEAN Yeah, right. Dry that one out and you can fertilize the lawn. TOM That's enough, Jeanie. JEANIE You're not falling for this, are you? Tell me you're not falling for this. FERRIS Is that Jeanie? I can't see that far. Jeanie? JEANIE Pucker up and squat, Ferris. JOYCE (annoyed) Thank you, Jeanie. Get to school. JEANIE (angry, defeated) You're really letting him stay home? I can't believe this. If I was bleeding out my eyes, you guys'd make me go to school. It's so unfair. FERRIS Please don't be upset with me, Jeanie. Be thankful that you're fit and have your health. Cherish it. JEANIE (to herself) Oh, I wanna puke. She glares at Ferris. Her eyes are mascara and vengeance. She slips out of the room. Ferris' brother, TODD and sister, KIMBERLY peek into the room. KIMBERLY Myocardial infarction? JOYCE Get your stuff. Daddy'll be right down. KIMBERLY Syphilitic meningitis? That would be a huge family embarrassment. TOM Get downstairs! KIMBERLY If he dies, I got dibs on his stereo. She turns sharply and exits. TODD (worried) Dad? Does my head look alright? JOYCE Get downstairs! Now! TODD Just answer me one question! Is it swelling up? Kim said it was going to get as big as... KIMBERLY (OC) A WATERMELON! TODD (yells out the room) Shut-up! JOYCE Get downstairs! NOW! Todd backs out of the room. FERRIS I'll be okay. I'll just sleep. Maybe I'll have an aspirin around noon. JOYCE (to Ferris) I'm showing houses to the family from California today but I'll be in the area. My office'll know where I am, if you need me. TOM I'll check it with you, too. FERRIS It's nice to know I have such loving, caring parents. You're both very special people. 6 CU. FERRIS 6 He acknowledges Tom with a pathetic flutter of his eyelids. 7 INT. BEDROOM. JOYCE 7 She strokes Ferris' hair. JOYCE I hope you feel better, pumpkin. She leans down and kisses his forehead. Tom pats his shoulder. TOM Get some rest. 8 CU. FERRIS 8 Ferris lets out a wheeze. His glassy eyes follow his parents to the door. JOYCE (OC) We love you, sweetie. TOM (OC) Call if you need us. They close the door. The lock clicks. Ferris' eyes shift from the door to CAMERA. A sly, little smile crawls across his lips. FERRIS They bought it. The MTV theme music ROARS IN.