Documentary Now Official Script

♪ ♪ Good evening. I'm Helen Mirren, and you're watching Documentary Now! For the past 50 years, Documentary Now! has presented audiences with the world's most thought-provoking cinema. This season, to celebrate our golden anniversary, we take a look back at the films that helped shape, change, and innovate the world of documentary. Filmmakers Larry and Abraham Fein believed the key to crafting a documentary was to observe, not to direct. In 1975, they observed the world of Big Vivvy and Little Vivvy Van Kimpton in the seminal classic, Sandy Passage.

[birds singing] Big Vivvy: Vivvy.

Little Vivvy: Mother!

Big Vivvy: Vivvy. Vivvy. Where are you?

Little Vivvy: I'm downstairs! [raccoon chitters] Big Vivvy: Vivvy, the raccoon's back. [raccoon chitters] Little Vivvy: Well, stop feeding it!

I don't feed it.

Little Vivvy: That's the whole reason it comes back is 'cause you feed it. [birds chirping] [bag rustling] Get out!

Get out, raccoon.

Get out of here.

Little Vivvy: Don't feed it!

Get out! [birds chirping] Little Vivvy: Oh, sure, it's... you know, it's a gorgeous town, but mother and I, we know the ugly part, the underbelly, and it's... You know, it's sad. They harass us because they don't agree with our politics. You know, they're sending the police to tell us the house isn't up to code and there are health violations, but it's just harassment. That's all it is. It's just harassment. [sweeping orchestral music] ♪♪ Little Vivvy: There they are. Hello, Larry.

Larry: Hi. Hello, Alfred.

You boys look very, very handsome, very healthy today.

Thank you.

How we doing?

Doing great.

Oh, good.

Yeah, beautiful day. It is beautiful. You look very pretty.

You look... Oh. Thank you.

Tell us about your outfit.

Um, this here is a skirt that I safety pin on. And if I want, I can make it a cape. And this... what this is is that I take sweatpants, and I wrap them around my head. This is what I do in the fall,

because it is a... um, it's very practical as a built-in scarf. But I'll tell you, [whispers] mother doesn't like it. Mother doesn't like it at all.

Yeah, let me show you the garden. [branches cracking, clattering] Planted some bean sprouts right there, and, uh, some tomatoes over there. And... [sighs] It all died. Nothing really grows here. It's so sad.

Looks great, David. That's David. He tends the garden. [birds singing] Little Vivvy: Oh, Alfred. I have some photos for you. Look how beautiful my mother was. Look at this. See how beautiful she is? This is from a famous photographer named Emil LaRue. Oh. Oh, here's a painting. Beautiful painting of Mother. Look at this. Can you believe this? Who painted this, Mother?

Big Vivvy: George Wellfeather. George Wellfeather. Isn't that gorgeous? This is a sketch that someone did of Mother at a... at a carnival. Isn't that nice? She's on roller skates. And there's a plane skywriting "Big Vivvy." And, um... [whispers] She can't really roller skate, though. Look at that. Isn't she beautiful?

Big Vivvy: I used to roller skate all around the rink.

Isn't she beautiful? This is a police sketch of Mom. Put that away.

That, um...

Put that down.

Shh! Shh! Her top fell off while she was walking down the street...

Big Vivvy: Vivvy, put that away. And this mother and children...

I didn't realize it had fallen off.

They gave descriptions of Mom to the police, and the guy did a wonderful job. Look at that.

Big Vivvy: It doesn't look anything like me.

Little Vivvy: Looks beautiful. Looks just like you. [water dripping] I'm gonna show you one of my favorite rooms in the house. Look at this. We have our own stage. Isn't it beautiful? This is where I first learned to dance. I have memories of... [crashing] Alfred: Vivvy! Oh, my god. That's it. Go, go, go. [crashing] She went all the way through.

Larry: Vivvy.

Big Vivvy: What did you do? What happened?

I fell through the floor again. [groans] It's because you stomp.

I don't stomp! I'm always telling you.

You got floor all in my Lima beans. The whole house is gonna come down. I'm all right.

You okay? Yeah, I'm okay.

It's because you stomp.

I don't stomp.

Look at that. So that is where I learned to dance. My knee is really...

What about the floor?

Little Vivvy: I'll get to the floor!

That rat's dead. There's a dead rat over there. So sad.

Hi, Barry.

Big Vivvy: Do you have my corn?

Little Vivvy: Barry gets our groceries for us. We don't know what we would do without Barry. So good to us, Barry. Barry, you could take that down into the kitchen. Thank you, Barry. All right.

Thank you. It's very awkward with Barry.

Big Vivvy: Why is it awkward with Barry?

You know, because... [quietly] he wants to have s*x with me.

No, he doesn't.

He's attracted... Yes, he does. Mother never believed that I have suitors. I have many suitors.

And... but she chases them all away, don't you?

I don't chase anyone away.

You chase everybody. You go and chase people away. I don't chase anybody away. Who? Stephen St. Regis? Stephen St. Regis. I have a picture of Stephen St. Regis. He's a beautiful boy. Stephen St.... Not this album. We don't look in this album.

Stephen St. Regis. He's in another one. There he is. Look. Stephen St. Regis. Beautiful boy.

And he loved me.

Big Vivvy: She invited him to dinner, and then she blacked out.

I took the wrong prescription!

A prescription never calls for a handful of pills.

See what I have to deal with? See what I have to deal with? Every day I have to deal with this.

Little Vivvy: Okay, you little monsters. Here you go. [food rattling] Here you go. There's your cornflakes. Eat up, you little... little jerk. [vocalizing]

Here you go. Eat up. [cat meows] Eat up. Eat up, you little monster. You want something too? [package rustling, meat slaps] [cat meowing] [doorbell ringing] [sighs] [whispers] How do I look? Oh, hello, Officers. How are you?

Miss Van Kimpton. Wondering if we could have a word with you and your mother.

You know, I'm so tired of this constant harassment. I mean, what is it, our... our... our roof not up to code? Is our septic tank overflowing?

No, that's not why we're here. But your septic tank is overflowing. Deputy. You can smell it from a mile out. You recognize this man? [screams] That's Anthony! Mother, look! It's Anthony! Do you remember him?

Course I remember him. I'm not senile.

Little Vivvy: Yeah, we remember Anthony. No, yeah, he used to deliver groceries before Barry.

Well, it's interesting you say that, because the last he was seen was leaving the store to deliver you groceries two weeks ago.

Officer: Any idea where he might be, what might have happened to him?

How do we know what he does with his time?

Little Vivvy: You know what, the thing about Anthony was, he was very sad. No... no, he wasn't. He was fine. I think the reason is, is because he... you know, he wanted to have s*x with me. [mumbles]

He most certainly did not.

How do you know, Mother? How do you know? You can't read people the way I can.

Officer: So you have no idea where he might be?

Little Vivvy: Look, I don't... Could you leave us alone, please? Get out of here. This is not your property.

Little Vivvy: Here we go again. The cat hasn't eaten one piece of that bread, Mother. Let it finish a piece of bread before you throw down more bread.

Mm... Don't do that.

Don't do that.

I don't like the country. Constricts my spirits. If you don't like it, leave. I will leave. I will leave. I would go to the city. I would dance. I'm an amazing dancer. Dancer. Would you like to see me dance?

I'm a good dancer. Huh? I used to be an amazing dancer. Would you like to see me dance? [patriotic music] ♪ Can't you see ♪ [vocalizing] ♪ ♪ [exhales deeply] ♪ ♪ ♪ And finger work, finger wag ♪ ♪ Side step, side ♪ [humming] [vocalizing and panting] ♪ ♪ [sighs] All right. That's enough. [birds chirping] Eww. Mosquitoes everywhere. Barry! Bug spray!

I was supposed to be a chorus girl, but I was too tall and talkative. Apparently chorus girls aren't supposed to talk. But I was always saying things during the shows. I would shout, "Don't trust him!" Or "This is slow! Rewrite!"

I was always calling for rewrites. And the directors would shush me. They would say,

"Don't do that. Don't do that."

Barry!

Show business. They don't like women with opinions. And that's what happens. People get very angry.

Barry. I'm getting eaten alive. Did you bring the bug spray? Okay. [aerosol hissing] Get all of me. Get everywhere. [aerosol hissing] Don't be shy. Get everywhere. [aerosol hissing] Phew. [speaks indistinctly] [birds singing] Little Vivvy: You know, I lived in New York, and I was very happy. I was very happy in New York. But I had to come back here when my mother got ill to take care of her.

My knee exploded.

Little Vivvy: Your knee didn't explode! She tore her MCL. [whispers] Chasing a squirrel.

It was trying to take my sandwich.

It was not trying... How? How was it trying to take your sandwich?

It bit into it and then shuffled backwards.

Do you know I could have gotten married? I really could. I could have gotten married. But I...

Every boy I brought home, Mother didn't like.

Not this again.

Loubamir. You remember him? He was a Czech count.

He was destitute.

He was a Czech count! He played violin. He was very sweet, and Mother got rid of him in 15 minutes! And his family was penniless. He proposed to me from that tree.

Please.

A dog chased him up it, but he still proposed. But mother wouldn't allow it. I don't know what we would do without you, Barry. You really are the glue that holds this whole house together. You really are. Barry's helped us out in ways I can't even explain. [smacks, mutters indistinctly] Little Vivvy: Plane, plane. Plane, plane, plane. [airplane engine whooshing] Oh, my word. [metallic smack] [insect buzzing] Larry: They're still just sitting there. I don't know... what are they looking for?

Little Vivvy: Hi, boys. Oh, no. [laughs quietly] Did I startle you? I'm sorry for startling you.

It's okay. Oh, no. What are we looking at?

Those awful, awful people. We should cut them from the movie. They shouldn't be in the movie.

You know? Yeah, okay. Okay.

Alfred: All right. [door clicks shut]

[whispers] We got to get out of here.

What? I don't like it. Dude, are you kidding me? After three weeks, finally something is happening? No, we are not leaving. [whispers indistinctly] Little Vivvy: Boys! Hey, you want to see me do another dance?

Alfred: Yeah, we'll be right there. You cannot tell me that you are actually afraid of these two loons. No, no, hey come on. It's not that. I did... I... I don't know, okay? It... it feels weird not knowing. Then if you don't know, then... then we're staying. That's what we're doing, if you don't know.

Do you want to watch me eat? Uh... Do you boys want to watch me eat?

Sure.

Mother and I are gonna eat.

Alfred: Okay. What are we talking about?

Larry: We're... we're just, uh, kind of... Setting up the shots.

Shots. Shots. Shots. Yeah.

Let's get away from those awful people.

Yeah. Yeah, sounds good. Come on. Okay. Mother is gonna eat something out of a... some tuna can. [birds singing] [Big Vivvy vocalizing] ♪ ♪ [music plays softly] Tyler would play the music and Mother would sing. Mother had a beautiful voice. [ice cubes clattering] I was a wonderful singer.

[ice cubes clattering] Mother, why don't you sing Pitter-patter for... for the boys? ♪ Pitter-patter ♪ ♪ Pitter-patter ♪ ♪ It's just my heart ♪ ♪ What does it matter? ♪ ♪ Dreams are dreamt ♪ ♪ And then they shatter ♪ ♪ Pitter-patter ♪ ♪ Pitter-patter ♪ Isn't that lovely?

You know, she made a record, but father wouldn't pay to have it pressed. We handed it to him and he looked at it and he... and he feigned interest. And then he just stepped back, he hauled off and chucked it on the roof.

And it was winter, and so it took us, what, till spring?

Till the spring. For the snow to thaw. To retrieve it. It was awful. And this is our only copy. [rustling] So mean. [bottle squeaking] Very sorry about the situation with the food. I called the grocer, and no one knows where Barry is. I mean, these grocery boys, you can't trust them nowadays. They just think they can do whatever they want. And I really don't care if I ever see Barry again. I really don't. I don't... I don't care if I ever see Barry again. [air pump hissing] You can't trust people these days. [crickets] We shouldn't be in here. We got to be here. Oh, my god, this is wrong.

God, it stinks in here. I know. Come on.

Wait.

Stop.

Larry: I can't see anything. Please turn on a light. All right, hang on a second.

Oh, sh1t!

Is she asleep?

Wait. It's okay. It's how she sleeps. Is this it?

Alfred: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that's it. Let's get out of here. You getting this?

Alfred: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got it. That's, uh... that's... that's Loubamir.

Alfred: Loubamir, yeah. Oh, my god, is that blood? Jesus. [sighs] Stephen St. Regis, Alfred. [sighs] That's who she talked about. Wait. Is that... is that Anthony? That is Anthony. Oh, god. That's the delivery boy. Yeah, yeah, it is. Alfred, that's it. We got enough, right? No. This is it. Oh, no, this isn't enough proof. We... we need more proof.

Alfred. One more day, and then that's it. Alfred: Fine. One more day.

You boys are up late.

Yeah, we know.

Alfred: We... we couldn't sleep, so, uh... Yeah, just getting some extra kitchen shots.

Alfred: Yeah, shots.

Larry: The oven. Oh. Do you want to see something?

Alfred: Uh, sure. Yeah, I want to show you something. All right. Come. She knows.

Alfred: No, no, she doesn't know. Now, come on.

Little Vivvy: You guys want extra shots, I can show you something. Come on. Great. Great.

Come on. I'm gonna show you the basement. Mother doesn't like it when people come into the basement.

Larry: But we don't need to see the whole house. Alfred, I think your brother's afraid of the dark.

Watch your step. 'Cause there's a painting of Mother here that I want to show you. Where is it?

Is it over here? Yes. It's not over here. Over here. Are you familiar with the agent Saul Fields?

Saul Fields saw me walking down Fifth Avenue in New York, and he said, "I'm gonna make you a star.

Little Vivvy: Said, "I'm gonna make you a star. Just come to my office." And I made an appointment. And I came in, but I came in a year late. [lock clicks] Little Vivvy: And I came in, they said, "Who the hell are you?" I said, "I'm here to see Mr. Fields." Larry: Oh, sh... [groans] Oh, god. Uh, oh, we got to go.

You're not supposed to be in there.

We'll be back. Uh, same time tomorrow!

You're not supposed to be in there.

Larry: We'll-we'll see you tomorrow, Vivvy.

You're not supposed to be in there! [faintly] You're not supposed to be in there!

Oh, no!

People shouldn't go in the basement.

Larry: Vivvy invited us down.

Alfred: Yeah, we weren't down on our own.

Did you enjoy your reading?

Little Vivvy: Alfred, no!

Big Vivvy: Reading those weren't for you. [all screaming] What are you doing now? Oh, no, no, no! [panting] [distant screaming] [eerie plaintive music] [rattlesnake rattles, Alfred yelps] [door slams, footsteps pounding] [eerie plaintive music continues] [door slams] [pounding on door] [eerie plaintive music continues] ♪ ♪ Oh, Jesus. [panting] [distant screaming, gurgling] [liquid splashing distantly, eerie music continues] [distant screaming] Alfred: "Mrs. Vivvy Fein." Jesus. What the... Oh, my god. No, no, no. sh1t.

Larry. Larry. Okay. [panting] ♪ ♪ God. [panting] Larry. Larry! Oh, my god. No. No, no, no, no, no.

Little Vivvy: So sad. Don't scream.

You'll wake the neighbors.

Alfred: No, no, no, please. [screams] Oh, no! [eerie plaintive music continues] Big Vivvy: ♪ Pitter-patter ♪ ♪ Pitter-patter ♪ ♪ Just my... ♪ [sings indistinctly] ♪ Dreams are dreamed ♪ ♪ And then they shatter ♪ Big Vivvy: Twirl around like that...

Little Vivvy: I just did!

Big Vivvy: Not a pirouette.

Little Vivvy: That's not a pirouette. [eerie plaintive music continues] ♪ ♪