PRUNES
Synopsis
Story by Alan L. Foote and Craig Holyoak
Happy Palms Home for the Aged and Infirm is a residence for the elderly in southern California. Its director, Johann Mueller, hates old people almost as much as he hates his wife Louise. Assisted by the beautiful Nurse Simms, Mueller runs the home like an internment camp while he worries about large gambling debts being called in by underworld figure Vido Spennelli.
Among the residents at Happy Palms are wheelchair-bound Maynard Stoddard, a veteran of POW camps in both world wars; Moses Burdett, a rather large black man who just happens to be blind and creates rather intricate sculptures; retired police detective Randolph Walters; eccentric victim of bankruptcy Ralph Windsor; and soul mates Leona Burgess and Trevor Johnson, who try to put meaning into the lives of the residents of Happy Palms.
While Leona keeps busy stealing Mueller’s car and Stoddard digs a network of escape tunnels under the home, Walters and Johnson become fast friends as they discover their mutual distrust of and for Johann Mueller.
Meanwhile, Randolph Walters has become increasingly suspicious of Mueller and the mysterious D Wing of the hospital where, despite the best medical equipment and outrageous fees, patients never seem to recuperate or mingle with any of the other residents. Investigating with Trevor Johnson, Walters finds that D Wing is totally empty of patients, furnishings and equipment and deduces that Mueller has been skimming the money intended for intensive care. Walters and Johnson prepare to con the thieving director.
Mueller begins receiving correspondence from non-existing patients’ families accepting his invitation to a D Wing open House at the Happy Palms Facility. Expensive equipment for which Johann has been stealing arrives daily, seemingly after years of being on back order. Calls from the IRS are topped only by word from the never-seen millionaire chairman of the board of Happy Palms that he has scheduled a visit to the hospital to discuss possible criminal irregularities that have come to his attention.
Added to Dr. Mueller’s ever increasing pressure comes mobster Spinnelli, and the spiraling events cause Mueller to tell his wife goodbye, close his bank accounts, and flee to the airport with Nurse Simms.
As the airplane leaves the ground, Mueller gloats to Simms that he has successfully stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars, eluded the Feds as well as given Spinnelli the slip, and is comfortable that he is on his way to Brazil. However, Mueller’s dream turns to a living nightmare as he begins to recognize fellow passengers on the airplane; Stoddard, Windsor, Moses Burdett, Leona, and other Happy Palms residents. Trevor Johnson appears dressed as the planes pilot to explain how he and Walters tricked the director and that he is not Trevor Johnson at all but the millionaire owner of Happy Palms who signed himself in as a patient to catch Mueller stealing from the home.
Mueller is told as he is placed under arrest by Federal Agents, that the plane is not headed for South America at all. The airplane, which is owned by “Johnson’s’ corporation is really enroute to Hawaii where the Happy Palms badminton team is scheduled to play a big match.
Mueller is taken from the plane in Hawaii handcuffed to Nurse Simms. Johnson names Leona Burgess the new director of Happy Palms and Randolph Walters decides to join the millionaire-adventurer in righting wrongs and helping the oppressed wherever they can be found – but not without the help of the characters of Happy Palm.
Not only would this story make for a great movie, it would be a great TV series as we watch the ‘Elderly Characters’ from Happy Palm work with eccentric millionaire Trevor Johnson and Retired Police Officer Randolph Walters outsmart criminals everywhere.
Script Available Upon Request
Synopsis
Story by Alan L. Foote and Craig Holyoak
Happy Palms Home for the Aged and Infirm is a residence for the elderly in southern California. Its director, Johann Mueller, hates old people almost as much as he hates his wife Louise. Assisted by the beautiful Nurse Simms, Mueller runs the home like an internment camp while he worries about large gambling debts being called in by underworld figure Vido Spennelli.
Among the residents at Happy Palms are wheelchair-bound Maynard Stoddard, a veteran of POW camps in both world wars; Moses Burdett, a rather large black man who just happens to be blind and creates rather intricate sculptures; retired police detective Randolph Walters; eccentric victim of bankruptcy Ralph Windsor; and soul mates Leona Burgess and Trevor Johnson, who try to put meaning into the lives of the residents of Happy Palms.
While Leona keeps busy stealing Mueller’s car and Stoddard digs a network of escape tunnels under the home, Walters and Johnson become fast friends as they discover their mutual distrust of and for Johann Mueller.
Meanwhile, Randolph Walters has become increasingly suspicious of Mueller and the mysterious D Wing of the hospital where, despite the best medical equipment and outrageous fees, patients never seem to recuperate or mingle with any of the other residents. Investigating with Trevor Johnson, Walters finds that D Wing is totally empty of patients, furnishings and equipment and deduces that Mueller has been skimming the money intended for intensive care. Walters and Johnson prepare to con the thieving director.
Mueller begins receiving correspondence from non-existing patients’ families accepting his invitation to a D Wing open House at the Happy Palms Facility. Expensive equipment for which Johann has been stealing arrives daily, seemingly after years of being on back order. Calls from the IRS are topped only by word from the never-seen millionaire chairman of the board of Happy Palms that he has scheduled a visit to the hospital to discuss possible criminal irregularities that have come to his attention.
Added to Dr. Mueller’s ever increasing pressure comes mobster Spinnelli, and the spiraling events cause Mueller to tell his wife goodbye, close his bank accounts, and flee to the airport with Nurse Simms.
As the airplane leaves the ground, Mueller gloats to Simms that he has successfully stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars, eluded the Feds as well as given Spinnelli the slip, and is comfortable that he is on his way to Brazil. However, Mueller’s dream turns to a living nightmare as he begins to recognize fellow passengers on the airplane; Stoddard, Windsor, Moses Burdett, Leona, and other Happy Palms residents. Trevor Johnson appears dressed as the planes pilot to explain how he and Walters tricked the director and that he is not Trevor Johnson at all but the millionaire owner of Happy Palms who signed himself in as a patient to catch Mueller stealing from the home.
Mueller is told as he is placed under arrest by Federal Agents, that the plane is not headed for South America at all. The airplane, which is owned by “Johnson’s’ corporation is really enroute to Hawaii where the Happy Palms badminton team is scheduled to play a big match.
Mueller is taken from the plane in Hawaii handcuffed to Nurse Simms. Johnson names Leona Burgess the new director of Happy Palms and Randolph Walters decides to join the millionaire-adventurer in righting wrongs and helping the oppressed wherever they can be found – but not without the help of the characters of Happy Palm.
Not only would this story make for a great movie, it would be a great TV series as we watch the ‘Elderly Characters’ from Happy Palm work with eccentric millionaire Trevor Johnson and Retired Police Officer Randolph Walters outsmart criminals everywhere.
Script Available Upon Request