[THE PEPPER SEED]

A MODERN-DAY LOVE STORY

[This Synopsis will be worked on and shortened very soon]

Newspaper mogul TERRANCE JACKSON offers 42 year old dethroned news journalist PEPPER O’HARA the  7 o’clock anchor on his newly acquired TV network, which also includes the arduous task of getting an exclusive interview with the legendary and reclusive 1950’s movie star Nicholas Santangelo.  Thrilled at the opportunity that would vindicate her reputation and put her on top again, she accepts. 

Noted for her unorthodox ways, PEPPER has a make-up specialist transform her into a New York City “Bag Lady” in order to talk with Santangelo on the streets.  But she fails.  Then she contacts her friend BEV, a professional masseuse, who agrees to train her in the art of body massage; months later, PEPPER shows up at Santangelo’s brownstone as “UTA” the masseuse.  While massaging Santangelo, she elicits certain details from his life that no one else could possibly know.  Then she contacts Santangelo’s personal assistant, HAL, the next day saying a “source” gave her information about his boss and unless Santangelo agrees to an interview, she’ll release the story to the press.  SANTANGELO - having seen through her “Bag Lady” disguise and been warned about “Uta” from his housekeeper - has been listening on the extension and nods for Hal to agree. 

PEPPER arrives days later at Santangelo’s brownstone but is put off by questions from him regarding the so-called information she has and that it must be incorrect.  He makes it a point that anyone who needs to hide behind a nickname like "Pepper" must have low self-esteem and isn't the type of person he would care to confide in.  Humiliated and properly skewered, PEPPER leaves with her tail between her legs. 

After hours of reflection, later that afternoon PEPPER phones Santangelo using her given name (VICTORIA O'HARA) to ask if he would reconsider continuing with the interview.  Reluctantly, he agrees. 

VICTORIA and NICHOLAS set out on a series of Q & A sessions and adapt to each another's idiosyncratic behavior.  From time to time VICTORIA encourages Nicholas to come out of retirement but notices even when he’s his most sincere, there is a deep-seated resistance.

Looking for insight, VICTORIA takes HAL to lunch who assures her that what she noticed is Santangelo’s "unadulterated fear", that he is a true American Tragedy, a bona-fide victim-hero.  One of the last matinee idols who, after the collapse of the studio system, suddenly found himself in a society that wants to know everything about him.  And that without the studio’s Publicity Department that literally invented him, Santangelo was forced to retire and go into hiding.  Keenly aware of Victoria’s real interest, HAL gives her the best advice he can: "Don't fall in love."  But he’s too late because interview sessions turn into “dates”. 

On several occasions, they each get sick; but it’s “nothing serious” says the doctor and to just “slow down”. 

Invited to Barbra Streisand’s concert at The Metropolitan Opera House, VICTORIA asks NICHOLAS to attend with her, but he is frightened to death of appearing in public and refuses to go.  She makes it very clear that she can't go on hiding anymore so she’ll attend the event without him but will keep his seat empty should he change his mind.

As a surprise, NICHOLAS secretly goes through a complete make-over: his long, stringy gray hair is cut short and dyed, his Rip Van Winkle beard is shaved and then he’s off to a tanning salon.  He shows up at the Met unannounced, looking every inch the movie star the world remembers and steals the spotlight with all the network cameras.  Needless to say, VICTORIA falls hopelessly in love and not only do they become the toast of the town overnight, they are the hottest A-List couple on the globe.  Their world-wind affair continues for months as they appear on the covers of every magazine.  Still, their energy fails them at times and they tire easily and can’t seem to kick this “bug” that makes them sick. 

As Presenters at the Oscars, NICHOLAS devises a way to ask Victoria to marry him.  His proposal blows the lid off the place and sends the needle off the Richter scale! 

Being a licensed pilot, VICTORIA flies Nick’s private plane to Mexico for their honeymoon, where they sight-see, shop and make a guest appearance on Oprah’s Special being shot in Mexico City.

While still on honeymoon, NICHOLAS and VICTORIA are both in bed; he’s sleeping while she watches a Hitchcock movie on TV.  Her awareness grows as the scenes in the movie trigger a memory of parallel moments when she and Nick had fallen ill the next day.  Like Joan Fontaine, she finds herself suspecting Nicholas (Cary Grant) of trying to kill her. 

On their yacht, off the Greek isles, VICTORIA discloses her doubts about his love; he genuinely assures her it is true. 

Back in Manhattan and their brownstone, VICTORIA wakes up in the middle of the night with the “sweats”.  The next morning, she leaves the house early, telling Hal she’s going to the airport and will be flying home to see her parents for a few days. 

NICHOLAS is up late and when HAL gives him the news, he quickly leaves the brownstone and gives chase to VICTORIA in his Bentley.  On the car-phone, NICHOLAS calls the Controller at the Caldwell airport in Jersey to stop his wife from getting anywhere NEAR his plane, under any circumstances. 

NICHOLAS speeds onto the strip at the Caldwell airport, gets out of the car and VICTORIA watches him slowly approaching her.  They are silent for a moment and then she asks if there’s something he wants to tell her(?)  Under intense emotional strain, NICHOLAS confesses he has been poisoning her...and himself.  That’s when she tells him she knew it had some thing to do with the plane because she found newspaper clippings on his desk in the computer room of Carole Lombard’s death from a plane crash. 

He begs her to give him time to figure out why he did what he did.  Heartbroken beyond repair, VICTORIA lets him walk away. 

In the weeks that follow, she withdraws from the outside world, becomes deeply depressed and ultimately commits suicide.  New York City has a funeral for her befitting a Queen.  Nicholas is nowhere to be found.

For the first time in six months since Victoria’s death, NICHOLAS announces at a Press Conference that he will be producing a film he’s written about him and Victoria in which he will play himself. 

In the last scene, we find out NICHOLAS had planned this entire scenario from the beginning in order to make his come-back.