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Madeleine: (Synopsis)
Screenplay by John Holton |
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In October of
1692, Madeleine de Vercheres, 14, is left in charge of the
family signeury near Montreal. Her father is away on military
duty in Quebec City and her mother is away on family business in
Montreal.
A savage band
of Iroquois surprises the workers in the fields and Madeleine is
left to defend the stockade with only her two brothers, ages 10
and 8, an old soldier, Laviolette, 80, two cowardly militiamen
and several women and children.
For a week,
using her wits and courage, this brave young girl holds off the
Iroquois against impossible odds and lives to tell the tale.
This is one of the most fantastic stories of survival and
courage in the annals of New France and she stands as one of the
heroes of the French regime in Canada.
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Goals
(Synopsis)
Hockey Screenplay
by John Holton
www.empirecontact.com/screenwriting/contest/successes.html
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Eddie Garfield, a
high school senior, dreams of becoming a star hockey goalie. He
has used the summer months to practice with the help of his
close friend, Paulie, and hopes to crack the number one spot in
his final year of school. His "girl next door", Marina
"Doc" Holliday, who has always believed in his
abilities, indulges his sports fantasy while working hard to
attain their dream of attending college together in the field of
science.
Their future together seems secure when they learn of possible
scholarships to M.I.T. When Eddie fails to crack the starting
line-up he seems destined to end his dream of stardom riding the
bench. Then it happens, a freak accident during practice leaves
him with the ability to see in slow motion, yet react in real
time. He has become the perfect goal-tending machine. Overnight,
he goes from super nerd to super hero.
His new status begins to change him. Marina and Paulie try to
stay with him, but he soon leaves them behind as he becomes more
popular and basks in his newfound life as sports jock
extraordinaire. He begins to fall behind in his science studies,
but he cannot see anything else but hockey. A college scout sees
his potential and dangles a hockey scholarship as added
incentive.
The championship game takes a sour turn when he loses his magic
vision and the game and his scholarship stand in doubt. Marina
restores his confidence that he can do it without tricks and he
comes through in the end. But, will he take the hockey
scholarship or return to their dream of a career in science?
Eddie learns that life is all about goals and the meaning of
true friendship.
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In modern day
England, a reporter following the story of a recently deceased
World War II hero, uncovers the history of a small village,
Beckworth, whose residents over the years have served their
country. One of those stories is of John, a young man taken into
the army of Harold, Earl of Wessex in late 1065. King Edward the
Confessor lies gravely ill and the succession is uncertain.
Harold is the natural choice but William of Normandy has a prior
claim.
John meets Katherine, a Norman whose father, Hugh, is a master
sword maker in the service of the English. The young couple fall
in love, but their lives are complicated by the death of Edward
and Harold's succession. William is furious and vows to invade.
Hugh is sent to the Norman court to intercede, with John and
Katherine in tow. John meets William and is exposed as a
possible English spy. He is forced to leave Hugh and Katherine
in Normandy where William gathers his army of invasion.
John rejoins the English army and they await the inevitable
Norman onslaught. John is torn between his need to serve his
king and his love for his Norman friends.
Harold's brother, Tostig, previously banished, has enlisted the
aide of Harald Harada, King of Norway and they invade England
independent of the Normans. They land in the north while the
Normans in the south await a favorable wind.
The English defeat the Norse at the Battle of Stamford Bridge
where John distinguishes himself as a great warrior. He develops
a close bond with his king and doggedly remains with him as the
exhausted English force march to the final clash against the
Normans who have landed in the south.
Katherine, meanwhile, has made her way to England and goes to
John's home in search of her love. The final battle, at
Hastings, takes place with the Normans victorious. Harold is
killed despite John's valiant efforts to save him. His valor
wins the deep respect of William who spares his life.
John, dejected and forlorn, returns to Beckworth. On the way, a
mere shepherd reminds him what is truly important in life and he
is re-united with Katherine who had thought him dead. The tale
ends in modern Beckworth where the reporter discovers the
connection between the past and present.
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Two
scientists, James Garret (white) and Lester Singleton (black),
develop a means of time travel and during testing discover that
they have the power to change history.
James, in his youth, had formed a strong bond with his
great-grandfather, Jeremiah Garrett, who was a Civil War
veteran. He had been an 11 year old drummer boy in the Army of
Northern Virginia and had survived Pickett's charge at the
battle of Gettysburg in 1863. James' early years with this old
man had left a lasting impression of a gentler time before the
Civil War. Now, in the modern world with its crime and disorder,
James is confronted with a need to make a change for the better.
He proposes his plan to Lester, who is, at first, appalled
because of the slavery issue. James, however, convinces him that
slavery would have ended naturally with less negative impact if
the South had won the war. Lester is won over after some
reminders of this world's disorder.
The two men travel back to 1863 and begin their quest. They meet
a young southern family orphaned because of the war. James,
using modern knowledge, saves a little girl, Emily, and begins a
relationship with her mother, Sarah. Lester stays with the
family and James, posing as a reporter, travels north toward
Gettysburg. His knowledge of historical facts enables him to win
over a southern soldier, Captain Inman, who tries to set up a
meeting with Robert E. Lee. James has a poignant interlude with
Jeremiah, on the eve of the famous battle of July 3. That night,
he also meets with Lee and convinces him to change his battle
plans based on James' detailed knowledge of northern troop
placements. Southern victory is now a distinct possibility and
the end of the war in sight.
James returns to Lester and while waiting for their return trip,
he falls in love with Sarah. The meddling of a mean local, Seth
Morgan, forces James to choose between staying behind or
returning to face a new, uncertain future. The final clash with
Seth seals his fate. James stays in 1863.
Back in a new reality, Lester relishes the new world but misses
James. He discovers the key to contact at James' gravesite where
James has left a clever clue for him to discover. Lester is
re-united with his old friend as past and present meet one more
time.
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| QUEBEC 1759
(Synopsis) |
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In 1759 a British
fleet sails up the St. Lawrence River to assault the fortress
city of Quebec. A young British officer, William Smyth, tells
his story by means of a journal written in later years.
The military situation is confused on the French side by
conflict between the civilian governor, the Marquis de Vaudreuil
and the French military commander, the Marquis de Montcalm. On
the British side, the sick and dying British General Wolfe butts
heads with his subordinates.
William meets and falls in love with a French girl, Isabelle
Dubois. She is daughter to a wine and brandy dealer, Rene, whose
warehouse in Levis becomes William's headquarters. Rene has
chosen his business partner from France, Sylvain LaCroix, as
Isabelle's mate. William and Isabelle's love is cemented when he
rescues her sick, maternal grandfather from Quebec after the
British begin a bombardment. Rene is against the match and has
William charged falsely with looting and selling from his
warehouse. William is forced away from Levis.
General Wolfe does not believe the charges and chooses William
to lead the British assault at the famous Plains of Abraham.
Wolfe and Montcalm are both killed at the battle. The victorious
British take the city and a wounded William awakes in the arms
of Isabelle. She promises not to see him again when Rene
threatens to renew the charges.
After a hard winter, the British expel the civilian French out
of Quebec to conserve food. Isabelle berates William and takes
her father's side now. William professes his love and asks her
to always remember him. In April, the French defeat the English
at a second battle and the British garrison is only saved when
an English, rather than a French, fleet appears in the river in
May.
William tries to find Isabelle, but believes she has sailed to
Europe with Sylvain. Dejected, he prepares to sail for England.
Isabelle, meanwhile, discovers her father's treachery and finds
William in the nick of time. The story ends as William finishes
his journal against the backdrop of their youngest daughter's
wedding day in old Quebec.
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