1993
Sissy Hankshaw, a hitchhiker with large thumbs, is hired by The Countess to be the face of a campaign at the Rubber Rose Ranch, a cowgirl-run beauty retreat. There, Sissy falls for Bonanza Jellybean and joins the cowgirls' rebellion against The Countess and the government, who threaten their land and whooping cranes, seeking guidance from the shaman The Chink. The conflict escalates into a standoff where Bonanza Jellybean is killed by government forces while negotiating, leaving Sissy to burn her love letters. Sissy, the remaining cowgirls, and The Chink, who foresees the end of the world, prepare for an ambiguous future after driving the shaman to the station.
Save the Cat beat sheet
Sissy Hankshaw is born with oversized thumbs and grows into a free-spirited hitchhiker who becomes a modeling star for a reclusive Countess.
Open full beat sheetSissy Hankshaw is listed as Protagonist. A hitchhiker with unusually large, powerful thumbs. In the parsed data, Sissy Hankshaw is connected to 43 scenes, 44 dialogue lines, 46 text mentions, first appearing around scene 8.
43 scenes / 44 dialogue linesBonanza Jellybean is listed as Cowgirl. A charismatic cowgirl at the Rubber Rose Ranch. In the parsed data, Bonanza Jellybean is connected to 14 scenes, 13 dialogue lines, 13 text mentions, first appearing around scene 14.
14 scenes / 13 dialogue linesDelores del Ruby is listed as Cowgirl. A whip-wielding cowgirl leader at the Rubber Rose Ranch. In the parsed data, Delores del Ruby is connected to 12 scenes, 6 dialogue lines, 6 text mentions, first appearing around scene 14.
12 scenes / 6 dialogue linesThe Chink is listed as Shaman/Hermit. An elderly Japanese-American mountain man living on Siwash Ridge. In the parsed data, The Chink is connected to 10 scenes, 13 dialogue lines, 15 text mentions, first appearing around scene 1.
10 scenes / 13 dialogue linesMiss Adrian is listed as Ranch Manager. The manager of the Rubber Rose Ranch. In the parsed data, Miss Adrian is connected to 8 scenes, 6 dialogue lines, 6 text mentions, first appearing around scene 27.
8 scenes / 6 dialogue linesThe Countess is listed as Antagonist/Employer. A male Russian countess, advertising executive, and owner of the Rubber Rose Ranch. In the parsed data, The Countess is connected to 7 scenes, 11 dialogue lines, 13 text mentions, first appearing around scene 12.
7 scenes / 11 dialogue linesJulian is listed as Watercolorist. A full-blooded Indian watercolorist. In the parsed data, Julian is connected to 7 scenes, 3 dialogue lines, 4 text mentions, first appearing around scene 17.
7 scenes / 3 dialogue linesDr. Dreyfus is listed as Doctor. A physician who treats Sissy's thumbs. In the parsed data, Dr. Dreyfus is connected to 3 scenes, 9 dialogue lines, 9 text mentions, first appearing around scene 3.
3 scenes / 9 dialogue linesMrs. Hankshaw is listed as Sissy's Mother. Sissy's mother. In the parsed data, Mrs. Hankshaw is connected to 3 scenes, 1 dialogue line, 1 text mention, first appearing around scene 2.
3 scenes / 1 dialogue lineschar_11 is identified from the parsed character and dialogue data. In the parsed data, char_11 is connected to 2 scenes, first appearing around scene 54.
2 scenes / 0 dialogue lineschar_12 is identified from the parsed character and dialogue data. In the parsed data, char_12 is connected to 2 scenes, first appearing around scene 54.
2 scenes / 0 dialogue linesMadame Zoe is listed as Fortune Teller. A chiromancer who reads Sissy's palms. In the parsed data, Madame Zoe is connected to 1 scene, 1 dialogue line, 1 text mention, first appearing around scene 5.
1 scenes / 1 dialogue linesIndians in a cave monitor an hourglass and a crevasse, observing symbolic drawings including one of a girl with large thumbs.
The ChinkSix-year-old Sissy Hankshaw celebrates her birthday while her family discusses her unusually large thumbs.
Sissy Hankshaw, Mrs. HankshawDr. Dreyfus examines Sissy's thumbs and discusses her condition with her mother.
Sissy Hankshaw, Dr. Dreyfus, Mrs. HankshawSissy looks up the definition of 'thumb' in the dictionary.
Sissy HankshawSissy attempts to hitchhike and is taken to see Madame Zoe.
Sissy Hankshaw, Mrs. Hankshaw, Madame ZoeDelores del Ruby arrives at the Rubber Rose Ranch.
Delores del RubyAdult Sissy hitches a ride with a musician.
Sissy HankshawSissy discusses her life and hitchhiking philosophy with the driver.
Sissy HankshawSissy receives a letter from The Countess.
Sissy HankshawThe Countess prepares to meet Sissy and discusses his plans with Julian.
The Countess, JulianSissy talks to a trucker about her heritage.
Sissy HankshawSissy meets with The Countess to discuss a new advertising assignment.
Sissy Hankshaw, The CountessThe Countess discusses Sissy's virginity and arranges for her to meet Julian, a watercolorist.
Sissy Hankshaw, The CountessBonanza Jellybean and Delores del Ruby discuss the rain and Sissy Hankshaw.
Bonanza Jellybean, Delores del RubyCowgirls hold a meeting to complain about bunking arrangements and food.
Bonanza Jellybean, Delores del RubyCowgirls run out into the rain to play.
Bonanza Jellybean, Delores del RubySissy meets Julian, who suffers an asthma attack.
Sissy Hankshaw, JulianThe group heads to Julian's apartment in a taxi.
Sissy Hankshaw, JulianThe group gathers at Julian's apartment; Sissy feels out of place.
Sissy Hankshaw, JulianSissy is undressed by Howard and Marie, leading to an intimate encounter.
Sissy Hankshaw, JulianSissy and Julian have an intimate moment, but Sissy decides to leave.
Sissy Hankshaw, JulianSissy prepares to hitchhike.
Sissy HankshawSissy travels out of the city.
Sissy HankshawThe Countess and Julian discuss Sissy's departure.
The Countess, JulianSissy encounters travelers in a VW Microbus.
Sissy HankshawMiss Adrian picks up Sissy in a limousine.
Sissy Hankshaw, Miss AdrianA limousine arrives at the Rubber Rose Ranch.
Miss AdrianWomen receive facials at the ranch.
Miss AdrianMiss Adrian gives Sissy a tour of the Hair Barn.
Sissy Hankshaw, Miss AdrianMiss Adrian shows Sissy the exercise room.
Sissy Hankshaw, Miss AdrianSissy and Miss Adrian walk through the chaotic lodge lobby.
Sissy Hankshaw, Miss AdrianMiss Adrian and Sissy encounter cowgirls and film crew members near the corral.
Sissy Hankshaw, Miss AdrianSissy is served breakfast in bed and meets Bonanza Jellybean.
Sissy Hankshaw, Bonanza JellybeanCowgirls gather around a goat.
Sissy Hankshaw, Bonanza Jellybean, Delores del RubySissy and Jelly talk while walking.
Sissy Hankshaw, Bonanza JellybeanSissy and Jelly return to the ranch to find the Countess.
Sissy Hankshaw, The Countess, Bonanza Jellybean, Delores del RubyJelly issues an ultimatum over the loudspeaker.
Bonanza JellybeanThe cowgirls confront the Countess.
The Countess, Bonanza Jellybean, Miss AdrianSissy climbs the ridge and meets the Chink.
Sissy Hankshaw, The ChinkSissy and the Chink eat and dance.
Sissy Hankshaw, The ChinkThe Chink and Sissy dance and discuss the Clockworks and the Clock People.
Sissy Hankshaw, The ChinkThe Chink shows Sissy his clockworks and explains his history.
Sissy Hankshaw, The ChinkThe Chink describes the Clock People's rituals.
The ChinkThe Chink and Sissy discuss the Eternity of Joy and have sex.
Sissy Hankshaw, The ChinkSissy wakes up to find inscriptions and leaves.
Sissy HankshawThe Countess confronts Sissy about the whooping cranes.
Sissy Hankshaw, The CountessSissy learns about the Countess's condition.
Sissy HankshawSissy defends herself against a predatory driver.
Sissy HankshawSissy asks Dr. Dreyfus to operate on her thumbs.
Sissy Hankshaw, Dr. DreyfusJelly confronts law enforcement about the whooping cranes.
Bonanza Jellybean, Delores del RubySissy returns to the ranch and meets Kym.
Sissy HankshawSissy discusses the cranes and peyote with Jelly and Debbie.
Sissy Hankshaw, Bonanza JellybeanSissy and Jelly discuss love and fear while lying under the stars.
Sissy Hankshaw, Bonanza JellybeanDelores rallies the cowgirls to stand their ground against their enemies.
Delores del Ruby, char_11, char_12Delores returns to the camp and shares a vision with the cowgirls.
Delores del RubyJelly decides to ride out to negotiate with the government forces.
Bonanza JellybeanJelly is shot by FBI agents while attempting to surrender.
Bonanza Jellybean, The ChinkJelly's coffin is prepared.
Sissy burns the love letters from Jelly.
Sissy Hankshaw, Delores del Ruby, char_11, char_12The Chink discusses the future and the end of the world with Sissy and Delores.
Sissy Hankshaw, Delores del Ruby, The ChinkSissy and Delores drive the Chink to the station.
Sissy Hankshaw, Delores del Ruby, The ChinkThe Earth is alive. She burns inside with the heat of cosmic longing. She longs to be with her husband again. She moans. She turns softly in her sleep. In the Eternity of Joy, pluralized, deurbanized man, at ease with his gentle technologies, will smile and sigh when the Earth begins to shake. I loved those loony redskins, but I couldn't be a party to their utopian dreaming. After a while it occurred to me that the Clock People waiting for the Eternity of Joy was virtually identical to the Christians waiting for the Second Coming. Or the Communists waiting for the worldwide revolution. Or the Debbies waiting for the flying saucers. All the same. Just more suckers betting their share of the present on the future, banking every misery on a happy ending to history. Well, history is ending every second - happily for some of us, unhappily for others, happily one second, unhappily the next. History is always ending and always not ending... ha ha ho ho and hee hee.
Sissy, don't play dumb with me! You're a good model but a shitty actress. The cowgirls are involved in this whooping crane disappearance. You know perfectly well they are. Last seen in Nebraska. Didn't make it to Canada. Siwash Lake is between Nebraska and Canada. The cowgirls have possession of Siwash Lake. And who else but Jellybean's wild cunts could possibly conceive of doing something so diabolical as to tamper with the last flock of some nearly extinct birds? How much do you know about it? Have they murdered those cranes the way they murdered my moo cows?
I'm going to give it to you like you've never had it before. Oh, you didn't know it could be this good. You're gonna like it. You're gonna like it. You're gonna like it so good. You're gonna love it so much you're gonna cry. You're gonna cry. You're gonna cry and cry. Do you like to cry? Do you like it when it hurts a little bit? Whatever happens to you, it'll be worth it. The way I'm gonna give it to you, it'll be worth anything. Everything. Go ahead and cry if you want to. I like it when women cry. It means they appreciate me.
The thumb the thumb the thumb the thumb the thumb the thumb. One of evolution's most ingenious inventions; a built-in tool sensitive to texture, contour and temperature: an alchemical lever; the secret key to technology; the link between the mind and art; a humanizing device. The marmoset and the lemur are thumbless; none of the New World monkeys has opposable thumbs; the spider monkey's thumbs are absent or reduced to a tiny tubercle; the thumbs of the potto are set at an angle of one hundred eighty degrees to the other digits.
The way I see it, is that the peyote mellowed them out. Made them less uptight. They were afraid of bad weather and humans. That's why they migrated and kept to themselves. But the peyote has enlightened them. It's taught them there is nothing to fear but fear itself. Now they're digging life and letting the bad vibes slide on. Don't worry, be happy. Be here now.
Aw, come off it, Sissy. What do you mean, 'drugged'? Every living thing is a chemical composition and anything that is added to it changes that composition. When you eat a cheeseburger or a Three Musketeers bar, it changes your body chemistry. The kind of food you eat, the kind of air you breathe, can change your mental state. Does that mean you're 'drugged'?
Please, child, don't be dismayed. We all have problems these days. But as the painter Van Gogh said, 'Mysteries remain, sorrow or melancholy remains, but the everlasting negative is balanced by the positive work which thus is achieved, after all.' I don't suppose that means very much to you. I have retired. A victim of a malpractice suit.
Hell no, the cranes are wonderful, okay, but I'm not in this for whooping cranes. I'm in it for cowgirls. If we cowgirls give in to authority on this crane issue, then cowgirls become just another compromise. I want a finer fate than that -- for me and for every other cowgirl. Better no cowgirls at all than cowgirls compromised.
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