1995
In 1950s Christchurch, New Zealand, introverted Pauline Rieper and sophisticated Juliet Hulme form an intense friendship, creating an elaborate fantasy world. Their bond deepens amidst family troubles and illnesses, leading them to believe their love is superior and they are destined for greatness. When Juliet's parents plan to move her to South Africa, Pauline's mother, Honora, forbids Pauline from accompanying her, threatening their unique world. Believing Honora is an obstacle to their happiness, Pauline and Juliet conspire to murder her, luring her to Victoria Park and bludgeoning her to death with a brick.
Save the Cat beat sheet
Two isolated schoolgirls bond over loneliness and shared artistic passion, spiraling into a dark fantasy world.
Open full beat sheetPauline Rieper is listed as Protagonist. 16-year-old, dark-haired, stocky, introspective, suffers from osteomyelitis, obsessed with Juliet and the Fourth World. In the parsed data, Pauline Rieper is connected to 14 scenes, 14 dialogue lines, 14 text mentions, first appearing around scene 1.
14 scenes / 14 dialogue linesJuliet Hulme is listed as Protagonist. Nearly 16, tall, blond, willowy, sophisticated, from England, suffers from respiratory illness, co-creator of the Fourth World. In the parsed data, Juliet Hulme is connected to 11 scenes, 7 dialogue lines, 8 text mentions, first appearing around scene 1.
11 scenes / 7 dialogue linesHonora Rieper is listed as Pauline's Mother. 43 years old, dark hair going gray, kind, middle-class. In the parsed data, Honora Rieper is connected to 6 scenes, 5 dialogue lines, 5 text mentions, first appearing around scene 7.
6 scenes / 5 dialogue linesHilda Hulme is listed as Juliet's Mother. 36 years old, elegant, involved in Marriage Guidance. In the parsed data, Hilda Hulme is connected to 4 scenes, 3 dialogue lines, 3 text mentions, first appearing around scene 8.
4 scenes / 3 dialogue linesHenry Hulme is listed as Juliet's Father. 44-year-old academic, Rector of the University. In the parsed data, Henry Hulme is connected to 3 scenes, 4 dialogue lines, 4 text mentions, first appearing around scene 8.
3 scenes / 4 dialogue linesJohn is listed as Boarder. Student boarder at the Riepers' house, becomes involved with Pauline. In the parsed data, John is connected to 2 scenes, first appearing around scene 5.
2 scenes / 0 dialogue linesMiss Stewart is listed as Headmistress. Headmistress of Christchurch Girls' High. In the parsed data, Miss Stewart is connected to 2 scenes, first appearing around scene 2.
2 scenes / 0 dialogue linesWalter Perry is listed as Hilda's Lover. Ruggedly handsome man in his mid-40s. In the parsed data, Walter Perry is connected to 2 scenes, first appearing around scene 9.
2 scenes / 0 dialogue linesHerbert Rieper is listed as Pauline's Father. Nearly 60, manager at Dennis Brothers Fish Supply. In the parsed data, Herbert Rieper is connected to 1 scene, first appearing around scene 5.
1 scenes / 0 dialogue linesMiss Waller is listed as Teacher. French teacher. In the parsed data, Miss Waller is connected to 1 scene, first appearing around scene 3.
1 scenes / 0 dialogue linesMrs. Collins is listed as Teacher. Art teacher. In the parsed data, Mrs. Collins is connected to 1 scene, first appearing around scene 4.
1 scenes / 0 dialogue linesJonathon Hulme is listed as Juliet's Brother. 8-year-old boy.
0 scenes / 0 dialogue linesPauline and Juliet run desperately up a bushy track, splattered with blood.
Pauline Rieper, Juliet HulmeSchoolgirls arrive at school, Miss Stewart monitors them.
Miss StewartJuliet joins the French class and corrects Miss Waller.
Pauline Rieper, Juliet Hulme, Miss Stewart, Miss WallerMrs. Collins pairs Pauline and Juliet for life drawing.
Pauline Rieper, Juliet Hulme, Mrs. CollinsThe Riepers prepare dinner while Steve Bayliss plays a record.
Pauline Rieper, Honora Rieper, Herbert Rieper, JohnPauline learns from her mother that Juliet has tuberculosis.
Pauline Rieper, Hilda HulmeHonora brings breakfast to Pauline and discusses Juliet's illness.
Pauline Rieper, Honora RieperHenry and Hilda visit Juliet to tell her she must stay at the sanatorium.
Juliet Hulme, Henry Hulme, Hilda HulmePauline and Juliet watch Hilda and Walter play tennis while discussing their parents' relationships.
Pauline Rieper, Juliet Hulme, Hilda Hulme, Walter Perry, Henry HulmeHonora argues with Pauline about her time in the bathroom.
Pauline Rieper, Honora RieperJuliet confronts Hilda and Walter about their affair.
Juliet Hulme, Hilda Hulme, Walter PerryHenry informs Juliet and Pauline that he and Hilda are divorcing.
Pauline Rieper, Juliet Hulme, Henry HulmePauline and Honora argue about Pauline's desire to go to South Africa.
Pauline Rieper, Honora RieperPauline and Juliet murder Honora.
Pauline Rieper, Juliet Hulme, Honora RieperThe family has lunch with Juliet before the girls go to Victoria Park.
Pauline Rieper, Juliet Hulme, Honora RieperPauline and Juliet discuss the boarder, John/Nicholas.
Pauline Rieper, Juliet Hulme, JohnAn interview with Peter Jackson and Frances Walsh regarding the production and reception of their film.
But the other reason why it was important that we tell this as a true story is that it has a kind of universal truth for anybody growing up. When you're at that age, you become very focused on things in an extreme way. And I don't think Pauline and Juliet are so very different from anybody else; I think several things went wrong in their lives-Juliet's parents broke up, and Pauline became very alienated from her family (she was an obsessional manic-depressive character)-and I think it was this terrible combination of things that led to this extraordinarily horrible act. But it's not something that can be precluded from anybody's experience in growing up. Adolescence is such a crazy time.
It's unnecessary. I mean, sure, if it was just a movie for international consumption, then, yeah. But the fact is that we weren't actually making this film for an international audience. We were very much making it to try and rectify 40 years of misunderstanding about this case within New Zealand. In a way that was our main motivation for making the film, and in doing that, we obviously had to use their real names. But having said that, 'Pauline Parker' and 'Juliet Hulme' ceased to exist as people in 1959, because they both took different names. In a sense, I don't think there was any moral problem with using those names, because they themselves stopped using them some 30-odd years ago.
Her parents won't be going overseas now . . . they'll have to cancel their trip. Don't worry about Juliet.
It's not too late to cancel our travel arrangements . . . if that's what you want?
Cheer up, old thing . . . four months will fly by in no time.
And you can carry on with your studies while you convalesce.
Je doutais qu'il vienne is in fact the spoken subjunctive.
Juliet's infectious . . . she'll be going to hospital.
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