Scripts
To Sleep With Anger poster

1990

To Sleep With Anger script

When patriarch Gideon falls ill, a mysterious acquaintance named Harry Mention arrives, subtly manipulating the family and exacerbating existing tensions. Harry's influence grows, leading to a chaotic party and a violent confrontation between Gideon's sons, Babe Brother and Junior, which injures their mother, Suzie. After Suzie orders Harry to leave, he collapses and dies in the kitchen, leaving the family to grapple with his unexplained death and malevolent presence. The family eventually reconciles and finds peace after Harry's body is removed, with Gideon regaining his health and sharing a story that cleanses their home.

Writer
Charles Burnett
IMDb ID (imdb_id)
tt0100791
Script date
1990
177Scenes
14Characters
43Pages
1Dialogue samples

Save the Cat beat sheet

To Sleep With Anger Save the Cat analysis

An elderly patriarch, Gideon, returns home weak and is cared for by his wife Suzie and children.

Open full beat sheet
40

Key characters

UNKNOWN

UNKNOWN is identified from the parsed character and dialogue data. In the parsed data, UNKNOWN is connected to 76 scenes, 2364 dialogue lines, first appearing around scene 1.

76 scenes / 2364 dialogue lines

Suzie

Suzie is listed as Matriarch. Gideon's wife, late 60s/early 70s, midwife, health-conscious. In the parsed data, Suzie is connected to 59 scenes, 61 text mentions, first appearing around scene 1.

59 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Gideon

Gideon is listed as Patriarch. Elderly, strongly built, retired railroad worker, traditional values. In the parsed data, Gideon is connected to 50 scenes, 103 text mentions, first appearing around scene 1.

50 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Rhonda

Rhonda is listed as Granddaughter. Junior's 13-year-old daughter. In the parsed data, Rhonda is connected to 49 scenes, 29 text mentions, first appearing around scene 3.

49 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Babe Brother

Babe Brother is listed as Son. Gideon's youngest son, 31, materialistic, conflicted. In the parsed data, Babe Brother is connected to 38 scenes, 90 text mentions, first appearing around scene 3.

38 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Harry Mention

Harry Mention is listed as Guest. Ageless, mysterious, agitating visitor from the past. In the parsed data, Harry Mention is connected to 38 scenes, first appearing around scene 1.

38 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Sunny

Sunny is listed as Grandson. Babe Brother's 5-year-old son. In the parsed data, Sunny is connected to 31 scenes, 78 text mentions, first appearing around scene 3.

31 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Junior

Junior is listed as Son. Gideon's elder son, 35, dark-skinned, responsible. In the parsed data, Junior is connected to 31 scenes, 30 text mentions, first appearing around scene 3.

31 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Pat

Pat is listed as Daughter-in-law. Junior's wife, pregnant. In the parsed data, Pat is connected to 24 scenes, 6 text mentions, first appearing around scene 3.

24 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Linda

Linda is listed as Daughter-in-law. Babe Brother's wife, materially oriented. In the parsed data, Linda is connected to 23 scenes, 12 text mentions, first appearing around scene 3.

23 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Hattie

Hattie is listed as Friend. Old acquaintance of Gideon and Suzie, religious. In the parsed data, Hattie is connected to 17 scenes, 36 text mentions, first appearing around scene 5.

17 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Okra Tate

Okra Tate is listed as Friend. Elderly man, carries a Polaroid camera. In the parsed data, Okra Tate is connected to 14 scenes, first appearing around scene 4.

14 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

M.C.

M.C. is listed as Friend. Large, muscular, energetic man. In the parsed data, M.C. is connected to 13 scenes, 25 text mentions, first appearing around scene 4.

13 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Herman

Herman is listed as Friend. Dried-up man with a racking cough. In the parsed data, Herman is connected to 11 scenes, 18 text mentions, first appearing around scene 4.

11 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Scene outline

  1. 1. INT. ROOM

    Gideon sits at a table where fruit is engulfed in flames that spread to his shoes.

    Gideon

  2. 1. EXT. WET DIRT ROAD

    Gideon walks along a fence toward a boy on a mule; the image fades into an abyss.

    Gideon

  3. 1. EXT. BACKYARD

    Gideon and Sunny dig for worms and share a moment.

    Gideon, Harry Mention

  4. 1. EXT. MRS. BAKER'S HOUSE

    Kids shout insults at Rodney regarding his trumpet playing.

  5. 1. INT. FRONT ROOM

    Gideon and Suzie discuss life, illness, and garden maintenance while listening to a neighbor's music.

    Gideon, Suzie

  6. 1. EXT. FRONT OF HOUSE

    Suzie approaches the house.

    Suzie

  7. 2. INT. BEDROOM

    Suzie finds Gideon in poor condition.

    Gideon, Suzie

  8. 2. EXT. GIDEON'S BACKYARD

    Gideon wakes up from a dream under a fruit tree.

    Gideon, Harry Mention

  9. 2. EXT. BALDWIN HILLS LAKE

    Gideon sleeps while Sunny fishes.

    Gideon, Harry Mention

  10. 2. INT. GIDEON'S BEDROOM

    Gideon is in poor health while the Preacher and choir pray; Suzie searches for the source of mysterious music.

    Gideon, Suzie

  11. 2. INT. GIDEON'S KITCHEN

    Suzie deals with a dropped egg and the sound of the trumpet as the doorbell rings.

    Suzie

  12. 2. INT. BEDROOM

    Suzie assists Gideon, who reflects on the grim nature of his time in the hospital.

    Gideon, Suzie

  13. 3. EXT. LAKE

    Gideon and Sunny sit together as a train whistle sounds.

    Gideon, Harry Mention

  14. 3. INT. BEDROOM

    The family prepares Gideon for transport while Harry watches.

    Gideon, Suzie, Babe Brother, Junior, Sunny, Linda

  15. 3. INT. HALLWAY

    Sunny peeks into the workroom.

    Harry Mention

  16. 3. INT. DINING ROOM, JUNIOR'S HOUSE

    Junior and Pat discuss Harry's presence while working on a light fixture.

    Sunny, Linda, Pat

  17. 3. INT. HARRY'S BEDROOM

    Suzie checks Harry's room, but it is empty.

    Suzie, Rhonda

  18. 3. EXT. FRONT PORCH

    Two police officers wait at the door.

  19. 4. INT. GIDEON'S BEDROOM

    Suzie updates the Preacher about the music.

    Suzie

  20. 4. INT. LIVING ROOM

    Harry, Babe Brother, and Linda return home; Harry sends the family away.

    Rhonda, Babe Brother, Junior, Suzie, Gideon, Harry Mention

  21. 4. INT. FRONT ROOM

    Suzie welcomes two police officers who are investigating a complaint about a rooster.

    Suzie

  22. 4. EXT. BACKYARD

    Harry, Okra, and Herman attempt to catch a chicken for food.

    Rhonda, Okra Tate, M.C., Herman

  23. 4. INT. BABE BROTHER'S KITCHEN

    Tensions rise between Linda and Babe Brother over their son while Harry is present.

    Babe Brother, Junior, Harry Mention, Rhonda

  24. 4. INT. WORKROOM

    Suzie concludes a natural birth instruction class.

    Suzie

  25. 5. INT. BATHROOM

    Suzie informs Gideon about the police visit, ruining his good mood.

    Gideon, Suzie

  26. 5. EXT. BACKYARD

    Gideon interacts with chickens and catches kids in his fruit tree.

    Gideon

  27. 5. INT. JUNIOR'S HOUSE

    Linda arrives with her son Sunny at Junior and Pat's house after leaving Babe Brother.

    Babe Brother, Junior, Harry Mention, Sunny, Linda, Pat

  28. 5. INT. DINING ROOM - BABE BROTHER'S HOUSE

    Linda welcomes guests while hiding her injury.

    Junior, Rhonda

  29. 5. INT. VETERAN'S HOSPITAL, WARD

    Gideon expresses his dislike for the hospital.

    Gideon, Suzie, Sunny, Linda

  30. 5. INT. LIVING ROOM

    Gideon and Suzie host a gathering; Harry exerts control.

    Suzie, Gideon, Rhonda, Babe Brother, Junior, Sunny

  31. 6. INT. HERMAN'S ONE ROOM HOUSE

    Harry teaches Babe Brother how to cheat at cards.

    Babe Brother, Rhonda, Okra Tate, M.C., Herman

  32. 6. EXT. ALLEYWAY

    The kids return to the tree.

  33. 6. INT. FRONT ROOM

    Gideon confronts the officers regarding the legality of his livestock.

    Gideon, Suzie

  34. 6. EXT. BACKYARD

    Rhonda and Sunny play and eat strawberries.

    Harry Mention, Pat

  35. 6. INT. DINING ROOM

    The party grows chaotic and Linda struggles to maintain control.

    Babe Brother, Junior, Rhonda

  36. 6. INT. KITCHEN

    Harry shares moonshine with the men.

    Herman, Rhonda, Babe Brother, Okra Tate, M.C., Gideon

  37. 7. INT. BEDROOM

    Gideon and Suzie discuss family concerns.

    Gideon, Suzie, Pat, Harry Mention

  38. 7. INT. LIVING ROOM

    Dancing and tension as Harry calls Hattie to sing.

    Hattie, Rhonda, M.C., Okra Tate, Herman

  39. 7. INT. FRONT ROOM

    Suzie turns off the lights, revealing Harry's presence.

    Suzie, Rhonda

  40. 7. EXT. COUNTRY ROAD

    Babe Brother drives Harry to an orchard.

    Babe Brother, Rhonda

  41. 7. INT. BEDROOM

    Linda seeks refuge with her son while the party continues.

    Babe Brother, Junior, Harry Mention

  42. 7. INT. FRONT ROOM

    Babe Brother arrives late at night to pick up his son.

    Suzie, Babe Brother

  43. 8. EXT. GIDEON'S HOUSE

    Church members arrive to pray for Gideon.

    Suzie

  44. 8. EXT. MRS. BAKER'S BACKYARD

    Skip Baker trains his pigeons.

  45. 8. EXT. ORCHARD

    Harry leads Babe Brother through an orchard where Babe Brother hears a phantom sound.

    Babe Brother, Rhonda

  46. 8. EXT. HOUSE

    Junior and Babe Brother help Gideon up the steps.

    Gideon, Babe Brother, Sunny

  47. 8. INT. GIDEON'S BEDROOM

    A heated argument erupts between Gideon and Babe Brother regarding the late hour.

    Gideon, Suzie, Babe Brother, Harry Mention

  48. 8. INT. BEDROOM

    Linda watches TV with the children.

    Junior, Harry Mention, Pat

  49. 9. INT. MRS. BAKER'S HOUSE, RODNEY'S BEDROOM

    Rodney tries to play the trumpet.

  50. 9. INT. GIDEON'S BEDROOM

    Suzie and Gideon argue about their son in bed.

    Gideon, Suzie

  51. 9. INT. GIDEON'S BEDROOM

    The Preacher confronts Suzie about her folk remedies for Gideon.

    Gideon, Suzie

  52. 9. INT. FRONT ROOM

    Marsh confronts Harry about the past.

    Gideon, Suzie, Junior, Rhonda, Babe Brother, Linda

  53. 9. INT. FRONT ROOM

    Junior, Linda, and Pat discuss Babe Brother and Harry over the phone.

    Babe Brother, Junior, Harry Mention, Sunny, Linda, Pat

  54. 9. INT. FRONT ROOM

    Gideon returns home and interacts with Harry.

    Gideon, Suzie, Babe Brother, Sunny, Rhonda

  55. 10. INT. THE BAKERS' GARAGE

    Mr. and Mrs. Baker discuss domestic life while Rodney practices his horn.

  56. 10. INT. BABE BROTHER'S BEDROOM

    Babe Brother expresses his ambitions for Sunny.

    Babe Brother, Harry Mention

  57. 10. INT. PHOTO STUDIO, 1930

    A dream-like sequence involving a woman selecting a backdrop for a photo.

  58. 10. INT. BATHROOM

    Babe Brother cleans the bathtub.

    Babe Brother, Sunny

  59. 10. INT. KITCHEN

    Marsh pressures Harry about past lynchings.

    Rhonda, Babe Brother, Hattie

  60. 21. INT. BABE BROTHER'S HOUSE

    Babe Brother and Linda argue about discipline and coffee while their son Sunny watches.

    Babe Brother, Junior, Harry Mention

  61. 22. EXT. BACKYARD

    Gideon watches Suzie garden and prepares to feed the chickens.

    Gideon, Suzie

  62. 23. EXT. ALLEYWAY

    Old John leaves a gift on the fence.

  63. 24. EXT. BACKYARD

    Suzie finds the gift from Old John.

    Suzie

  64. 25. EXT. ALLEYWAY

    Suzie and Gideon interact with Old John.

    Gideon, Suzie

  65. 26. EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD

    Various neighborhood activities observed.

    Gideon, Suzie

  66. 27. INT. DELIVERY ROOM

    Suzie assists a mother during childbirth.

    Suzie

  67. 28. EXT. BACKYARD

    Old John leaves another sack.

    Gideon

  68. 29. INT. CHURCH

    The family attends a baptism.

    Gideon, Suzie, Sunny, Linda, Pat

  69. 30. INT. KITCHEN

    Tension arises between Junior and Babe Brother during a family meal.

    Gideon, Suzie, Babe Brother, Sunny, Linda, Pat

  70. 31. EXT. STREET

    Babe Brother urges Linda to visit inside the house while they are parked.

    Babe Brother, Junior, Harry Mention

  71. 32. INT. KITCHEN

    The family eats at the table and discusses Babe Brother.

    Suzie, Gideon, Sunny, Linda, Pat

  72. 33. INT. CAR

    Skip hits the car with a rock.

    Babe Brother, Junior, Harry Mention

  73. 34. INT. FEED STORE

    Gideon and Suzie shop for farming supplies.

    Gideon, Suzie, Harry Mention

  74. 35. INT. CAR

    Sunny sabotages the feed while Gideon and Suzie observe.

    Gideon, Suzie, Harry Mention

  75. 36. INT. KITCHEN

    Gideon tells Sunny a story; a teapot is broken.

    Gideon, Suzie, Harry Mention

  76. 37. EXT. APPLE ORCHARD

    A shadow appears in the barren orchard.

  77. 38. EXT. FRONT PORCH

    Harry Mention arrives at the house.

    Rhonda

  78. 39. INT. FRONT ROOM

    Harry is welcomed into the home by Suzie and Gideon.

    Gideon, Suzie, Harry Mention, Rhonda

  79. 40. INT. BEDROOM

    Harry sleeps on a pallet.

    Rhonda

  80. 41. INT. KITCHEN

    Suzie and Gideon host Harry, discussing old times and neighbors, while Junior, Pat, and Rhonda arrive for a visit.

    Suzie, Gideon, Rhonda, Sunny, Linda, Pat

Dialogue examples

Okra, M.C. and Herman want to go back home with me. Suzie, I'm not a bad fellow; I just like to have a good time. M.C. is coming by to pick me up tonight. I'll come back to get my things. Well, I hope Gideon recovers. You know I have an extra picture of one of my sons that I would like for you to put with those baby pictures over your dresser. It's better than being in my dusty wallet with addresses and names of people who are no longer on this earth.

UNKNOWN / Scene 2

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