The Proposal by Pete Chiarelli (outline)

Good script to read about characters maintaining a lie. Outline on next page. 

1. IN MAGGIE’S APT. Great view but she’s not looking. She’s working out and working at the same time.
2. WOMAN’S APT. Richard wakes up in random model’s apartment. Starts to break up with her.
3. INTERCUT. Maggie getting ready for work. Richard breaking up with girl.
4. OFFICE. Richard rushes in. Maggie tries to convince an author client to do publicity. Richard cleans up Maggie’s office as she enters. Everyone in the office is scared of her.
NOTE: We like Maggie because she was nice to the doorman. Also because she is great at what she does and smart.
NOTE: it may not be PC, but the audience has a respect for Richard b/c he had a super hot girlfriend in the first scene and has a cool guy mystique about him largely due to that.
5. MAGGIE’S OFFICE. Richard and Maggie together. He is her assistant.
6. BOB’S OFFICE: she fires bob b/c bob failed to get the author to do publicity and she succeeded. She tries to be nice about it.
7. MINUTE LATER: Richard cancels trip to celebrate Granny’s birthday because Maggie said he needs to stay and work and he needs to be focused if he wants promotion to editor.
7. MAGGIE’S OFFICE: Angry rejected author comes in to tell her she’s being deported to Canada. It’s his revenge and he works for immigration now. Richard comes in. Maggie says they are getting married. Richard knows lots of her favorites and stuff from working for her. INS man is threatening. Says if this is a lie they go to jail for five years. She says it’s real and they are telling his family at Granny’s 90th this weekend. Richard reveals it’s in ALASKA (where he’s from).
8. MINUTE LATER: Guy leaves. Maggie treats Richard the same. Asks for more coffee etc. He quits.
9. PARK: Richard says he’ll do it if she makes him editor.
10. PLANE TAKES OFF FOR ALASKA.
11. ON PLANE: Maggie flirts with guy. Pretends Richard is not her bf. Still treating him bad.
12. AERIAL OF SITKA
13. JETWAY: Maggie and Guy flirt as they land.
14. AIRPORT: Family is all there waiting. EVIL GUY called to ask them about the marriage. They are SO excited. Maggie has to stop flirting with Guy and go be fake wife for the family.
NOTE: Family cancelled hotel so couple can stay at the house. Their whole vibe DEEPENS this lie and FORCES Maggie and Richard to live it.
15. EXT. AIRPORT. Granny reveals they arranged for a wedding b/w them this weekend. She is old. It’s all granny wants. Margaret gives two thumbs up.
16. TRAVEL SEQUENCE: car, dock, yacht… Get the vibe this is a romantic locale. Especially when they arrive at Richard’s family beautiful estate.
17. AT HOUSE: Richard has stiff greeting with his dad.
18. AT HOUSE: They learn they are sharing a room. They argue. She wants to tell truth. He won’t make his family an accomplice in this. They talk about “how could you not tell me you were rich?” Richard is like you think of yourself as so scrappy and poor you would have fired me. She decides “If we’re going to do this let’s put on a show.”
19. ENGAGEMENT PARTY: Maggie treats him like an assistant, short leash, embarrassing. GERTRUDE arrives. Richard’s ex. They have chemistry. Geoffrey accuses them of marrying for INS reasons. Maggie defends it. Tells story of Richard’s proposal. Slips a couple compliments about Richard in there.
GOOD ACTION LINE: Richard’s tone let’s Margaret know there’s a problem.
NOTE: Richard’s dad and Gertrude are the antagonists here. They suspect the lie and they can tell something is up and they want to find out.
NOTE: Stakes are huge. If the family finds out their hearts will be broken.
20. OUTSIDE: Maggie sacrifices her phone to save the family dog from an attacking eagle. Richard says if you want a new phone you have to go out with the girls now.
NOTE: She lost the phone. Now he has something to lord over her and make her do stuff. Even more ammunition for him.
21. BAR. Bachelorette party vibe. She has a good time and male strippers are there.
22. BACK HOME. Dad tries to get Richard to take over family business. Richard defends his life with Maggie. Dad questions it. How real could it be you hated her yesterday!
23. AT THE BAR. Gertrude reveals Richard proposed to her when they were in HS. He is sweet. Not the ‘player’ Maggie knows in NY. Maggie feels bad for the lie. People opening up to her makes her feel bad.
24. SEQUENCE AT HOME: Richard chops wood angry. Mom yells at Dad like what did you do. Richard obliviously undresses after getting sweaty (he’s listening to iPod). Margaret showers then needs a towel but is naked.
25. END OF SEQUENCE: They fall into each other naked. Cute moment. He goes to shower.
26. THAT NIGHT. Trying to sleep. Richard tells Maggie she’s beautiful. She says goodnight.
27. DAD OFFICE: He calls INS and closes the door. We don’t hear the rest.
28. NEXT MORNING: Mom brings them breakfast in bed. Maggie gets mad at Richard. “Why are you doing this? You are rich. Why are you lying to your family? I can’t trust you.” Richard says he’ll show her why.
NOTE: This is so cool. Thinking through all the possible sources of interpersonal conflict. All the ways they might feel about it. (Those ways can change and seeing Maggie warm up to his family and resent him for this is an interesting shift that shows growth and represents story.)
29. SEAFOOD PIER SEQUENCE: He shows her the family business. He is great at gutting fish. He always wanted to run that place. Got his heart broken and left. Dad didn’t talk to him for a year. Richard bringing fancy city editor back as wife is a great fuck you to the family. After this, she trusts him again.
NOTE: Everyone gains respect for Richard here. Hard worker. Messed up family. They connect and that connection connects the AUDIENCE more deeply to the movie.
30. LATER: Maggie tells Richard stuff about herself. Including that she hasn’t had sex in 1.5 years. Flirty dialogue. He gets her the new phone and she has a VM. It’s an author. She needs computer and internet right away.
31. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Maggie goes to use internet.  Richard finds Gertrude. Sees her teach. After class she confesses her love for him and says they should be together. Richard doesn’t know what to say and then Maggie enters and they leave.
32. WOODS: Maggie finds Dad chanting to keep in touch with native roots. She chants lil John sweat drop down balls song. He says he’s making an effort with her. Granny and Mom show up and see they need her to try on her dress.
33. HOUSE. Mom and Granny give her the dress. Very sentimental. Granny gives Maggie a family heirloom. Maggie feels like she’s stealing it. Starting to feel terrible.
GOOD ACTION LINE: Margaret puts her hand to the necklace, and for the first time feels like a complete and total fraud.
34. BOAT. Maggie and Richard go for boat ride to clear her head. She can’t imagine WHY he would lie to his family like this. He’s like you knew it would be like this. She’s like no. I forgot what it was like to have a family. I’ve been on my own since I was thirteen.
35. GLACIER. Maggie falls through ice bridge. Richard saves her. Very romantic. She is in his arms carried ‘over the threshold style.’ That moment he says Gertrude wants him back. She suggests calling it off. He agrees.
36. HOSUE. INS Evil Guy is there. Dad called him up. Told him it was a lie. Evil Guy gives couple opportunity to come clean and walk away. Richard says NO WE’RE GETTING MARRIED.
37. WEDDING MONTAGE: standard. Until… Margaret confesses to everyone.
38. LATER: Maggie packs up and tells Richard to go be with Gertrude.
39. HOME. Richard with Gertrude. Kiss. Doesn’t feel it. Realizes he wants to be with Maggie. About to head to the airport but Granny has a heart attack.
40. HELICOPTER. Granny makes father and son say they’ll be better. Then reveals the attack was fake and asks to be taken to the airport so Richard can get Margaret.
41. Meanwhile: Maggie is on the plane with the Evil INS guy who is now excited about his book launch (she is releasing book to stay out of jail).
42. HELICOPTER: Can’t get Maggie’s plane grounded. Can’t get to her. Dad calls in a favor to friend who owns airline (this was set up). Richard delivers his speech via plane loudspeaker tapped in through captain’s walkie talkie or whatever. She and Richard talk that way. The guy Maggie flirted with earlier turns you to be an air Marshall. Tasers INS Evil Guy and gets the plane turned back around to Sitka.
43. BACK AT AIRPORT: Evil INS Guy gets taken away. Maggie tells family she wants Richard to be happy and has explaining to do but they are together now.
44. HOUSE. Everyone parties. It’s not a wedding but it’s a fun party and everyone is having fun. ​