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Anatomy of a Town

The Chief of Police in a small town investigates the murder of a young woman, while confronting the Sheriff, who blocks his every move for jurisdiction in order to protect himself from the Chief finding out about his paternal ties to both the murder victim and the killer.

Sherrie Harris had a reputation of being a drinker who slept around. Her body is discovered on the city/county line after an early Spring blizzard. She's been bludgeoned to death. She's rumored to have been having an affair with the town's most successful businessman, a local car dealership owner named Harvey Boyle, famous for his regional television ads that she "stars" in. Harvey’s wife Josephine is of "old" timber wealth. She has her own agenda, protecting the family fortune. Leonard Shepherd sets out to solve the case. He must live down the last murder in town which went unsolved, partially due to the Chief's drinking problem. A young girl was raped and murdered, He is haunted by his failure. Leonard's soon-to-be ex-wife is selling their house. Harvey Boyle has fled, unavailable for questioning. Leonard questions Harvey's wife who pretends to know nothing. The Boyles' are remodeling their foyer. Leonard notices that a statue he remembers from his childhood is missing from the house. His mother was their maid and cook. The investigation leads him to Sherrie's husband, Jack who seems to be the logical culprit since Sherrie was cheating on him, recently asked him for a divorce, and Leonard finds evidence in his ice-fishing house which leads to his pursuit of Jack in a car-chase on the frozen lake. Both vehicles break through the ice. The medical examiner finds dust in Sherrie's hair, indicating a murder location under construction. The Sheriff's office seems to have decided Jack is the killer. Leonard discovers that his soon-to-be ex-wife had an argument with Sherrie the day she was murdered. The Mayor pulls Leonard from the case after his wife reveals that Leonard had an affair with Sherrie but Sherrie had discovered that Sherrie and Leonard have the same father. Leonard discovers Sherrie's birth certificate as he searches her safety deposit box. The name on the birth certificate is Sheriff Davis. Leonard finds his own birth certificate but there is no name recorded. When questioned again, Jack admits that Sherrie somehow came into a lot of money. Leonard starts investigating the Sheriff, finding that he paid Sherrie as a "campaign consultant." Leonard asks the Medical examiner to compare his DNA to Sherrie's. It's a match. Leonard starts calling antique dealers, looking for the marble statue. He finds it and discovers a partial, bloody fingerprint on it. Harvey Boyle returns to town and he comes to see Leonard, admitting that he came home after Sherrie neglected to show up at a hotel, he was going to leave Josephine for her. Harvey discovers the Sheriff and Josephine together, Sherrie is already dead. Fingerprint analysis confirms Harvey's story, it’s Josephine's. She is also the Sheriff’s daughter and trying to kept it secret because she would be disinherited. The Chief resigns to try and put his marriage back together.

Script Excerpt Interview
Written by:
Format:
Screenplay
Genres:
Budget:
Low
Starring Roles For:
Oscar Isaac

In the Vein Of:
Lone Star
Chinatown
Posted:
01/01/2009
Updated:
07/10/2024
Author Bio:
-2024 Emerging Screenwriters QF Sandwich Generation -2024 8 & a Half Film Awards SELECTED La Hacienda & Thirst -2024 Hollywood Gold Awards Sandwich Generation -2024 Casablanca Film Factory WINNER La Hacienda -2024 In-Roads Fellowship Semi Finalist La Hacienda -2024 FARO Concurso de Cinema WINNER La Hacienda -2024 L.A. Script Competition Semi-Finalist La Hacienda -2023 Tokyo International l Film Festival Winner: La Hacienda -2023 Horror Bowl Awards Finalist La Hacienda -2022 Thirst short film Screenings at Golden State FF, Sydney Indie Shorts, Marina Del Rey FF, Silicon Beach FF, Culver City FF & Texas Arthouse FF (partial listing) -2022 Short Story published in book titled It Could Be Anyone's Leg -2020 My 4 Bodies Screencraft Semifinalist (play) -2020 Sandwich Generation Filmmatic Semifinalist (sitcom) -2020 Water (short, preproduction) -2020 Record Man: The Bob Koester Story (in production) -2018 100,000 Miles a Second Writer/Producer (short) -2018 Page Awards Semifinalist -2018 Knight Finalist -2017 Nicholl Quarterfinalist -2017 Page Awards Semifinalist -2017 Knight Finalist -2016 Knight Finalist -2016 True Story Semifinalist for When Doves Cry -2015 Screenwriters Workshop Winner -2012 Champion Screenwriting Competition Finalist for Anatomy of a Town 2012 Contest of Contests Finalist for Anatomy of a Town -2011 Writers on the Storm Quarter-Finalist for Anatomy of a Town -2011 Chicago Screenwriters Network Finalist for One More Day -2011 Bluecat Fellini Semifinalist for Anatomy of a Town -2010/11: KCBX-FM Radio Production of Anatomy of a Town to air during the 2011 San Luis Obispo Film Festival -2010 Champion Screenwriting Competition Finalist for Anatomy of a Town -2010 Santa Fe Writer's Project Finalist for Anatomy of a Town -2010 Austin Film Festival Second Round for Anatomy of a Town -2010 SWW-MN Leave 'Em Hooked Winner for Date of Death -2010 IFP-MN Screenplay Finalist for Anatomy of a Town -2009 PAGE Awards Quarter Finalist for Anatomy of a Town -2009 IFP-MN Screenplay Finalist for Anatomy of a Town -2008 SWW-MN Leave 'Em Hooked Finalist for Anatomy of a Town -2006 Fringe Festival Production (Director/Co-Writer) -2004, IFP-MN Screenplay Finalist -University of MN graduate, BA in English Creative Writing.

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Contest Results:
PAGE International (Semifinalist, Ongoing Competition) [2017]
Nicholl Fellowships (Quarterfinalist) [2017]
Divebomber (First Place) [2011]
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