The Captain — Day 13

Genre: Comedy

Logline:  The movie BIG, but in reverse.

Premise: 8 year old Amy Carlisle suffers a bump on the head, and takes on the attributes of a 60-year-old drunken Nantucket fishing boat captain named Smitty O'Brien, to hilarious effect. Her parents believe she's role-playing, until Amy/Smitty convinces them otherwise, and the Carlisles' world is turned upside down.

ACT I

Amy Carlisle is a precocious 8 year old. She lives on the small historic fishing Island of Nantucket, Massachusetts along with her 13 year old brother Corey and their parents. The Carlisles have had a rough month. Amy's grandfather has just died, and she has been taking it particularly hard. Amy's been withdrawn at home, and for the first time in her life, she's been acting out at school. One day, a group of girls corner Amy in the schoolyard and begin bullying her. Harsh words turn into shoving and Amy is pushed down, knocks her head, and passes out. The young bullies scatter in a panic.

Inciting Incident:  Amy's mom and dad pace nervously around her hospital room. It's been several hours since the schoolyard scuffle. Although the doctors can't explain why Amy hasn't woken up yet, the rest is all good news: no concussion, no major trauma. She just got knocked out good, and should wake up soon. When she DOES wake up shortly thereafter, the Carlisles are in for the surprise of their lives. Out of Amy's mouth comes a string of profanities the likes of which even her parents would be hard-pressed to have come up with. Though her voice and looks are the same, Amy seems to be behaving like a total stranger. And not just any stranger, but like a tough, wizened old Nantucket sailor that one might find drunk in a local bar, shooting the shit with the fellahs.

Though alarmed that Amy has chosen this moment to become such an imaginative role-player, the Carlisles are nevertheless very relieved that their daughter is in otherwise perfect health. The hospital's child psychologist says there's no cause for alarm: Amy's suffered a lot of upset in the last few weeks, and this role-playing is probably just something she is doing to reconnect with her grandfather and process her grief. Be supportive of her and it will probably run its course soon enough. The Carlisles and Amy head home. There are only a few days left in the school year until Summer vacation, so Amy is allowed to stay home to recuperate. 

The Carlisles soon realize that being "supportive" of their daughter's condition is going to be easier said than done. Not only does Amy constantly insist that she's another person, she tells her parents WHO she is exactly: Charles "Smitty" O'Brien, the saltiest fishing boat captain to ever sail and call Nantucket home. Overnight, Amy has become a complete handful. The Carlisles catch her trying to smoke a cigar, steal beers out of the fridge, and instructing her older brother on how to "be a real man." They would laugh, if it all weren't so damn unnerving.

Several weeks in, a shock comes when Amy's father Bill serendipitously discovers that Smitty O'Brien was in fact a real person who lived on Nantucket Island and died there 65 years ago, in 1950, at the age of 60. When Bill shares the news with Amy's mom, Mary, they are both relieved. Their daughter must have heard stories about Smitty from local seniors, or read about him somewhere online or in school. Smitty, as it turns out, was a legendary personality and a real character. He was a minor celebrity on the island in his own time, renowned for his prowess on the seas as much as his drunkenness and propensity for bar fights.

But after a month of living (and arguing) with Smitty/Amy, the Carlisles catch Amy trying to get a sailor's tattoo and decide they have had enough. It's time to break their daughters delusion. They discover that the daughter of the real Smitty O'Brien, Matilda O'Brien, is still alive and living on the Island. She is now an 80 year old widower, her father having died when she was just 15 years old. The Carlisles call Matilda and explain their unique scenario, and ask if they might visit with Amy to help their daughter snap out of it. Matilda is tickled pink that a young girl is pretending to be her hard-charging, infamous father and says she'd be happy to help in any way she can:

1st Act Turning Point: The Carlisles visit Matilda O'Brien. Matilda introduces herself to Amy as sweetly as possible. Amy stands red-faced, arms folded in a pout. Rudely ignoring Matilda, she walks around the house picking up framed photos one by one. When she settles on one in particular—a 60 year old picture of Matilda and her husband on their wedding day—Amy let's out a derisive snort. "I don't believe it," says Amy/Smitty, "You had your pick of boys on this island and you marry Shrimp-Dick Pete!? No wonder my grandkids are so damn ugly!" Now Matilda flushes red with anger and embarrassment. "I don't know who you people are but I do NOT appreciate being made a fool in my own house!" In a shouting rage she kicks the Carlisle family out on to her front lawn.

As they slink to their car in complete shock, Bill pauses, then doubles back to the house where Matilda is continuing her tirade on her front steps. Tentatively, he apologizes but asks: "...How many people knew your husband by....that? If you don't mind my asking?" Matilda shoots back: "Nobody!! My father made that cruel little nickname up when Peter started hanging around our house, intending to scare him off, and nobody's had the guts to repeat it back to me since that old bastard up and died on us. I thought my father had at least enough tact to keep that stupid nickname inside the walls of our house. But you know what? My father was a real asshole—just like your little girl, and you people. I don't know who you've been talking to stage your little prank, but whoever it is, you can tell them to go to hell!!"

The Carlisles slowly get in to the front seats of the car. They sit motionless, eyeing their daughter in the rear view mirror. "I TOLD you," offers Smitty/Amy. "NOW can we get a goddam beer?!" 

Act II:

Now that the Carlisles believe that their daughter has indeed been commandeered by a 65 year-old, long-dead fishing boat captain and notorious drunk, they are truly terrified. What has become of THEIR daughter they ask Smitty? "Oh, she's in here somewhere, I think. Asleep or something. She must be. Because I never liked horses or ice-cream before, and now I'm positively drawn to that shit." They are relieved, but not much. This first half of Act II is about the Carlisles and Smitty/Amy coming to terms with the insanity and ridiculousness of their situation and letting their personalities clash.

The Midpoint / passive-to active shift comes when Smitty/Amy realizes that his return, for whatever reason it has occurred, is a terrible thing. It is robbing a family of their child. He vows to figure out how to leave, and return Amy to her family. From this moment forward Smitty and the Carlisles are working together, rather than at cross-purposes. Smitty/Amy and the Carlisles go on a series of trials together (visits to doctors, mediums, Ouija boards, drunken benders) trying to kick Smitty out of Amy, to no avail. Nearly three months have passed since Amy first hit her head, and the Summer is almost over. Soon, Smitty/Amy will have to return to school with a classroom full of Amy's "peers"... The Carlisles begin to break down, completely bereft at the realization that their daughter might be lost for good.

2nd Act Turning Point:  A massive hurricane begins brewing off of the Eastern Seaboard. Nantucket Island is in the Hurricane's direct track, and it is barreling down like a freight train. There hasn't been a storm of this size or power in 100 years, and no one is prepared for such a monster.

ACT III

Of course, there is ONE person on Nantucket who knows exactly what to do: Smitty/Amy. Smitty is the ultimate Nantucket boat captain, and was there for the last juggernaut storm 100 years ago. He was a 25 year old deck hand at the time, and watched the old-timers then save Nantucket with their knowledge of the island landscape, the sea and her fury. Now, as Amy, and with the Carlisles' help, Smitty sets out to save the Island and its inhabitants again.

Climax:  The Island is torn to shreds: but with Smitty/Amy's guidance, everybody evacuates and shelters in the right places, and ultimately survives. It is nothing short of a miracle. In the final moments of the storm, as its greatest fury passes overhead, Amy is struck by debris and falls unconscious again. Her parents huddle over her and pray as they shelter in place. Finally, the storm passes and Amy awakes. Smitty is gone, and their daughter has returned to them. The reason for Smitty's return is now clear, and with his mission fulfilled, the salty dog has returned from whence he came.

In the final scene / shot of the film, we see Amy pursuing some interest that only Smitty would have introduced her to (building a ship in a bottle, or arm-wrestling with men three times her size), and we know that some part of Smitty and their adventure together has become a boon to Amy, and helped her to reclaim her own strength—with a bit of Smitty's moxie thrown in for good measure.