LARRY CROFT SAYS . . .

The film

GOODBYE USA

(Logline, synopsis and plot)

Written by Larry Croft

Cotocachi, Ecuador

Email larrycroftec@gmail.

LOGLINE

A bitter ostracized U.S. Senator and her unbalanced brother, believing himself to be the second coming of Hitler, push the country into a civil war.

SYNOPSIS

During the latter years of the twentieth century, the great United States of America was virtually destroyed by vengeful siblings Wilma Riser and her ne'er-do-well brother, Wilmer., a man who believes he is the second coming of Hitler.

At 11:00 am, four unexpected ear-splitting explosions rock New York, Atlanta, and Washington D.C. The U.S. Capitol and three media outlets are reduced to ashes. Days later, eight post office buildings are reduced to ashes as well. Other events throughout the country lead to a full-blown civil war.

Two years prior to the devastation, Wilma Riser, a United States Senator, turns dark, resigns from Congress and travels the world with her friend for life, U.S. Army Major Wally Downey. During her travels, she works secretly and diligently with her plan to “make a difference.”

As she packs her belongings for leaving Washington, she learns of Senator Tommy Tracker's suicide. The media theorizes Wilma's resignation, Tracker's suicide and Billy Victor's unexpected job loss are connected, suggesting foul play. Victor is a childhood nemesis obsessed with Wilma and follows her to Washington.

A disguised Billy Victor is always nearby. Billy, still bitter because Wilma rebuffed him in high school stalks her daily. Wilma recognizes Billy's voice as she and Wally enjoy eating pizza. At the counter, when Wally pays for the food, Wilma rams a knee squarely in Billy's groin. The pain is intense. Billy promises to kill Wilma.

Wilma returns from her travels and, with brother Wilmer, implements her plan to make a difference.

After the explosions, the USA citizens are in a sorry state. The unemployment rate is extremely high. Kids yell and shove, grown men engage in fisticuffs, stay-a-home moms scream at other’s kids. Murders, burglaries, robberies, and thefts, including shoplifting, are at all-time highs. Many businesses, even grocery stores and pharmacies are closed for business. Everyone is mean-spirited.

Wilma, when learning the FBI suspects her involvement in the terroristic acts, fakes a publicly televised death and flees to a country without a USA extradition treaty.

Wilma’s brother continues the mayhem using an alias, Chester Nojester. He has everything money can buy but he focuses on achieving what money cannot buy. He inspires a million men, who share his extreme hatred for the government, to destroy the country’s infrastructure. He easily roundups an unhinged army of ragtag malcontents that grows to five million men and women by word of mouth.

Wilmer crashes his helicopter and is captured. With Wilma beyond reach, Wilmer, in his perceived glory, faces swift justice alone.

PLOT

Wilma Riser enjoys a picture-perfect childhood, enjoying spending time with friends and engaging in extracurricular activities at school.

During her high school senior year, the wholesome Wilma is accepted for admission to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.

At West Point, Wilma experiences her first life failure. She does not meet the rigid physical requirements for continuing as a cadet. Before returning home, her only source of encouragement is the friendship of Cadet Wally Downey, a friendship that endures throughout her trials and tribulations.

After returning to her Indianapolis home, Wilma’s wealthy parents, Stephen and Janice Riser, are instrumental in restoring Wilma’s self-confidence.

Wilma continues her education by earning two university degrees, chemistry and law. As in high school, she is class valedictorian at both institutions.

Wilma’s good fortune continues during her employment with the Indianapolis law firm Thomas Lynch and Ward (TLW). After ten years at TLW, Wilma moves to Washington D.C. as the voters of Indiana chose her to become their United States senator.

Billy Victor, rebuffed by Wilma in high school and seeking revenge, follows Wilma to Washington, works as a newspaper reporter, stalks her, and keeps her in his crosshairs as he wears various disguises.

On Wilma’s first day as a United States senator, longtime senator Tommy Tracker becomes Wilma’s nemesis. Wilma rebuffs

Tracker’s unwelcome advances. Tracker becomes bitter and enlists Billy Victor to help destroy Wilma.

The two cohorts attempt to kill Wilma by automobile on a Washington street. While hospitalized, Wilma tells the police about her fear of Tommy Tracker and Billy Victor.

Tracker and Victor succeed in turning almost all senate members against Wilma. Wilma’s only friend in the senate, Donna Jeanne Marion, explains to Wilma that Tracker and Victor have a vendetta against her.

Realizing she is a persona non grata, Wilma submits her resignation from the senate. Further, in her anger, Wilma insults the United States citizens as she addresses the nation via television from the steps of the U.S. Capitol building. In doing so, the small crowd in attendance becomes unruly, resulting in the capitol police intervening. She storms off exclaiming her work is not finished and she will make a difference.

As she packs her belongings for leaving Washington, she learns of Tracker’s suicide. In a note, Tracker admits he tried to kill Wilma in the hit and run assault.

Wilma receives a phone call immediately after the suicide announcement. The caller discloses enough information to convince Wilma the caller is her high school acquaintance, Billy Victor.

When Victor loses his job because his boss resents the amount of time Victor consumes in his vendetta against Wilma, the media theorizes Wilma's resignation, Tracker's suicide and Victor's job loss are connected, suggesting foul play.

Rumors swirl that Wilma’s deceased body lies in the Gulf of Mexico.

To avoid the humiliation of a police investigation, Wilma obtains false identification and a fake passport.

Just before departing Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Wilma emails her brother, Wilmer, a man with a criminal record and believed to be a hired gun and a drug runner, requesting his help and a list of instructions.

Wilma departs for parts unknown with U.S. Army Major Wally Downey. Wilma secretly plans a strategy for “making a difference” as they travel the world two years, with a disguised Billy Victor always nearby. Billy, still bitter because Wilma rebuffed him in high school, now blames her for his job loss and stalks her daily

Wilma recognizes Billy’s voice as she and Wally enjoy eating.

At the counter, when Wally pays for the food, Wilma rams a knee squarely in Billy’s groin. The pain is intense. Billy promises to kill Wilma.

For Wilma, Wilmer supervises the development of a three- square-mile residential property near the fictional town of Clyde, Arizona. An ugly dilapidated double-wide sits atop the very upscale bunker equipped with state-of-the-art electronic security. The double-wide is used to send the message that the occupant is not the wealthy Wilma but a dirt-poor woman going by the name of Gertie.

Upon her return, Wilmer meets Wilma and her small dog, Zeus, at the Clyde airport. While at a fast-food restaurant in Clyde, Wilmer spots a suspicious-acting man wearing an eye patch at Wilma’s car. Wilmer leaves the restaurant to confront the man. He fails to capture the man but learns from Wilma he is Billy Victor

At the property, Wilmer gives Wilma a tour of her upscale bunker. When preparing to leave Wilma’s property, Wilmer spots a man pretending to diagnose his stalled truck. The truck driver offers Wilmer a ride to the Clyde airport where Wilmer’s Cessna Citation jet is parked.

Wilmer recognizes the man as Billy Victor because of the eyepatch Billy wears.

Billy Victor pulls a gun from his pocket and points it at Wilmer’s face. Wilmer gains the upper hand, forces Victor to admit wanting to off Wilma, drags Victor to a railroad crossing and tosses Wilma’s longtime stalker in front of a fast-moving freight train.

Wilmer continues his trip to the airport using the driver’s truck.

As he inspects his plane before departure, Wilmer finds a tracking device attached to the underside of the plane.

Wilmer returns to Wilma’s property and, together, they find a tracking device mounted inside a fender of Wilma’s car.

They concluded Billy Victor tracked Wilmer during his flight to Clyde, put a tracking device on Wilma’s car at the burger joint and tracked them to Wilma’s property.

As part of revengeful Wilma’s plan, she and Wilmer completely demolish the U.S. Capitol building and three media outlets.

The buildings housing broadcast media outlets in New York and Atlanta are completely destroyed in the same manner as the

U.S. Capitol building. And the headquarters of one of the nation's largest newspapers, located in New York, is demolished too.

Television viewers see gory details consisting of overturned vehicles, bodies in the streets, demolished buildings, sky- high dust, and first responders in addition to still photos and videos shared by spectators.

Wilma watches television coverage of the disasters as she and Zeus share vanilla ice cream using the same spoon. Wilma kisses Zeus. Zeus slobbers on Wilma's face.

Wilma continues her assault on the United States by destroying eight post office buildings across the country.

When learning the law suspects her as the people’s enemy, the distraught Wilma confesses all via a television hack courtesy of brother Wilmer and fakes her suicide to the viewing audience.

Donna Jeanne Marion comes to the FBI expressing her belief Wilma, living as Gertie, is alive after viewing the televised confession showing a framed inscription on the wall.

Donna Jeanne gives the FBI interviewer a photo taken during Wilma’s senatorial days of Wilma and Zeus. The FBI places the photo on the front page of newspapers across the county.

After reading the newspaper article. Clyde resident, Beaumont Pickens reports to a deputy sheriff, with convincing evidence, that Wilma is alive.

Believing Wilma is deceased, the U.S. Department of Justice forms an Awareness Team for capturing Wilmer and bringing to him to justice. The team consists of twenty-three members of the United States Department of Justice, one Army general and one Navy admiral. Joy Sitka leads the team.

Sitka explains the team’s role is to process information obtained from the various law enforcement and intelligence entities investigating the destruction of the country.

Chase Plant, Sitka’s right-hand man, explains that people are more demoralized than during the Great Depression. Suicides and home invasions are spiking and shoplifting gangs are forcing business closings.

Plant adds that Wilmer is a human junkyard dog. He is bitter about everything and is the most irreligious man one will ever have the misfortune of meeting.

Admiral Johnny Swabie tells the team a civil war is brewing from the hostility of civilian insurgents and that there will be no leaders, only unhinged malcontents in every nook and cranny.

Wilmer continues the destruction using the alias, Chester Nojester. He attracts ordinary citizens who are fed up with the direction the country is heading.

With nearly all major highways closed by piles of dirt, commerce slows to a crawl. Grocery store shelves are empty and stores close due to shoplifting. Desperate people turn on others, the unemployment rate is the highest in recent memory.

Wilmer, identifying as Chester Nojester, issues a warning to U.S. President Joel Nogo. He gives Nogo sixty days to restore the country to its earlier days.

Wilmer’s mission comes to an end when the U.S. Marshals Service force his surrender during a fierce fire fight after Wilmer’s helicopter crashes in the area where it is believed he dumped eight bodies from his contract killings.Wilmer receives the harshest sentence one can imagine.

In the final scene, Wilma is in Tangier, Morocco with Wally Downey. We see them holding hands and kissing as the elevator door closes.

With the nation's landscape much as it was in 1900, the United States continues its long rebuilding process.

The citizens of the United States have put their petty crusades and greed aside.

People now live in the spirit of one for all and all for one. Wilma Riser kept her longtime promise.

She made a difference.