Step Outline

Below is the step outline for the screenplay, Because of Mama. You'll notice when you see the film that the final structure is different from the one we present here - underscoring the notion that films are rewritten at every stage of the filmmaking process. The step outline is just the first step in this process.

Scene One

Slava has his cello lesson. His teacher tells him he needs to play with more feeling.

Scene Two

Walking home, Slava encounters the ice cream vendor, who won't sell him ice cream (at first) because his mother has told him not to.

Scene Three

Slava stops at the hockey rink. His friend asks him if he'll be playing hockey later; he says he can't, because he has to practice.

Scene Four

Slava arrives home, finds a list (left by Mama) of things to do. He does them.

Scene Five

Slava sits down to practice, but is interrupted by his father arriving home with a small group of friends.

Scene Six

As a party brews, Slava complains to his father that the company should leave; he needs to practice. His father tells him to go play hockey, and that he'll pick him up in an hour. Most importantly, he promises Slava that he won't drink.

Scene Seven

Slava plays hockey with his friends. His father doesn't come to pick him up. Even worse, his shoes are stolen and some beat-up boots are left instead. His mother is going to be angry...

Scene Eight

Slava trudges home, on his skates, through the snowy streets. He arrives home, and hits the elevator button. But the elevator doesn't work. He drags himself up the stairs to his apartment.

Scene Nine

Slava sees his father lying passed out in the elevator. He drags him back to the apartment, where he finds the remains of the party and a woman passed out in his mother's bed. He wakes her up, and together they get his father into bed. The woman leaves; Slava stares at a bottle of vodka and declares, "I'm sick of this."

Scene Ten

After cleaning up the mess, Slava kisses his father goodnight. He then sits down on his bed and tries to practice. But he's tired, and so he goes to sleep.

Scene Eleven

His father wakes him up in the middle of the night, asking him where the vodka is. Scene Twelve: Slava goes to the kitchen, where he finds his father drinking window cleaner. He asks his father why he drinks, and his father answers, "Because of Mama."

Scene Thirteen

His father has passed out once again. Unable to sleep, Slava decides to practice. But he's interrupted once again by the sound of his father screaming in his sleep.

Scene Fourteen

Slava goes out, tells his father to shut up, that he's just beginning to play with feeling. When his father doesn't shut up, Slava puts a pillow over his head and tries to smother him. In fact, he thinks he kills him. And then he repents, and begs his father to wake up. His father does wake up, tells Slava that he loves him and that he should go to sleep. Doesn't he remember that he has a concert tomorrow?

Scene Fifteen

The concert. Mama is there. So is Papa and the music teacher. Slava sits down, begins to play, makes a mistake. Mama is extremely displeased. He starts again. As he plays, he remembers the scene from the night before, and he manages to play with brilliant feeling. Everyone applauds, but Mama is troubled by one thing: where did her son get those ugly shoes?

Scene Sixteen

Backstage, Mama is pleased and is accepting everyone's congratulations. Meanwhile, the men are exhausted and want to go home and sleep. Papa breaks the news to his son that they won't be able to go home just yet: Mama has planned a big celebration at the ice cream parlor. Slava doesn't want to, but his father says he has to. Why? Because of Mama.