Synopsis of In Search of Barry White
Written by Martin Davies
It's late and Jackson is in the unisex having a wash. Ling enters and stares at him, seeing him in slow motion. She leaves (without using the loo) and tells Ally that she thinks she is having her mental problem. Ally asks which one, but as she goes to answer Jackson appears from the unisex once again in slow motion to Ling. The others see him in normal speed. Richard emerges from the lift and Ling sees him in fast forward mode. Ally explains that Ling is in love.
In John's office he sees a client, Mr. Stoller, who tells John that he wants to have a child via his dead wife. Technically he would like to clone her. There's a silence, but then Mr. Stoller confirms that he has some of his ex-wife's tissue cells, hair, and blood. John makes uncomfortable noises. Stoller's sister-in-law is seeking an injunction to prevent him carrying out the procedure. John is not keen until he hears that Larry Paul is on the other side.
Ling, in an inappropriate silk number, breezes into Nelle's office where she is chatting to her online date (online of course). Ling asks her what about "it," and explains to Nelle that a woman doesn't have true control over a man until she has her hand on his "dumbstick." (I'm not com...fortable with that remark) Nelle fights back by asking her about the slow moving Jackson. Ling leaves.
She walks through the reception area and sees double speed Richard and slow mo Jackson. She races off. John calls Ally into his office and tells her that he has Larry opposing him on his new case. He asks if there are "any buttons to push," but Ally says she has a conflict of interest. John asks for just one thing as his case "falls deeply short on merit." Ally tells him that with Larry it is all about rhythm.
In Richard's office he is watching a Cindy Margolis video. Ling swaggers in throws away his remote control and puts her leg (with the strangest stockings you can possibly imagine) in front of his face. She demands he plays with her knee, but Richard refuses. She makes to leave when Richard suggests they are truthful with one another, but Richard points out that she has been shaving her legs in the morning before going to work and not at night before bed - a sure sign that their relationship is over.
In court Larry is addressing the judge, but John keeps interrupting and objecting - sexual innuendo, vulgarity, and mockery - all very valid objections. As Larry tries to say that it is not a choice that Mr. Stoller can make John mutters "it is too." Larry apologises as he had prepared for lots of case law, but is totally unprepared for "it is too." John objects. The judge sets the hearing for the next morning.
That evening at Ally's flat she and Renee are chatting about Ling and Renee. Renee says Ling is welcome to him, but is not convincing. Larry comes in and tells Ally that he was up against John Cage, and that he was a little odd. Ally smiles and walks away, and eventually admits that she told John to break Larry's rhythm. The two argue and Larry suggests she is not the best person to give such advice as she has never beaten him herself, and could not do so. Ally asks if he is serious and Larry says "Never...no. Just...not...ever." Ally tells him that not only will she beat him, but that John will beat him with her help on this case. They bet another two hour foot rub.
In the office the next morning John is aghast that Ally has told Larry that she gave him some tips. He complains that he will have lost his edge, but when Ally tells him that Larry said he could never beat him, John rises to the bait, pike-like.
Nelle and Ling are discussing online dating, which Ling says appeals to her, but Nelle tells he she won't get her hooked up online, because she is involved. Ling denies it. The lift opens and Larry exits walking in slow motion. Ling looks on bemused and then Larry, at normal speed, asks how he was. Ling is not amused.
John and Ally appear from John's office and Larry suggests that he has just stopped by to pick up John. John suggests he is there to fiddle with his psychy, so Larry leaves.
Ling knocks on Jackson's door and casually asks him if he feels like having lunch with her. He says he'd love to, but not today. He consults his diary and suggests next week sometime. Ling is not impressed, and stomps off.
In court Mr. Stoller is on the stand. He says that he and his wife always talked about having children and cloning is his only option. Larry says that he is in fact replicating his ex-wife, who was against genetic modification of anything herself. John objects - "Not everything is like chicken Counsel."
In a recess John discusses the case with Ally who is upset that he is losing. John tells her he is not losing, but that he thinks that Larry has his number on this one. Ally tells him this has never happened before and that he has to go back to basics and find out what makes him great. John tells her he knows what made him great - HIM - Barry White, but that Melanie has scared him off. Ally tells him that he has to find him, whatever it takes.
John goes to the unisex to try and find Barry. He looks in the mirror and tries, but to no avail. Mark, who overheard the problem, enters but John asks him to leave. He tries again, but its no good.
In court John is examining the cloning specialist, who finds the whole procedure fascinating. Larry objects spuriously when he can. The expert admits that its a long shot, but that it is possible.
Jackson enters the unisex where Mark and Ling are preening themselves. Jackson says hi to them both, but Ling tells him to drop dead, and suggests that if he has anything to say that he should get his assistant to call hers, and that she doesn't even see him in slow motion any more. Mark looks on awkwardly and then leaves. Jackson asks what is up, but she says she will fill him in over lunch sometime. Jackson checks the stalls and Richard emerges from one hitting Jackson on the head, and then goes to leave, but Ling grabs him and kisses him and points out that she has stubble on her legs. "Excellent," says Richard and leaves. Jackson wants to know what's going on. Ling says she threw herself at him and he just blew her off. Asking him to lunch was apparently her throwing herself at him. She flounces out.
In his office John is still trying to find Barry. He tells his reflection that together they can beat Larry. He hears the intro to "My Everything" and starts to flap around his office like a pheasant in heat, but then spots Richard. The music stops. "He was here. Barry White came," explains John, to an obvious response from Richard. John says he has a concentration problem and cannot get Barry when others are present. "John lots of people have trouble dancing with make-believe disco Behemoths when others are present," Richard points out helpfully. Richard tells him to get him when he is alone and then step out with him.
Mr. Stoller's sister-in-law is on the stand with Larry examining. She starts on a tirade about cloning being wrong, when John hits a buzzer. He explains to the court that he has lost his voice and will therefore buzz his objections. She explains that Mrs Stoller would have been against the whole process (obviously no hearsay rules in the US).
Back at C&F Elaine wants to use Ally's office for her first online date. She says she wants privacy. Ally reluctantly agrees. John emerges from the lift and Ally rushes over to find out what is happening in the trial. John says it will all come down to closings which are at 3pm, and that he is going in search of Barry White again and that he will have him by then. Larry then arrives saying that he couldn't face walking all the way back to his office as his feet were aching. Ally says he needs a foot rub, but can't help him. She returns to her office to find Elaine sprawled naked on her desk chatting on the internet. "One thing lead to another," Elaine explains.
In the unisex Ling is washing her hands when Jackson enters. She is hostile, but Jackson tries to explain that he didn't mean to blow her off. As he talks to her he checks the stalls and again Richard appears hitting him with the door as he leaves. Ling explains that she is angry with him for lying to her and sleeping with him on their first date. Jackson suggests that they start again. Ling mellows, but still leaves. Larry enters and he and Jackson exchange unpleasantries as usual, but then they hear Barry White. John exits from one of the stalls and pushes them aside. He is dancing. Larry and Jackson admire him and join in - must have been fun to film....Ally enters and watches happily.
In court John closes. He admits cloning sounds horrifying, but that you need not be afraid of it. This is not an atrocity, but allows the couple to fulfil their wishes and dreams. Larry suggests that the question cannot be, "Who wants the DNA?" John says it can, at length. Larry says that it is wrong to clone a human being. That this crosses the line. The judge decides that he cannot stop the new technology, but cloning a human being is wrong and he therefore grants the injunction. John apologises to his client. "I don't want a rematch," says Larry and shakes John's hand.
To the strains of Vonda's version of "Only You," Jackson meets Ling for the "first time." They dance. Larry enjoys his foot rub for the second week running. Outside the bar (did you know its called the Martini Bar?) Richard and John decide not to go in. Richard explains that he is actually slightly jealous of John's Barry White thing. John invites him to walk with him and Barry, so they do.
©Martin Davies 2001
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