THE UMBRELLA - Full-length feature screenplay (horror/comedy)

Logline/Synopsis

To prove his lover’s innocence, a local sheriff must track down a murderous umbrella which is possessed by the spirit of his great, great grandfather.

At the turn of the 20th century, a young, idealistic inventor, Barnaby Gamp, invents the world’s first telescopic umbrella. Barnaby shares his discovery with his unscrupulous business partner, Sylvester Ratcliff, who tells him it is not a commercially viable idea.

One stormy, fateful night, Barnaby discovers his wife with Sylvester in the throes of passion. He also finds out that Sylvester was lying about the umbrella idea and, in fact, has taken out a patent, blocking Barnaby’s claim and ensuring Sylvester’s financial success.

Enraged, Barnaby confronts his traitorous business partner. They fight, during which time Barnaby is skewered by his own umbrella. Shrieking threats of revenge at the raging night sky, Barnaby is hit by lightning. Man and umbrella are fused together.

100 years later, on another rainy night, the possessed umbrella, on display at the local Sunnyvale museum , is plucked off the wall by a cleaning lady due to the inclement weather outside. The umbrella, free at last, proceeds to kill the unfortunate cleaning lady, thus beginning a murderous rampage.

Rosa Fuentes, the young and fiesty niece of the deceased, also a cleaning lady at the museum, is implicated in the murder and subsequently framed by a corrupt and ambitious police sergeant.

The local sheriff, Benjamin Gamp (Barnaby’s descendant) falls in love with Rosa and vows to exonerate her. He fails due to the connivance of the town’s unscrupulous mayor, Richard Ratcliff (Sylvester’s descendant).

Ben is relieved of duty, but manages to have Rosa released from jail under false pretenses. Ben and Rosa drive to New York City to hunt down the escaped umbrella.

With the umbrella in their possession, Ben and Rosa return to the museum where it all began. They discover the truth about the umbrella’s heritage and also that the mayor knew all along about his ancestor’s crimes.

Ben and Richard fight with wild fury, a repeat of the fight between Barnaby and Sylvester, 100 years earlier. As Ben stands poised to stab Richard with the umbrella, the umbrella is shot and killed.

The umbrella, and the spirit of Barnaby Gamp, are finally laid to rest.

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