Cigarette Juice

PRICE: Negotiable

GENRE: Drama

LOGLINE: After the family matriarch dies, one family moves back to the south during the ‘GREAT MIGRATION’. Clay Turner inherited his mom’s property and the hate from those who never left.

SYNOPSIS:

I- In 1971, the Sylmar Earthquake rocked Southern California. The early morning quake shook the Turner family in their Compton home. Several weeks later, the matriarch of the family, 'Big Mama,' passed away. Clay and Anna Turner packed up the family and moved back to Monroe, Louisiana. Clay had inherited his mama's house and acres of land. Clay's kids hated to leave their friends, but had to adjust. The oldest, Jeanette Turner, was starting her 2nd year in college, so she got to stay behind. This shotgun house was on the corner of a small country road and interstate hwy 165. Clay had a dream of a 7/11 gas station on that corner. He quit a good job at General Motors (actually fired) to come back home. His wife, Anna, was terrified of earthquakes. Clay thought his idea was perfect; he only had to get the other heirs to agree and sign their approval.

II- But now Clay's aunts, uncles, and cousins didn't approve of Clay's idea. They figured Clay had money already. He was from California, had a good job at General Motors, and probably made money from selling his house. The family patriarch was now Truett Turner, known as 'Uncle True'. He was 77 years old, and the family goes as Uncle True goes, and he hated Clay for coming back home. What Uncle True wasn't saying was that as a young man, he went to California. He had hopes and dreams for a better life. But his mother got sick, and he was the oldest, so he had to come back home to take care of his mother and siblings. Uncle True resented Clay for this reason. He reminded him of himself and hated that he came back. One morning he woke up coughing up blood. He finds out he has lung cancer from smoking since he was 14. Anna and Clay have an old high school friend, Ran Becky. Anna had a secret: Ran Becky was the father of their oldest daughter, Jeanette. After twenty years, she tells Ran, then finally tells Clay; his heart is broken. Anna sends for Jeanette to see her father because of his illness. Clay and Anna debate whether Jeanette should know who her real father is. Drew, Clay's cousin, lives two doors down. He helps Clay with odd jobs. Clay never found steady work, but he wasn't worried. Clay figured his family would come around and he would be able to work his plan. Drew also helped Clay navigate around town, city officials, and the Turner family.

III- Clay later finds out that someone is drilling for oil on his property. He suspects Uncle True. An old high school bully was now the vice principal, bullying Clay's boys. Clay takes exception to that and goes to see his old nemesis. Clay's cancer treatment is successful; the cancer is in remission. As Clay makes his moves, he is blocked by Uncle True's friends in key positions. Frustrated, Clay and Anna make the decision to move back to California. After Jeanette visits Uncle True, he relents and signs the deed, allowing Clay to move on with his plans. But it's too late. Clay has made arrangements to see a lawyer once he got back to California. He couldn't forgive Anna for twenty years of lies. He loves Jeanette; she will always be his daughter. As the Turner family packs up and drives away, their cousin Drew is revealed to be the one who betrayed Clay.