Brief

Based on a true story. A mummified corpse, accidentally uncovered at an amusement park, is found to be that of an unfortunate bank robber who died over 65 years in the past. This is the story of how that came about.

What We Liked

- The “crazy” idea of a corpse being able to hide in plain sight for so many years is a compelling concept. It is based on a true story, which makes it even more intriguing;
- The story spans decades which allows for expansive character and plot development;
- The main character, though not a really good guy, has an unfortunate life that isn’t entirely his fault. It leads him to his untimely demise and in turn to the somewhat gruesome journey of his mummified corpse over the span of many years. However, he is quite relatable and able to draw a great deal of empathy out of the audience;
- The vast time span of the story lends itself to the cinematic retelling of the life, times and post life times of the main character. It is presented in an accessible, concise structure with a clear beginning, middle and end with a somewhat stylistic manipulation of timelines that lends itself nicely to this format.

Synopsis

In 1976, while filming a television show at an amusement park, a crew member makes a grim discovery -- what he thinks is a dummy turns out to be an actual corpse. An autopsy reveals that the body belongs to one Elmer McCurdy, a small time bank robber from sixty five years in the past.

Late 19th century. Elmer learns that Helen, the woman he thought was his mother, is actually his aunt; and Sadie, who he thought was his aunt, is actually his mother. Later in his teen years, Elmer gets into fights and falls in love with a young woman called Willa. Sadly, they can’t marry until he’s successful, so they’re forced to wait. After his mother’s death, Elmer stows away in a railway car and ends up in a hobo camp. He finds companionship in a little dog he calls Dog and finds work as a plumber. Soon, Elmer learns that Willa married someone else and, when he tries to court a young woman called Blossom, her father, Mr. Bambrick, forbids her from dating a “commoner”.

He’s fired from his job after getting drunk one night and telling his coworkers some secrets. He joins the Army, but is soon arrested for possessing burglar equipment. He is ultimately found not guilty, but meets a new “friend”, Jarrett, in jail. They begin to rob trains together. The first robbery ends in tragedy when the explosives used to open the train’s safe melt the silver inside. The same thing happens when they try to rob a bank. The haphazard pair have another disaster when they think they are robbing a train carrying Native American tribal payments, only to realize they got the times wrong and net only meager spoils from the passengers. Caught by the police while hiding in a barn, Elmer is shot dead at 32.

The body is sent to Mr. Johnson’s funeral home. With no one to claim the body, Mr. Johnson disrespectfully decides to embalm the body and put it on display as an attraction for people to put coins in its mouth. During Elmer’s stint as the funeral home attraction, Mr. Johnson is tricked by some carnival owners wanting to profit off the corpse. Through many years, they display Elmer’s embalmed body in carnivals all over the United States. In 1976, Elmer’s body is finally laid to rest in a formal burial in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Willa, an old woman by then, secretly attends the funeral.

About The Author

Marie Wilson was born in Vancouver, BC. After studying art and theater at UBC, she moved to Toronto to become a professional actor/writer. Marie has published work in a number of magazines and newspapers. And Harper Collins published her novel “The Gorgeous Girls”, which is currently being adapted for the big screen.