42 Page #3

RACHEL:

What does it mean? For you and me?

JACK:

Rae. Will you marry me?

RACHEL:

Absolutely. When?

JACK:

Now.

RACHEL:

(laughing)

Jack, I don’t think we can get

married in a phone booth.

CUT TO:

11 OMITTED 11

11 A INT. HALLWAY - THE CLARK HOTEL - LOS ANGELES - NIGHT 11 A

Jack rounds a corner in a TUXEDO, the bow tie undone. Rachel

follows in her WEDDING GOWN. They look beautiful.

RACHEL:

Did my mom look happy? *

JACK:

Yes.

They reach the door. Jack gets out a key to unlock it. *

Rachel looks nervous, steps back across the hall. *

RACHEL:

Did my gram look happy? *

Swinging the door open, he looks at her. The air charged. *

JACK:

Everyone looked happy. I’ve never

seen so many people looking happy.

GOLDENROD REV 5-9-12 12A12A.

RACHEL:

Did Jack Robinson look happy?

(soft)

What if I can’t make you happy?

He steps over, aware of her shyness.

JACK:

Too late. You already do.

you and me, Rae.

RACHEL:

Until the wheels fall off.

(uncertain)

*

It’s *

*

The world is waiting for us.

JACK:

It can wait one more night

(kisses her) *

Are you coming, Mrs. Robinson? *

RACHEL *

(kisses him back) *

I’d follow you anywhere, Mr. *

Robinson. *

He picks her up, carries her over the threshold. As the door

clicks shut behind them...

CUT TO:

12 INT. BRANCH RICKEY’S OFFICE - BROOKLYN - DAY 12

The shades closed; we’re scheming again. WENDELL SMITH sits

across from Rickey who stares back intently. Bespectacled,

32, Smith covers baseball for the Pittsburgh Courier.

RICKEY:

Who’s the best shortstop you ever

saw?

SMITH:

Rabbit Tavener.

RICKEY:

Rabbit Tavener? And you call

yourself a sports writer?

WHITE 3-14-12 13.

SMITH:

Yes, a sentimental one. I’m from

Detroit. He was the Tiger

shortstop when I was a boy. How

about you? Who’s your best?

RICKEY:

Pop Lloyd.

SMITH:

Not Honus Wagner?

RICKEY:

Wagner is number two. And Rabbit

Tavener would not break my top 25.

Where do you suppose Jackie

Robinson will end up on that list?

SMITH:

He won’t break it. He doesn’t have

a shortstop’s arm. Robinson

belongs on second base.

RICKEY:

Alright then, where would he rate

at second?

SMITH:

If he was playing now he’d be the

best second baseman in the majors.

RICKEY:

High praise. He’ll have to be the

best in the minor leagues first.

SMITH:

What are you saying, Mr. Rickey?

RICKEY:

I’m saying it’s going to be a very

interesting spring training. A lot

of players are coming back from the

war and with gas rationing over, we

can train down in Florida again.

SMITH:

Daytona Beach?

(Rickey nods)

You’re aware in the past six months

a black boy was lynched in Madison,

Florida and a black man down in

Live Oaks?

RICKEY:

Those towns may as well be a

million miles from Daytona.

WHITE 3-14-12 14.

SMITH:

Live Oaks is 150 actually.

RICKEY:

I spoke to the Daytona mayor. He

assures me there’ll be no trouble.

But Rickey doesn’t sound so sure. They consider each other.

RICKEY (CONT’D)

Mr. Smith, are you a Communist?

SMITH:

I’m a Democrat. Why do you ask?

RICKEY:

I have a business proposition.

What’s your salary at the Courier?

SMITH:

Fifty dollars a week.

RICKEY:

I will pay you an additional fifty

dollars a week plus expenses if you

will attend spring training with

Jackie Robinson. You will watch

over him, help him to avoid the

harm that could come if he were to

do or say anything out of turn.

You will act as his chauffeur, you

will secure accommodations for him

wherever the team may be, help him

find restaurants, etc...

SMITH:

What’s in it for me? Besides the

fifty dollars and a whole lot of

aggravation?

RICKEY:

Unprecedented access for any

reportage you feel appropriate.

What do you say, Mr. Smith?

SMITH:

I say yes, sir. If a Negro is good

enough to stop a Nazi bullet in

France; he's good enough to stop a

line drive at Yankee Stadium.

RICKEY:

Ebbets Field actually, but yes, I

agree. The world is ready.

CUT TO:

TAN REV 6-25-12 1515.

13 OMITTED 13 *

14 INT. BALLROOM - THE WALDORF ASTORIA HOTEL - NIGHT 14 *

Over 500 guests:
journalists, players and politicians alllisten politely as a SPEECH drones to an end.

INSERT:
New York City. 23rd Annual Baseball Writer’s

Association Dinner February 3, 1946.

SPEAKER:

As our former President Herbert

Hoover remarked in his tribute to

our national pastime: ‘The rigid

voluntary rules of right and wrong,

as applied in baseball, are secondonly to religion in strengtheningthe morals of the American people.’

Polite applause as the speaker steps off. The clapping moreenthusiastic as the lights dim on all but an impromptu set:

plantation house columns. Hoots as a BUTLER appears wearingsatin knee breeches and a MONTREAL ROYALS jersey. He holds a

ring like a lawn jockey, a WHITE MAN in BLACK FACE. The

laughs get louder as he peers out with exaggerated wide eyes.

BUTLER:

Lordy, lordy, it’s looking like da

massa will be late dis ebning.

As the LAUGHS from the audience subside, a sportswriterdressed as a COLONEL enters from stage right.

Robbie!

COLONEL:

Robbie!

BUTLER:

Yassuh, Massa Kunl. Here Ah is.

Huge LAUGHS as he struts and dances his way over.

WHITE 3-14-12 16.

COLONEL:

Jackie, you woolly headed rascal.

How long yo’ been in the family?

BUTLER:

Ebber since Massa Rickey done bots

me from da Kansas City Monarchs.

COLONEL:

(aside to audience)

Rickey that no good carpetbagger!

What could he be thinking!

Huge LAUGHS from that one. Two people enjoying it we’ll

recognize later as HERB PENNOCK and BOB COOKE.

BUTLER:

Ah came near bein’ killed last

night, Kunl.

COLONEL:

How’s that, Jackie boy?

BUTLER:

Ah was comin’ up a dark street and

three men was behind me. And they

tried to do me with a baseball bat.

COLONEL:

You don’t say?

BUTLER:

Yes, suh. Ah recognized one of

dem. Ah’m gonna hab him arrested.

COLONEL:

But I thought you said it was dark?

BUTLER:

It was. But I know he played for

the Philadelphia Baseball Club. On

account of he struck at me three

times and never hit me once.

That brings the house down. Check out their laughing faces.

CUT TO:

15 EXT. LOCKHEED TERMINAL - BURBANK - DAY 15

A gleaming American Airlines DC-3 angled up on the tarmac.

PASSENGERS climb the portable stairs and disappear inside.

INSERT:
February 28, 1946. Burbank, California

CUT TO:

GOLDENROD REV 5-9-12 1717.

16 INT. TERMINAL - BURBANK - DAY 16

Jack and Rachel are being seen off by FRIENDS from thewedding and his mother MALLIE. Jack is in a natty suit withRachel in a beautiful coat. *

MALLIE:

You knock the cover off that ball.

JACK:

I will, Mama.

Mallie hugs Jack and then kisses Rachel.

MALLIE:

Look after each other.

We will.

RACHEL:

She reaches in her bag, brings out a cardboard SHOEBOX; it’sever so slightly greasy at the bottom.

Take this.

MALLIE:

It’s chicken.

JACK:

They have food on the plane, Mama.

MALLIE:

You never know what might happen.

I don't want you getting therestarving and too weak to hit.

Rachel gives Jack a subtle but emphatic look: No.

CUT TO:

17 EXT. LOCKHEED TARMAC - BURBANK - DAY 17

Jack escorts Rachel to the plane, the shoebox in hand.

JACK:

I couldn’t tell her no.

RACHEL:

I know she means well; I just don’twant to be seen eating chicken outof a box like some country bumpkin.

Jack runs his hand over her coat.

JACK:

No one’s going to mistake you for abumpkin in this.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote