42 Page #5

The big air brakes hiss. The doors open and the PASSENGERS

disembark. First a DOZEN WHITE FACES, then a DOZEN BLACK.

Last but not least, Rachel and Jack. They look exhausted.

SMITH:

Jackie Robinson... Mr. Rickey sent

me to meet you. Wendell Smith.

Pittsburgh Courier. I’m going to

be your Boswell.

BLUE REV 4-07-12 24.

My who?

JACK:

SMITH:

Your chronicler, your advance man.

Hell, even your chauffeur.

(tips his hat)

Mrs. Robinson.

RACHEL:

It’s Rachel.

SMITH:

Man, you two look wiped out.

JACK:

(sharp)

You got a car? Get us out of here.

CUT AHEAD TO:
*

31 EXT. SMITH’S BUICK (PARKED) - DAY 31 *

Jack and Smith carry the luggage. Smith’s excited being

around Jack even if he is grumpy. As Smith unlocks the

Buick, Rachel considers a segregated pair of water fountains.

*

*

*

SMITH:

You ever been down South before,

Rachel?

RACHEL:

First time. We have our problems

in Pasadena, but not like this. *

SMITH:

Mr. Rickey says we follow the law.

If Jim Crow and the state of

Florida say Negroes do this and

that, then we do this and that.

RACHEL:

(softly)

My life’s changing right in front

of me. Who I am, who I think I am.

CUT TO:

32 EXT. THE HARRIS HOUSE - DAYTONA BEACH - DAY 32

Black neighborhood. The Buick stops at a nice looking house.

SMITH:

Joe and Duff Harris live here. He

gets out the black vote, does a lot

of good for colored folks.

(MORE)

Mr. Rickey set it up himself.

(imitates Rickey)

If we can't put the Robinsons inthe hotels, they should stay someplace

that represents something.

YELLOW REV 4-24-12

SMITH (CONT'D)

25.

Jack and Rachel exchange a look, the place seems nice.

SMITH:

Brooklyn plays downtown; Montreal afew blocks from here. You’ll stay

with the Harrises except for a fewdays at the end of the week. The

whole Dodger organization is goingto Sanford, about 45 minute away.

You’ll stay here though, Rachel.

*

*

*

*

*

RACHEL:

Where are the other wives staying?

SMITH:

There are no other wives. You’re

the only one Mr. Rickey allowed tospring training.

As the HARRISES step out on the porch, wave hello...

CUT TO:

33 INT. STAIRWAY - THE HARRIS HOUSE - DAY 33

MRS. HARRIS leads Jack and Rachel up the stairs to a door atthe top. Mrs. Harris opens it.

MRS. HARRIS

I call this the love nest.

you like it.

I hope

I’m sure.

RACHEL:

Thank you.

As Jack enters, Mrs. Harris starts back down.

MRS. HARRIS

Dinner’s at five.

Rachel enters, closes the door behind her -34

LOVE NEST 34

-- And accidentally knocks Jack onto the bed. She lands on

top of him. The room is impossibly small. It barely holdstheir luggage and the BED they’re on. As they look around:

JACK:

It’s a joke, right?

GOLDENROD REV 5-9-12 2626.

I like it.

RACHEL:

The love nest.

She kisses him. He’s starting to like it, too.

RACHEL:

Remind me dinner’s at five.

JACK:

I’ll try to remember...

As the kisses become more urgent...

CUT TO:

A35 INT. SMITH’S BUICK - DAYTONA TRAINING FACILITY - DAY A35 *

Smith pulls up alongside the team buses, looks across at Jackwho is just a little nervous.

*

*

SMITH:

The first day of Spring Training.

My Pittsburgh Courier readers needto know how it feels.

*

*

*

*

It’s okay.

JACK *

*

SMITH:

That’s not exactly a headline.

*

*

JACK:

(brusque)

That’s all I got.

*

*

*

SMITH:

Look, Jack, right now it’s just me

asking you. But you get on thatfield and it’s going to be the New

York Times and the Sporting News.

You should think about it.

*

*

*

*

*

*

JACK:

If they ask something, I’ll answer.

*

*

SMITH:

Alright, but you know when you’re

at the plate, you want to feel likeyou see the pitch come in slow?

Well, you want to see the questionscome in slow, too.

*

*

*

*

*

*

Jack just looks at him. Gets out. Smith sighs. *

GOLDENROD REV 5-9-12 26A26A.

35 EXT. PLAYING FIELD - DODGERS DAYTONA FACILITY - DAY 35

As PLAYERS (Brooklyn, St. Paul & Montreal) warm up, practice,

Rickey sits on the bench, angry as he reads a NEWSPAPER.

Harold Parrott hurries over, something urgent on his mind.

Rickey on a rant; Parrott can’t get a word in.

RICKEY:

Listen to this, Harold. Whenever I

hear a white man - yours truly -

broadcasting what a Moses he is to

the Negro race, then I know the

latter needs a bodyguard.

(Parrott tries to

interject)

It is those of the carpetbagger

stripe of the white race - me again

-who under the guise of helping,

in truth are using the Negro for

their own selfish interest, thereby

retarding the race!

Parrott tries to interrupt again, but Rickey is furious.

RICKEY:

The minor league commissioner of

baseball said that! I pay part of

his salary! You wouldn’t stab me

in the back like this, would you?

PARROTT:

(finally)

He’s here, Mr. Rickey.

GOLDENROD REV 5-9-12 2727.

RICKEY:

Why didn’t you say so?!

36 PLAYING FIELD 36

Jack crossing toward them in his Montreal Monarchs uniformcarrying a glove and a bat. 200 white players clocking him.

He’s surrounded by REPORTERS and PHOTOGRAPHERS. It’s the cue

for most of the batting and fielding and chatter among theDodgers, Royals and Saints to come to a stop.

Higbe forgets Bragan is throwing him a ball.

in the chest.

It clocks him

Reese and Stanky passing a medicine ball. *

REESE:

That’s him, huh?

STANKY:

Take a wild guess.

Flash bulbs go off in Jack’s face.

Shouts of ‘Jackie’ and then...

Questions like punches. *

*

REPORTER ONE:

Jackie, do you think you can makeit with these white boys?

Jack looks off to where Smith watches, back to the reporter.

See the questions slow. He answers with measure.

*

*

JACK:

Sure, I had no problem with whitemen in the service or at UCLA.

REPORTER TWO:

What'll you do if one of thesepitchers throws at your head?

JACK:

(thinks a beat)

I’ll duck.

*

*

That gets some laughs.

REPORTER THREE:

Jack, what's your natural position?

ROBINSON:

I've been playing shortstop.

REPORTER THREE:

Are you after Pee Wee Reese's job?

GOLDENROD REV 5-9-12 27A27A.

Jack looks over to where Reese watches with Stanky. *

JACK *

Reese plays for Brooklyn. I'm *

worried about making Montreal. *

REPORTER ONE:

Is this about politics?

JACK:

It’s about getting paid.

Jack doing beautifully. *

Smith breathes a sigh of relief... *

YELLOW REV 4-24-12 2828.

MANAGER CLAY HOPPER

In a Montreal uniform, Hopper’s too old to be a ballplayer.

He stands with Dixie Walker the Dodger right fielder.

HOPPER:

(Mississippi twang)

Well, when Mr. Rickey picks one, he

sure picks a black one.

WALKER:

He’s fine with me, so long as you

keep him up in Montreal.

HOPPER:

Here comes the old man to save him.

They watch as Rickey pulls Jack from the press. He leads

Jack directly toward Hopper. As Walker excuses himself...

WALKER:

Good luck, Hop...

RICKEY:

Clay, I’d like you to meet Jackie

Robinson. Jackie, Clay Hopper,

manager of the Montreal Royals.

Hopper shakes his hand as they exchange greetings.

HOPPER:

We ain’t doing much today. Just

throwing the ball around and

hitting a few. Why don’t you toss

a few with those fellas over there?

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