A Few Good Men Page #23

SAM:

(to Jo)

His answers still have to come faster,

Jo. The Iowa farmboy thing'll play

for a while, but in the end it looks

like he's searching for the truth.

KAFFEE:

(to Dawson & Downey)

He's right, and from now on, "Willy"

is Private Santiago. You start calling

him Willy and all of a sudden he's a

person who's got a mother who's gonna

miss him.

CUT TO:

INT. THE APARTMENT - NIGHT

MOS -- The clock reads 3:37, and KAFFEE, in sweatpants and a

bathrobe, is pacing around slowly with his baseball bat and

CUT TO:

SAM and JO art listening to a lecture for the 14th time.

KAFFEE:

Poker faces. Don't flinch in front

of the jury. Something doesn't go

our way, don't hang your head, don't

shift in your seat, don't scribble

furiously. Whatever happens, you

have to look like it's exactly what

you knew was gonna happen. When you

pass me documents --

JO/SAM

Do it swiftly, but don't look

overanxious.

KAFFEE:

(beat)

And don't wear that perfume in Court,

it wrecks my concentration.

JO:

Really!

KAFFEE:

I was talking to Sam.

SAM:

What time is it?

KAFFEE:

Time to go home. Try to get some

sleep tonight.

JO:

(to SAM)

I'll give you a ride.

SAM begins to gather up his things. He stands in front of

KAFFEE.

KAFFEE:

(to SAM)

You're a good man, Charlie Brown.

SAM:

See you in court.

Sam steps out the door. JO looks at the ground, then up at

KAFFEE.

JO:

Danny --

KAFFEE:

I know what you're gonna say. You

don't have to. We've had our

differences. I've said some things I

didn't mean, you've said some things

you didn't means but you're happy

that I stuck with the case. And if

you've gained a certain respect for

me over the last three weeks that

you didn't have before, well, of

course I'm happy about that, but we

don't have to make a whole big deal

out of it. You like me. I won't make

you say it.

JO:

I was just gonna tell you to wear

matching socks tomorrow.

KAFFEE:

(beat)

Oh.

(beat)

Okay. Good tip.

JO:

We're ready.

KAFFEE:

Bet your ass.

Jo walks out the door and KAFFEE closes it and locks it behind

her.

Then he says, very softly...

KAFFEE:

(continuing)

We're gonna get creamed.

CUT TO:

INT. THE COURTHOUSE CORRIDOR - DAY

A few M.P.Is are standing by the entrance. KAFFEE comes around

the corner and heads toward the courtroom. We're immediately

stricken by something:

In his dress blue uniform he could easily be mistaken for a

real live naval officer. He opens the courtroom doors and

walks into

INT. THE COURTROOM - DAY

A few more M.P.'s are standing around. THE JURORS, nine

enlisted navy and marine men and women, are in their place,

Ross is at his table looking through some papers, and DAWSON

and DOWNEY, in handcuffs, are seated at the defense table.

The trial in a few moments from being underway and a few

people are milling about. KAFFEE walks down the aisle but is

stopped by a voice behind him.

MAN (O.S.)

Lieutenant Kaffee?

KAFFEE turns around to see a MAN and WOMAN who are clearly

Dawson's parents.

MAN:

You're gonna save our son, aren't

you?

KAFFEE:

(pause)

I'll do my best.

KAFFEE continues on and stops next to JO, who's talking with

a WOMAN in her mid-30's.

JO:

Danny, I want you to meet Ginny

Miller, Louden's aunt.

KAFFEE:

You're Aunt Ginny?

GINNY:

Uh-huh.

KAFFEE:

I'm sorry, I was expecting someone

older.

GINNY:

So was I.

Not quite the words of inspiration KAFFEE was hoping to hear

before he does the hardest thing he's ever had to do.

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