Airplane! Page #6

OVEUR:

Roger, Denver.

There is a KNOCK on the cockpit door. Elaine and Joey enter.

ELAINE:

We have a visitor.

OVEUR:

Hello.

MURDOCK:

Hi.

ELAINE:

This is Captain Oveur. Mister Murdock and

Mister Johnson. This is Joey Hammen.

MURDOCK:

Come on up here. You can see better.

OVEUR:

Joey, here's something we give our special

visitors. Would you like to have it?

He gives Joey a small toy airplane and puts his arm around

him.

JOEY:

Thank you. Thanks a lot!

OVEUR:

Have you ever been in a cockpit before?

JOEY:

No, sir. I've never been up in a plane

before.

OVEUR:

Have you ever seen a grown man naked?

MURDOCK:

Do you want me to check the weather,

Clarence?

OVEUR:

(looking at Joey)

No, why don't you take care ot it?

ELAINE:

We'd better get back now.

OVEUR:

Joey can stay up here for a while if he'd

like to.

JOEY:

Could I?

ELAINE:

Okay, if you don't get in the way.

Elaine exits. Murdock picks up phone.

MURDOCK:

Flight two-zero-niner to Denver radio.

Climbing to cruise at forty-two thousand.

Will report again over Lincoln. Over and

out.

Joey has been paying very close attention to Murdock, and

suddenly recognizes him.

JOEY:

Wait a minute. I know you. You're Kareem

Abdul Jabbar. You play basketball for the

Los Angeles Lakers!

MURDOCK:

I'm sorry, son, but you must have me

confused with someone else. My name is

Roger Murdock. I'm the co-pilot.

He turns to Basta.

MURDOCK:

Ah, Victor, why don't you get the

coordinates on the altitude vector and

find out the ratio of direct velocity over

engine speed?

Victor is puzzled.

JOEY:

You are Kareem. I've seen you play. My

Dad's got season tickets!

MURDOCK:

I think you should go back to your seat

now, Joey. Right, Clarence?

OVEUR:

No, he's not bothering anyone. Let him

stay up here.

MURDOCK:

All right. But just remember, my name is

Roger Murdock.

He points to his nametag.

MURDOCK:

I'm an airline pilot.

(to Oveur)

Ah, Clarence, according to my

calculations, with this tailwind we ought

to be able to make up an additional

fifteen minutes over the Rockies.

JOEY:

I think you're the greatest. But my Dad

says you don't work hard enough on

defense.

MURDOCK:

(into microphone)

Denver Control, this is Flight two-zero-

niner intersecting Victor Airway seven-

niner-niner.

JOEY:

...and that lots of times you don't even

run down court.

MURDOCK:

We are turning left to a heading of zero-

niner-niner.

JOEY:

...and that you don't really try, except

during the playoffs.

MURDOCK:

The hell I don't! I'm out there busting my

buns every night.

Murdock realizes he has given himself away. He quickly looks

to see if Oveur is listening. Oveur is busy checking

instruments. Murdock grabs Joey by the collar and whispers

angrily.

MURDOCK:

Listen, kid, I've been hearing that crap

ever since I was at UCLA. Tell your old

man to drag Unseld and Lanier up and down

the court for forty-eight minutes.

(into mike)

Ah...Denver Control, this is Flight two-

zero-niner continuing on a heading two-

niner-niner...niner, ah...niner...niner.

INT. PASSENGER CABIN - NIGHT

Elaine is seated next to Striker.

STRIKER:

Elaine, just hear me out. I know things

haven't been right for a long time. But it

will be different...like it was in the

beginning. Remember?

ELAINE:

I remember everything. All I have are

memories.

Soft MUSIC begins.

ELAINE:

Mostly I remember...the nights when we

were together. I remember how you used to

hold me...and how I used to sit on your

face and wriggle...and then afterwards how

we'd watch until the sun came up. When it

did, it was almost like...like each new

day was created...only for us.

STRIKER:

That's the way I've always wanted it to

be, Elaine.

ELAINE:

But it won't be. Not as long as you insist

on living in the past!

Elaine leaves, teary-eyed.

CLOSEUP - STRIKER

SUPERIMPOSE:

EXT. SKY - DAY

Fighter plane diving.

SQUADRON LEADER (v.o.)

You're too low, Ted! You're too low!

Fighter plane CRASHES.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. HOSPITAL - DAY

Sign in front reads:

U.S. ARMY PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL

PENTATHOL AVAILABLE

Master Charge, Visa, Carte Blanche

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. HOSPITAL - DAY

Striker is lying in bed painting a canvas. Elaine is seated

at bedside.

ELAINE:

You got a telegram from head­quarters

today.

STRIKER:

Headquarters!? What is it?

ELAINE:

It's a big building where the generals

meet. But that's not important right now.

They've cleared you of any blame for what

happened on that raid. Isn't that good

news?

INSERT - STRIKER'S PAINTING

A surreal image of a soldier contorted like a pretzel

clutching a machine gun in one hand and a crying infant in

the other.

BACK TO HOSPITAL - DAY

STRIKER:

Is it? Because of my mistake six men

didn't return from that raid.

ELAINE:

Seven. Lieutenant Zipp died this morning.

Ted, Doctor Sandler says you'll be out in

a week. Isn't that wonderful?

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