All the King's Men Page #13

Willie comes to meet them, a drink in his hand. He is

obviously drunk.

WILLIE:

Go on upstairs, Lucy. I have some

business I want to talk over with

Mr. Hale.

HALE:

What I've got to say anybody can

listen to... Where's your boy?

WILLIE:

Now... now, don't get excited.

(to Sugar Boy)

Get me another drink, Sugar.

HALE:

My daughter may die.

WILLIE:

She's not going to die. She'll get

the best medical attention there is.

No expense will be spared.

HALE:

Where's your boy?

LUCY:

I'll get him.

WILLIE:

Wait a minute, Lucy. He's asleep.

And the doctor said after a good

night's sleep he'll be all right.

LUCY:

No, he won't be all right unless you

make him all right. I'll get him.

She goes.

WILLIE:

Lucy!

(to Hale)

You care for a drink?

HALE:

No thanks.

WILLIE:

Accidents will happen, you know.

HALE:

Accidents? Your boy was drunk.

WILLIE:

I saw the police report. There...

there was nothing about drunkenness

on the police report.

HALE:

Whose police and whose report? I say

the boy was drunk. And I know it.

Tom comes down the stairs, with Lucy.

HALE:

(to Tom)

Right here before your father... I

want you --

TOM:

Mr. Hale --

WILLIE:

Tom, the doctor says you need rest,

boy.

TOM:

(turns on him)

I don't want you to try to cover up

for me. I was wrong... that's all

there is to it.

WILLIE:

You don't know what you're talking

about. I saw the police report --

TOM:

I don't care what the police report

says. I was driving and I was drunk.

It's all my fault.

(to Hale)

Anything you want to do to me, you

can do. Whatever you want me to do,

I'll do.

WILLIE:

Nobody has to do anything. Stop

worrying. I'll take care of

everything.

TOM:

I don't want you to take care of

anything.

Tom looks ill; he presses his hand to his forehead.

WILLIE:

Tom, go on upstairs and get some

rest, boy. Go on... go on... go on.

Tom walks slowly toward the stairs.

WILLIE:

Sugar, help him... Mr. Hale, come on

over and sit down. You sure you

wouldn't care for a drink, Mr. Hale?

Hale sits down, shakes his head.

WILLIE:

Hey, Tiny, go home. Go on, out of

here... out of here. Go on.

Duffy leaves, disgruntled. Willie sits on a coffee table. He

pours himself another drink.

WILLIE:

What business did you say you were

in?

HALE:

I didn't say.

WILLIE:

What business are you in?

HALE:

Trucking business.

WILLIE:

Trucking business. Trucks run on

state roads. If a man in the trucking

business had a contract with the

state, a big one, that would be pretty

good, wouldn't it?

(to Jack)

Go on, Jack. Tell him what would

happen.

Jack is silent.

WILLIE:

Go on, tell him.

HALE:

You're trying to bribe me, aren't

you?

WILLIE:

No, no. No, I'm not trying to bribe

you. I'm... I'm only talking things

over with you, that's all.

HALE:

You're pretty good at talking. I

remember when you first started

talking. A place called Upton. You

did a lot of talking then and the

things you said made sense, to me

and a lot of other people. I believed

in you... I followed you... and I

fought for you. Well, the words are

still good. But you're not.

(rises)

And I don't believe you ever were.

He walks out of the room.

WILLIE:

(after a pause)

Sugar, follow him. Keep calling in.

Sugar goes, leaving just Jack and Willie. Willie, very drunk,

tries to get up but falls against the piano.

WILLIE:

(yells)

Lucy!... Lucy!

He staggers up the long stairway. Halfway up he tumbles,

groaning. Jack helps him to his feet.

JACK:

I'd like Anne to see you now. I'd

like Anne to see you now, you drunken

sot!

(drags him up the

stairs)

Come on.

FADE OUT:

FADE IN:

NEWSPAPER:

Photograph of Helene Hale on front page. Headline reads:

GIRL CRASH VICTIM DIES

Under the photograph there is a caption:

FATHER MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARS AFTER BARING BRIBE OFFER BY

GOVERNOR STARK:

DISSOLVE TO:

Exterior:
Governor's Mansion, Day

Willie, Jack, and Sugar Boy are accosted by a group of newsmen

as they come down the stairs.

NEWSMEN:

What about the girl's father,

Governor? Have you a statement to

make?

WILLIE:

All right, all right, gentlemen.

I'll give you a statement. This whole

thing is a mess of lies. It's a frame.

The man that made that statement...

have him repeat it to my face. He

can't. He vanished. Let me ask you

some questions. Where has he gone?

Where is he?

REPORTER:

Maybe you could answer those questions

too, Governor.

Sugar Boy makes a move for the reporter but Willie holds him

back.

WILLIE:

I won't dignify that question with

an answer.

ANOTHER REPORTER

One more question, Governor... Where's

your son?

WILLIE:

At the football stadium, where he's

supposed to be. He's going to play

for State University, which this

administration is responsible for.

He's not hiding from anybody,

gentlemen. He'll be out there in

full view of seventy thousand cheering

fans.

(starts down the stairs)

One of which will be me. See you,

men.

He leaves, followed by Jack and Sugar Boy.

DISSOLVE TO:

Exterior:
Football Field, Day

The game is in progress and the stands are packed. But there

is no cheering. Instead we hear boos, and shouts for Tom.

CROWD VOICES:

Where's Stark? How about Tommy Stark?

Hey, Willie, send your boy in.

Exterior:
Willie's Box

Willie, Jack, Sugar Boy, and Lucy are in one box. Sadie and

Duffy sit in the adjoining one. Willie is standing up. The

crowd continues to heckle him.

WILLIE:

Why don't they put him in!

MAN:

Come on, Willie... send your boy in.

A drunk comes over to his box.

DRUNK:

What's the matter, Willie... is your

little boy ashamed to show his face?

DUFFY:

Shut up!

Willie signals angrily to the police.

WILLIE:

Get that man out of here! Come on,

get him out of here.

The man is dragged away. The crowd boos, and Willie gets up

and leaves the box, followed by Jack.

DISSOLVE TO:

Interior:
Stadium Dressing Room, Day

Tom is sitting on one of the massage tables with a towel

around his shoulders as Willie and Jack come in. The sound

of the boos can still be heard.

WILLIE:

They're booing you.

TOM:

(holds his head)

Ever since the accident, my head...

WILLIE:

The doctor said it was nothing.

TOM:

Get dizzy... can't see... dizzy...

WILLIE:

You're scared... plain scared.

TOM:

(looks up angrily)

Get out of here!

WILLIE:

Atta boy... get mad. Show some spirit.

Jack, tell him what his playing means.

Go on, tell him.

JACK:

You can never tell about a head

injury. Maybe the boy's hurt.

WILLIE:

He's hurt? I'm hurt. It wasn't me

that wrapped that car around the

tree. It wasn't me that got drunk.

But me, I'm takin' the rap.

(softer, to Tom)

Go on, kid. Get out there and play.

Show 'em the kind of stuff a Stark

is made of.

TOM:

(coldly)

I wouldn't know.

Enraged, Willie slaps him. Tom fights back, and Jack has to

pull them apart.

JACK:

Tom... cut it out!

TOM:

(breathing heavily)

All right, I'll play. Now get out of

here.

Camera holds on Tom as Jack and Willie leave. He picks up

his uniform, stops, then rubs his head.

DISSOLVE TO:

Exterior:
Football Stadium, Day

Tom is on the field. He runs up to the coach.

P.A. ANNOUNCER

Stark's going in!

The boos turn to cheers. The crowd applauds.

Willie signals from his box to the coach. He wants Tom sent

in. Tom runs out on the field and joins the team. The players

are lined up, in position to play. Tom shakes his head, as

if trying to clear it.

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