All the King's Men Page #3

They walk back together to the patio tables.

JUDGE:

Oh, just sitting here... waiting for

all of you to come home. You know,

when a man starts to get old his

eyes stray and play funny tricks on

him. As I watched you in that boat I

thought sure I saw a boy of twelve

with a fishing rod in his hands. And

I was sure the first thing he'd say

would be...

Jack catches sight of Anne Stanton walking down the path. He

runs to meet her. As they embrace, he looks back at the Judge.

JACK:

Do you mind if I kiss your niece,

sir?

He kisses her, and they turn and walk away.

DISSOLVE TO:

Exterior:
Tennis Court (Burden's Landing), Day

Anne gracefully returns a ball to Jack, then runs to embrace

him at the net. Adam, seated near the court, smiles

approvingly.

DISSOLVE TO:

Exterior:
Gulf (Burden's Landing), Morning

Jack and Judge Stanton in a rowboat, on their way to do some

duck hunting.

DISSOLVE TO:

Exterior:
Gulf (Burden's Landing), Day

Adam is at the wheel of his sailboat, with Jack and Anne

behind him.

DISSOLVE TO:

Interior:
Stanton Living Room (Burden's Landing), Night

A party in the Stanton living room. Adam plays the piano. He

plays a waltz. Jack and Anne hold each other tightly as they

move among the other couples.

DISSOLVE TO:

Interior:
Burden Dining Room, Night

A formal dinner, attended by Jack and Anne, Mrs. Burden and

McEvoy, Judge Stanton and Adam. Mrs. Burden is proposing a

toast.

MRS. BURDEN

To all the good times we've had

together at Burden's Landing. And

especially to this one. Because my

son's home.

JACK:

Thank you, Mother. Thank you very

much.

MRS. BURDEN

Monty, Anne and I have been discussing

Jack's career. What do you think he

ought to go in for? Shall he be a

lawyer, doctor...

Jack looks at Anne.

ANNE:

We were just discussing whether you

should...

JACK:

(to his mother)

I like what I'm doing, Mother.

MCEVOY:

You do very well at it. I read your

articles about this fellow... Willie

Stark. Very convincing... Too

convincing for my tastes.

JACK:

A lot of people like them.

MCEVOY:

A lot of people are fools. Articles

like that shouldn't be permitted.

They only tend to incite people.

JACK:

What are you afraid of?

STANTON:

I thought they were very good. I was

proud of you, Jack. I was particularly

interested in Stark's ideas on health

and medicine. You know the conditions

at the hospital I work in. They're

intolerable. I'd like to meet this

Willie Stark. He sounds like an honest

man.

MCEVOY:

Honest man? This state is full of

these log-cabin Abe Lincolns with

price tags on them. The louder he

yells the higher his price.

JACK:

You think you can buy anything, don't

you?

MCEVOY:

Yes, don't you?

There is a silence. Then McEvoy turns to the Judge.

MCEVOY:

What do you think, Judge?

JUDGE:

I think this state could stand a few

changes.

MCEVOY:

(his face white)

Well, I'll tell you what I think --

ANNE:

(quickly)

Oh, please... let's not talk politics.

MRS. BURDEN

Anne is right. I absolutely forbid

any more of it. I know what we need,

we need another toast.

(to the Judge)

You propose it, Monty... you're so

good at it.

The Judge picks up his glass and stands up.

JUDGE:

To the young people... to Anne, to

Jack, to Adam... To what lies before

them. To the world they'll make...

in spite of the mistakes we've made.

MCEVOY:

(rising)

The mistakes you've made, not me.

You're all still pretty high and

mighty, aren't you? You all think

this state needs a change. You don't

like the way it's run. Well, who's

going to run it? Willie Stark? The

Judge?

(to Jack)

You? You can be bought too. As a

matter of fact you have been. And

with my money.

Jack's answer is to throw his liquor in his stepfather's

face. There is a pause. McEvoy wipes the liquor off with his

handkerchief.

MCEVOY:

(slowly)

That's a waste of good liquor.

(looks at Mrs. Burden)

Your mother wouldn't approve.

Jack turns and leaves the room.

MRS. BURDEN

Jack...

She hurries after him.

Exterior:
Veranda, Night

As Mrs. Burden comes out after Jack. Anne stands in the

doorway.

MRS. BURDEN

Jack... you go back in and apologize.

JACK:

Apologize? I'd rather die.

MRS. BURDEN

I've got to live with him.

JACK:

Well, I don't. Neither do you. You

don't love him, Mother. You never

did.

MRS. BURDEN

Son, don't spoil anything now... He

can help you.

JACK:

I can get along without him. You

need this house. And the parties.

And the cars and the clothes and the

lies. I don't. It's the truth, Mother,

face it. For once in your life, face

it.

Mrs. Burden appeals to Anne.

MRS. BURDEN

Anne, please... please make him

understand.

Anne says nothing. Mrs. Burden goes back into the house.

DISSOLVE TO:

Interior:
Stanton Living Room, Night

Anne and Jack sit alone in the room, beneath the portrait of

the old Governor Stanton.

JACK:

Anne, Burden's Landing is a place on

the moon. It isn't real. It doesn't

exist. It's me pretending I live on

what I earn. It's my mother trying

to keep herself young, and drinking

herself old doing it. It's you and

Adam living in this house as though

your father were still alive. It's

an old man like the Judge dreaming

of the past... Anne, come away with

me.

ANNE:

And do what?

JACK:

(rises impatiently)

And live in a shack and eat red beans.

Anne, what do you want me to do?

ANNE:

Oh, Jack, Jack, you haven't been

sure. You've gone from one thing to

the other... a year at law school,

and now this job as a reporter...

JACK:

Are you afraid I can't make a living?

ANNE:

Oh, no, Jack, it isn't that. I don't

care about the money. It... it's

just that I... I want you to be

something.

JACK:

What is it you want me to be?

ANNE:

I don't know. It's just that I want

you to be... to do... something

important.

Jack looks up at the portrait of Governor Stanton.

JACK:

Like your father. All right. I'll

run for governor.

(pause)

Anne, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I said

that.

ANNE:

All right, Jack. I'll go away with

you. I'll do anything you want me to

do.

They kiss.

JACK:

Anne, I've wanted you to say that

more than anything in the world, and

now that you've said it... Anne, I

guess you were right. I'm not sure

of anything, including myself. I'm

not sure I could live up to the...

(looks again at the

portrait)

Anne, wait for me. Please wait for

me.

ANNE:

I'll wait for you.

DISSOLVE TO:

Interior:
Madison's Office, Day

Madison is at his desk as Jack enters.

MADISON:

Hello, Jack. Cut your vacation short,

didn't you?

JACK:

Yeah.

MADISON:

By the way, Jack, the fellow you

wrote the articles about... uh...

Stark.

JACK:

Yeah?

MADISON:

He lost.

JACK:

Well, I guess that's the end of Willie

Stark.

He turns around and walks off toward his desk.

FADE OUT:

FADE IN:

Interior:
Stark Farmhouse, Night

Lucy and Willie are seated together at the table. Willie has

his law books open before him.

WILLIE:

...Measure of the damages is caused

by...

LUCY:

(prompting)

A breach...

WILLIE:

A breach...

LUCY:

Of an agreement...

WILLIE:

Of an agreement...

LUCY:

To sell personal property...

WILLIE:

To sell...

(slams the book shut)

Oh, two years of this.

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