All the King's Men Page #8

Crowd stands about as Willie and Jack make their way into

the hotel.

JACK:

(voice over)

He came back and he took me with

him.

Interior:
Hotel Lobby, Day

The lobby is packed as Willie, Jack, Sugar Boy, and Pillsbury

enter. Willie makes signals to Duffy to tag along with the

entourage. Willie leans over to speak to the room clerk.

WILLIE:

This is Jack Burden, a friend of

mine. From now on he's going to live

here. Give him anything he wants.

The group starts up the stairs, past the officers who are

standing guard. Duffy stops to speak to one, pointing his

finger at some of his men standing below.

DUFFY:

Let these boys through, officer.

WILLIE:

(to Jack)

Duffy works for me now.

JACK:

It looks like everybody works for

you.

They start up the second flight of stairs.

WILLIE:

No. No, not yet. But I want to keep

him around. He reminds me of something

I never want to forget.

Willie stops and looks around at Duffy's men hurrying up the

steps.

WILLIE:

(to Duffy)

Come on, come on, come on, come on.

Are these the boys?

DUFFY:

These are the boys that can get the

boys.

WILLIE:

How many do you think we can get?

DUFFY:

Fifty.

WILLIE:

How much?

DUFFY:

Five dollars a head.

WILLIE:

(to Sugar Boy)

What do you think, Sugar? Do they

look like good boys?

SUGAR BOY:

T-t-they b-b-better be.

WILLIE:

Get a hundred... All right, go on,

all of you. Blow. Blow, blow. You

too, Duffy. Go on.

Duffy and his men turn and go downstairs.

WILLIE:

(to Jack)

Handbill distributors.

JACK:

If they all look like them I'd hate

not to take one.

WILLIE:

That's the object. Not like when

they beat up my boy Tom.

JACK:

How is Tom?

WILLIE:

Oh, he's fine. He starts college in

the fall.

JACK:

Oh. And Lucy?

Willie's expression changes. He starts up the stairs.

WILLIE:

Fine... fine.

Interior:
Willie's Campaign Office In Hotel, Day

The place is a beehive of activity, with typists and

messengers scurrying about, all supervised by Sadie.

SADIE:

Hey, I need a boy... Where's a boy?

(boy runs up)

Take that downstairs; they're waiting

for it. Right away, on the double.

(to typist)

Listen, baby, you've got to double-

space all of this... he can't read,

see.

The door opens and Willie, Jack, and Sugar Boy come in.

JACK:

Sadie!

SADIE:

(to typist)

And they need four copies.

(looks up)

Hi, Jack. How are you?

WILLIE:

Sadie is my secretary now.

(to messenger, trying

to squeeze by)

Oh, pardon me.

As Willie and Jack walk toward adjoining room, Sadie calls

out:

SADIE:

Fix your tie, Willie.

Interior:
Bedroom Hotel Suite, Day

Willie and Jack enter from the office.

WILLIE:

Hey, Sugar.

Sugar Boy appears in the doorway. Sadie slips by into the

room.

WILLIE:

Keep everybody out of here. I want

to talk to Jack and Sadie alone.

He walks over to Jack, who leans back on the bed.

WILLIE:

From now on you're working for me.

JACK:

Doing what?

WILLIE:

I don't know. Something will turn

up, won't it, Sadie?

SADIE:

Yeah. We need a college man around...

for research.

WILLIE:

How much did they pay you on that

newspaper?

JACK:

Three hundred dollars a month.

WILLIE:

(laughs)

I could buy you cheap, couldn't I?

JACK:

For a bag of salt.

WILLIE:

No. No, I don't play that way. I

like you, boy. I always have. I'll

tell you what I'll do. I'll give you

four hundred dollars a month and

traveling expenses.

JACK:

You throw money around like it was

money.

Willie gets up and walks to the window.

WILLIE:

Money?... I don't need money. People

give me things.

JACK:

Why?

WILLIE:

Because they believe in me.

DISSOLVE TO:

Exterior:
Burden's Landing, Day

Willie's car is on the ferry crossing the bay to Burden's

Landing. Sugar Boy drives the car off the ferry and up the

road toward the house.

JACK:

(voice over)

I was going home again. But this

time it was different. Now I had a

feeling that maybe the waiting was

over... for me, and for Anne.

DISSOLVE TO:

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

Close shot of Willie standing in front of the fireplace,

beneath the portrait of Governor Stanton.

WILLIE:

It's a far cry from where I come

from... to this house.

Camera pulls back. The room is crowded with people, all of

them friends of the Stantons. Anne, Adam, Judge Stanton,

Mrs. Burden, and McEvoy are part of the audience sitting

around the fireplace. Jack stands next to Willie.

WILLIE:

And standing here under the portrait

of one of the greatest governors of

this state, talking to you people...

well, it's an honor I never thought

I'd have.

JACK:

Are there any questions?

(looks around)

Mr. McEvoy.

MCEVOY:

(smiles)

No, I have no questions.

JACK:

Judge?

JUDGE:

A few... but it will hold.

STANTON:

I have a question.

WILLIE:

Shoot.

STANTON:

A lot of people in this state have

been saying that you've been making

deals... some of them with the very

groups that you claim you're against.

Is that true?

JACK:

Adam, you know how rumors start...

WILLIE:

Yes. Yes, that's true. I have nothing

to hide. I'll make a deal with the

devil if it'll help me carry out my

program. But believe me, there are

no strings attached to those deals.

STANTON:

You're sure about that?

WILLIE:

Doc, Jack here has been telling me

how you feel about things... how

you'd like to see a new hospital

built, a hospital that's the biggest

and best that money can buy. You

want those things, Doc, because,

well, because you're a man who wants

to do good. Now, I'd like to ask you

a question.

STANTON:

Shoot.

The guests laugh good-naturedly.

WILLIE:

Do you know what good comes out of?

STANTON:

You tell me, Mr. Stark.

WILLIE:

Out of bad... that's what good comes

out of. Because you can't make it

out of anything else. You didn't

know that, did you?

STANTON:

No, I didn't... There's another

question I'd like to ask you. You

say there's only bad to start with

and the good must come with the bad.

Who's to determine what's good and

what's bad?... You?

WILLIE:

Why not?

STANTON:

How?

WILLIE:

Why, that's easy. Just... just make

it up as you go along.

More laughter. Willie smiles and goes on.

WILLIE:

Folks, there's a time to talk and

there's a time to act. I think the

time to act is right now. And with

your support, I not only will win

but I will do all of the things I

promised. I need your help. Oh, I

need it badly. But I'm not going to

beg for it. In the name of this state

which we love... in the name of the

governor in whose house we meet... I

demand it.

There is immediate applause. Anne is the first to rush over

and shake Willie's hand.

DISSOLVE TO:

Exterior:
Stanton Home, Night

The last of the guests are leaving. Jack and Willie remain

with the Judge, Anne, and Adam.

WILLIE:

(to Judge)

Well, what do you say, sir?

JACK:

You've got to say yes. With you in

the race...

JUDGE:

I'm an old bird... I...

WILLIE:

But a game one.

They laugh.

WILLIE:

Look, I'll give you complete power

as attorney general. You can do

anything you see fit. I'll swing the

ax to clear the way for you. Is that

a deal?

The Judge smiles, then puts out his hand.

JUDGE:

It's a deal.

They shake hands.

WILLIE:

Jack, we have to get back to town...

a lot to do.

(shakes hands with

Adam)

Dr. Stanton.

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