Being There Page #11

85INT. THOMAS FRANKLIN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Franklin, the attorney that evicted Chance, comes out of

the bathroom brushing his teeth. His wife, JOHANNA, is

in the bed absorbed in the show. Franklin sits on the end

of the bed.

CHANCE (on TV - cont'd)

...And if you give your garden a

lot of love, and if you work very

hard and have a lot of patience,

in the proper season you will see

it grow to be very beautiful...

More applause from the TV. Franklin leans closer to

the set.

FRANKLIN:

(puzzled)

It's that gardener!

JOHANNA:

Yes, Chauncey Gardiner.

FRANKLIN:

No! He's a real gardener!

JOHANNA:

(laughs)

He does talk like on, but I

think he's brilliant.

BURNS (on TV)

Well, that's very interesting,

Mr. Gardiner, but, what about

the bad seasons?

86INT. CHANCE'S ROOM - NIGHT

Constance is in Chance's closet searching through his

clothing. Finding nothing, she checks the labels on

his suits, copies them in a notepad.

BURNS (Cont'd)

(on TV)

Such as prolonged droughts that

have wiped out crops, disastrous

winters, hurricanes? Doesn't a

country need to have someone in

charge that can see it through

such crises? Don't we need a

leader capable of guiding us

through the bad seasons as well

as the good?

CHANCE:

(on TV)

Yes. We need a very good gardner.

Constance continues her work in the closet.

87INT. PRESIDENT'S BEDROROM - NIGHT

The President and First Lady are very attentive.

BURNS:

(on TV)

I realize this might be a difficult

question for you, Mr. Gardiner -

but there are a lot of us around

the country that would like to hear

your thoughts on the matter.

CHANCE:

(on TV)

I understand.

BURNS:

(on TV)

Do you feel that we have a 'very

good gardener' in office at this

time, Mr. Gardiner?

PRESIDENT:

...That bastard...

CHANCE:

(on TV)

Oh, yes. It is possible for one

side of the garden to be flooded,

and the other side to be dry...

Some plants do well in the sun,

and others grow better in the cool

of the shade.

The First Lady moves closer to the President.

88INT. HOTEL LOBBY - NIGHT

A group of ELDERLY BLACK PEOPLE sit in the lobby, watching

the show on an old black-and-white TV

CHANCE (on TV - cont'd)

..It is the gardner's responsibility

to take water from the flooded area

and run it to the area that is dry.

It is also the gardner's responsi-

bility not to plant a sun-loving flower

in the shade of a high wall...

During the preceding speech, Louise, the maid from the Old

Man's house, chatters.

LOUISE:

Gobbledegook! All the time he

talked gobbledegook! An' it's

for sure a White man's world in

America, hell, I raised that boy

since he was the size of a pissant

an' I'll say right now he never

learned to read an' write - no sir!

Had no brains at all, was stuffed

with rice puddin' between the ears!

Short-changed by the Lord and dumb

as a jackass an' look at him now!

Yes, sir - all you gotta be is

white in America an' you get whatever

you want! Just listen to that boy -

gobbledegook!

There is a chorus of "Amens" as she finishes.

89INT. RAND LIMOUSINE - NIGHT

Chance watches himself.

CHANCE (on TV - cont'd)

...It is the responsibility of

the gardner to adjust to the bad

seasons as well as enjoy the good

ones.

Chance changes channels to a Game Show.

90INT. PRESIDENT'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

The President and First Lady still watch Chance.

CHANCE (on TV - cont'd)

If the gardner does his job,

everything will be fine.

PRESIDENT:

Oh, Jesus...

Audience applause is heard on TV.

BURNS (on TV)

Before we take a break...

What sort of gardner would

you be?

CHANCE (on TV)

(with confidence)

I am a very serious gardner.

BURNS (on TV)

I'm sure you are, Mr. Gardiner.

(looks at camera)

We'll be right back.

As a commercial comes on, the President rolls over in bed.

The First Lady reaches out, puts a comforting hand on his

shoulder.

91INT. RAND'S ROOM - NIGHT

The commercial is on TV.

RAND:

He's a remarkable man, remarkable...

(to Eve)

You're fond of him too, aren't

you, Eve?

EVE:

(a beat)

...Yes, I am, Ben.

RAND:

That's good... that's good.

Rand looks up as Constance comes back into the room.

RAND:

Constance! Where have you been?

You missed the whole show - Chauncey

was wonderful.

92INT. FRANKLIN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Franklin shuts off the commercial on TV, is talking on

the phone.

FRANKLIN:

Okay, Sally, I'll see you in

twenty minutes.

Franklin hangs up the phone, scurries around getting

dressed. His wife, Johanna, sits grimly in bed.

FRANKLIN:

(notices her look)

I won't be long, I've just got

to talk to her about this Gardiner...

JOHANNA:

(turns over in bed)

Good night.

FRANKLIN:

Look, Johanna...

JOHANNA:

(cuts him off)

I said good night!

Franklin gives up, hurries from the room.

93EXT. RAND MANSION - NIGHT

Some of the household staff are lined up applauding

Chance as he steps from the limousine. Perkins and

Wilson come forward.

WILSON:

Bravo, sir! You were outstanding.

Outstanding!

PERKINS:

May I take your coat, Mr. Gardiner?

CHANCE:

Yes. Thank you, Perkins.

Perkins nods, takes Chance's overcoat, allows everyone

to enter the house. Once alone, Perkins quickly searches

through the coatpockets, finds nothing.

94INT. PRESIDENT'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

The First Lady is snuggled up close to the President,

caresses his body. After a moment, it becomes clear

to her that he is not up to the occasion.

FIRST LADY:

...Darling... What's wrong?

PRESIDENT:

...I can't... I just can't right

now... I'm sorry, dearest... I

just can't...

The First Lady looks at him for a beat, then turns, lies

on her back and stares at the ceiling.

95INT. RAND'S HOSPITAL ROOM - NIGHT

Rand is in his wheelchair, stripped to the waist. Eve

stands nearby. Chance breathes deeply, enjoys the oxygen.

Allenby and the nurses prepare four separate injections

for Rand, which Allenby administers to him during the

scene.

RAND:

(with some effort)

Senator Rowley's widow is hosting

a reception tomorrow night honoring

the Soviet Ambasador and I think

it's rather obvious that Robert

won't allow me to attend. So,

Chauncey, you would be doing me a

great favor if you would escort

Eve, and go in my place.

CHANCE:

Yes. I would like to escort Eve.

RAND:

Good. Together, the two of you

should create quite a stir - I can

already hear the gossip.

EVE:

...Ben, really...

RAND:

...You possess a great gift, Chauncey,

of being natural. And that, my boy,

is a rare talent - tonight on television,

you were strong and brave and didn't

moralize. I hope the entire country

was watching - the entire country.

Allenby gives Rand the last injection.

96INT. COCKTAIL LOUNGE - NIGHT

An 'in' meeting place for the upper-middle Washington,

D.C. crowd. Thomas Franklin and Sally Hayes sit at a

table, drinks in front of them.

FRANKLIN:

...It didn't make any sense to

me at all. I didn't know what

the hell he was talking about...

SALLY:

It wasn't meant for

us, Tom - he was talking to the

masses. He was very clever,

keeping it at a third grade

level - that's what they under-

stand...

FRANKLIN:

Yeah? Well, I don't understand why

he was in Jennings' house? What was

up his sleeve when he pulled that stunt

with us? What was he doing? And why?

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