Broadcast News Page #13

---

JANE:

Thanks.

As she turns to enter the restaurant -- Tom and Jennifer exit.

As they confront each other:

TOM:

I didn't think you'd make it.

JANE:

Well, I thought I'd check if all

of you were still here. I'll just

go in and join the gang and you

two go on.

TOM:

There's no gang in there -- We

were the last ones.

JANE:

Well, I'll go in and have a bite.

TOM:

(to Jennifer)

Jennifer, you want to have another

drink?

JANE:

Hey, I know how to have a burger by

myself. I feel like a little solitude.

JENNIFER:

(as they move off)

I sure know that feeling. Terrific

work today.

JANE:

(too jock-like)

Right back to you.

TOM:

Thanks for getting me through.

He puts his hand behind her neck in an awkward gesture of

camaraderie. She awkwardly disengages... waves and steps

inside the door to the restaurant... standing there between

the two sets of doors watching Tom and Jennifer walk away.

ON TOM AND JENNIFER

As they walk to his car, first exchanging a look of reflection

over Jane... then bumping accidentally, then bumping back, a

look, then kissing with passion, wrapped around each other.

INT. JENNIFER'S APT - NIGHT

As Tom and Jennifer rush in locked in an embrace, shedding

clothes even as they enter.

INT. JENNIFER'S APT - NIGHT

We are aware of MOVING FORMS.

JENNIFER:

(intense shout)

Damn all you sons-of-b*tches. Oh

sh*t, you bastards...

They finish. A beat, then:

JENNIFER:

Sorry.

ON TOM AND JENNIFER

Tom taken aback by the outburst from this woman he's just made

love to.

TOM:

No, it's okay...People say different

things. They do...the plural threw

me.

She laughs.

JENNIFER:

The last time I was with someone we

went through this awful mutual disease

questionnaire but I guess it beats

getting paranoid the next day. Okay,

I'll go first. I haven't...

TOM:

(stopping her)

It would never occur to me to worry

at all about you.

Jennifer is touched...

JENNIFER:

You know something? I'm deeply

complimented. Isn't it strange to

be deeply complimented because the

man you're with doesn't think you

have a venereal disease?...

Tom slides out of bed naked -- she moves quickly across the bed

one outstretched hand reaching for his ass, a free -- even lusty

sort of motion punctuated by her comment:

JENNIFER:

Give me some of that.

He dances away -- out of range -- liking the action, a stupid

grin on his face.

TOM:

Where's the bathroom?

JENNIFER:

Through the closet.

He opens the door and turns on the light in the closet.

INT. CLOSET - NIGHT

It is a converted room -- given over the racks of clothes and

shoes extraordinarily well organized. Tom stands there agape.

Various rain coats -- clothes for all climates -- lots of

luggage.

She joins him in the closet -- holding out a sheet in front of

her.

JENNIFER:

I converted a bedroom -- this

stuff builds up. Wait till

you've been doing this sixteen

years.

TOM:

I'm not knocking it. It's a

great solution. Not only the

storage but you can see everything

you have.

Jennifer laughs -- he follows her gaze and sees himself in

silhouette against the door -- his penis prominent in outline.

JENNIFER:

Do you do bunny rabbits?

Tom is enjoying himself immensely.

TOM:

Isn't this a great date?

We HEAR the SOUND OF SCRATCHING as we:

INT. JANE'S EDITING CUBICLE - MORNING

Jane feeds another tape in -- she is taking editing notes alone

and SCRATCHING her arm. She looks worn out -- STOCK FOOTAGE OF

STATESMEN move across the small screen. She sighs and, without

realizing, implores the heavens to help cure a malady she's yet

to recognize in herself.

JANE:

(to herself)

God help me.

People have begun to filter into the newsroom in the b.g.

AARON:

Jesus, Jane. How long have you

been here?

JANE:

A long time. I was restless.

Will you crack my neck?

He starts massaging her neck as the phone rings. she lets it

ring for a beat as Aaron works on her. As she picks up the

receiver we HEAR a CRACK. She reacts to it at the same time

she utters a greeting.

JANE:

Aaah --

(into phone)

-- ello. You sure they said the

management meeting?

(hangs up; then

to Aaron)

They want me to be at the

management meeting.

AARON:

They're not that dumb, after all.

He pats her on the back.

INT. WALKWAY - DAY

BLAIR:

Do you know you're the second woman

in network news history to produce?

JANE:

(though distracted)

No, I'm not. I'm the fourth.

Joan Richmond. Pauline Fredericks

got that credit once on a U.N.

special and there's Susan Zirinsky.

INT. MANAGEMENT MEETING - DAY

Paul is running the meeting from behind Ernie's desk.

TWO OTHER NON-EDITORIAL MEN are in attendance. As Paul

discusses the more pressing problems of the network news

division, Jane sits near the window strangely unmoved by

her first moment at the seat of power. She has the blues.

PAUL:

Anyway, they seem to be very serious

about making me out eight million from

the budget and that means massive firings.

I'm doing everything I can... It's too

early to make up a 'death list' but I

just wanted you to be aware of the

situation... We're also going to cover

the Alaskan serial killer trial on a

continuing basis. I'd like it done out

of Washington which means we've got to

get somebody on a plane for Anchorage.

We can't fool around anymore...Jane...

She looks up at him -- a bit sleepy-eyed.

PAUL (cont'd)

This is going to be high-profile on

the Evening News -- who do you think?

George Weln or Jennifer?

JANE:

(much, much too quickly)

Jennifer.

The men look at her curiously. She repeats herself more

rationally.

JANE (cont'd)

Jennifer.

INT. TOM'S OFFICE - LATE AFTERNOON

He has been reading from a respectable stack of mail -- Jane

appears in his doorway. For the first time, we notice that

she is woefully ba at at least one endeavor -- flirting.

JANE:

Come on, I'll buy you a drink.

There's a big thing over at the

Italian embassy.

TOM:

I'm not sure I'd be good

company tonight.

JANE:

(self-conscious joke)

I'll be the judge of that.

INT. ITALIAN EMBASSY - NIGHT

As they walk in -- one MAN looks at Tom with a glint of

recognition. Then another -- a handshake -- A WOMAN introduces

herself. A small knot of people form.

JANE:

It's much too soon for you to have

this kind of buzz around you.

TOM:

Do I have to stand here in the middle

and meet them all?

JANE:

I'll get you through. Move and smile.

(she pushes him

a little)

And smile and move...

They start crossing the room -- he is moving now, making progress.

But an EGYPTIAN BUSINESSMAN stops him.

EGYPTIAN BUSINESSMAN

Is it safe for me to fly home?

TOM:

Yes. We're fine now.

JANE:

AND SMILE.

He smiles -- people smile back.

JANE:

AND MOVE.

ANGLE ON STAIR LANDING

Where Aaron (Pimm's Cut in hand -- a cucumber sticking out)

stands with Martin Klein. Martin is eating from a huge platter

of appetizers.

MARTIN KLEIN:

The Italians serve the second best

things right after the Chinese...I

could do an article comparing Embassy

food...Gourmet free-loading...sell it

anyplace. I'm sure not getting the

assignments.

AARON:

Who the heck could that be?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes