Broadcast News Page #14

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AARON'S P.O.V.

From the excited group of people blocking his view,

it's clear there is some personage in attendance.

ON AARON:

And now he sees that it's Tom.

AARON:

Is God testing me or something?

MARTIN KLEIN:

Paul loves him. I heard him give

him the most poetic compliment in

his command. 'He's hot.' Sometimes

groups of executives get together just

to say that work back and forth...'He's

hot, oh, she's hot. Oh, he's really

hot.' Hot-hot-hot-hot-hot-hot-hot...

(looking at Aaron)

And here we are.

AARON:

Martin, you're not allowed to use the

word 'we' or I'm moving.

MARTIN KLEIN:

(sudden thought)

Maybe Jane would like my food idea as

a spot...Try the one in the middle.

He moves off to intercept Jane -- as he stops her... Tom is

stranded -- then sees Aaron and moves over to his side.

TOM:

Hi, Aaron...What's doing?

AARON:

Same old stuff. I'm watching a man

who won three Overseas Press Awards

pitch an hors d'oeuvre idea.

A MAN stops and introduces himself to Tom -- shaking his hand:

TOM:

You want to go out there --

(indicating balcony)

get out of this for a second?

AARON:

Why don't you lead? I'll just

follow the flurry you cause.

Tom turns -- the sharpness of the tone unsettles him.

TOM:

What did I do to you?

AARON:

You've made my dreams silly.

Tom decides not to deal with the remark. He's jolted by the

hostility. He leads the way out French Doors to a ground floor

terrace, where Aaron joins him, closes the door and the two men

stare at the party.

TOM:

(gesturing at the

party)

Heavy hitters.

Aaron nods.

They look inside.

AARON:

(several beats; then)

How you doing?

TOM:

(warming)

Great. Network news, Washington...

I love it. What do you do when your

real life exceeds your dreams?

AARON:

Keep it to yourself.

TOM:

You know the other day I really wanted

your reaction to how we did with the

Libyan report -- I was going to ask but

I guess I feel a little intimidated with

you.

AARON:

Oh, stop it.

On Tom's reaction.

AARON:

You can't talk about feeling

intimidated when you're on top of

the world. It's unseemly.

TOM:

I'm not buying into any of that. I

have a load to learn. I'm not going

to act as if...

AARON:

(finishing for him)

You have the job you have...

The sudden debate is important to Tom -- but it's moving too

fast for him.

TOM:

Shut up a second...

AARON:

(amiably)

Okay. Pretty petty party, isn't

it, pal?

TOM:

(picking his words)

I made one rule for myself when this

started and I realized I was going

to take a lot from you people because

of being from sports...

AARON:

And the rule was...

TOM:

Never to pretend to know more than

I did.

AARON:

Can you name all the members of the

Cabinet?

TOM:

(flustered)

Okay, let's drop it. I didn't mean

I'd take a test for you -- I mean if

that came up in conversation I'd...

AARON:

We're conversing...Oh my, the names

of the entire Cabinet has slipped my

mind. What are they?

Tom is getting pissed.

AARON:

(compromising)

Don't name them. Just tell me if

you know.

TOM:

Yes, Aaron. I know the names of

the Cabinet.

AARON:

Okay.

A beat.

AARON (cont'd)

All twelve?

TOM:

Yes.

AARON:

There are only ten.

Aaron's suddenly a good deal happier -- damned if it

isn't a little infectious.

TOM:

You're feeling good, aren't you?

AARON:

(sincerely)

I'm starting to... We may do

the capitols of the states.

TOM:

(dry)

Fifty, right?

Aaron almost smiles.

Tom enters the party leaving the door open.

LONG SHOT:

Aaron in the f.g. -- his BACK TO CAMERA... Beyond him

Tom being approached... then joining Jane.

EXT. JANE'S STREET - NIGHT

As Tom's car comes to a stop.

INT. TOM'S CAR - NIGHT

TOM:

I'm so exhausted. Punchy. Sick

tired. I can't think and I can't move.

I'm just a dead lump of poured out

flesh.

(then)

Would you like to come up?

Tom thinks -- then:

TOM:

Maybe we could just sit here --

talk a little?

JANE:

Okay. You didn't like the party, huh?

TOM:

Too many smart people in one room --

it's not healthy...

Jane's confused by this. She looks at him.

TOM:

I'm going to have to do a story

from beginning to end on my own.

JANE:

Eventually. Does it have to be

right now?

TOM:

(nodding)

Believe me, I wouldn't be doing this

unless it was absolutely necessary.

I have an idea for something.

JANE:

What?

TOM:

I just read about it in a magazine

and it affected me.

JANE:

Well, what is it?

TOM:

If I tell you, can you manage not

to put it down or tell me why it

won't work or is in bad journalistic

taste or anything like that?

JANE:

(broadly)

Yes, Tom -- I think I can manage.

He turns towards her -- about to stick his chin out. Hesitates.

JANE (cont'd)

I promise.

TOM:

It's about women who are attacked

by someone they know on a date...

'Date-rape,' that's the piece...

Well?

Jane clamps a hand over her own mouth.

TOM:

Okay -- good move. Keep it there.

She continues to clamp her mouth shut as he exits the car,

opens her door and then begins to half carry, half pull her out.

She keeps her hand clamped over her mouth. Laughing from

behind her door and runs for it.

ON TOM:

His spirits lifted.

ON JANE:

Behind the door, trying to hide the glow in her eyes.

INT. JANE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

The phone rings... Jane's hand bounces off her nightstand to

turn on the light knocking over and breaking the clock radio

instead. Three alarm clocks stand next to the clock radio...

Finally the light comes on. Jane's voice is so thick with

sleep the words she utters are just barely distinguishable.

JANE:

Hello.

TO:

(uncertain)

Hello?

JANE:

Hello...Who is it?

INTERCUT:

INT. TOM'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

TOM:

I'm not sure I dialed right --

Jane?

JANE:

Jane, yes. Tom? Tom, is that you?

Is this Tom?

TOM:

Yes.

JANE:

I had to sleep fast so I took two

allergy pills to help me...I'm

sorry...Hey, you called me.

TOM:

It's not important.

JANE:

Says who? Not important -- ha-ha-ha.

I was dreaming -- Oh, no -- can't

tell -- how embarrassing for me.

Gosh.

TOM:

What pills did you take? You

sound more like someone on a general

anesthetic. Maybe I'd better speak

to you tomorrow.

JANE:

Nooo. Is it your story?

TOM:

No. Are you going to the

Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday?

JANE:

Why, you need me for the story?

TOM:

No. Were you going to you?

JANE:

Uh-huh.

TOM:

Maybe I'll get off work. I'd like

to go.

JANE:

Oh, good.

TOM:

We can go together.

JANE:

So you like me, huh?

TOM:

I like you as much as I can like

anyone who thinks I'm an a**hole.

INT. JANE'S EDITING ROOM - DAY

Tom editing a piece with Bobby -- He also has a little typewriter

table set up. He is reading from the page in the typewriter as

he looks at the piece he has written.

TOM:

(reading)

But cops on the street continue to

view it as...

Sh*t -- too long. But street cops

say...that fits. That last cut work

for you, Bobbie?

BOBBIE:

Yes, and thanks for asking.

INT. NEWSROOM - NIGHT

As the regulars watch the Evening News, in particular the Date

Rape piece which is now in progress. Tom anxiously eyeing Jane

out of the corner of his eye as she watches the monitor. Her

face impossible to read as she studies the screen.

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