Broadcast News Page #9

---

JANE:

Some public official skipped a week

on his Christmas Club?

TOM:

The House Armed Service Committee

has a secret report which says that

the General Stillwell tank the Army

has dumped a fortune into plain

won't work. I have it cold,

confirmed. They have five million

dollars in this thing already.

JANE:

Billion.

TOM:

Okay, billion...right, of course.

They told me I could have any producer

I wanted -- and I want you.

As Tom savors the moment.

INT. TELEVISION STUDIO - EVENING

Various bureau personnel standing at their desks watching Tom's

piece being broadcast. We SEE a TANK MISFIRING.

TOM:

(voice over)

One source referred to it as a

five billion dollar metal sculpture

to ugly to look at and too big to bury.

AARON:

(to Jane)

You write this?

JANE:

I write for you sometimes.

AARON:

Not because you have to.

ON MONITOR:

We SEE a General walking away from Tom.

TOM:

(voice over)

General Elton McGuire is in charge of

the weapon system.

ON MONITOR - TWO SHOT

GENERAL:

I've been in the Army twenty-seven

years -- so I'll let the Army ask

the questions, not you.

TOM:

General, I don't want to bother you

anymore or your family. But tomorrow

there will be a mob of me back here --

so, if you have anything to say, why

not say it now, sir, the way you want?

ON TOM:

He is a study.

Looking at himself -- and though it's far from his first time on

television -- it's the first time he's seen himself doing serious

work and, by all appearances, doing it well. As the General

answers in the b.g. --

BLAIR:

I think it's great of us to have left

in what you said -- just great of us.

Tom smiles modestly.

AARON:

Yeah, let's never forget. We're

the real story. Not them.

Tom and Jane look over -- then Tom looks to Jane for a verdict.

In the b.g., the news goes to a commercial.

JANE:

Yeah, I know, I went back and forth

on it.

BLAIR:

I liked it. He's not afraid to be

human.

Ernie ENTERS THE SCENE with his fourteen-year-old DAUGHTER

in tow... He approaches Tom.

ERNIE:

My youngest wanted to meet you.

This is Ellie.

TOM:

Hi, Ellie.

ERNIE:

You should be honored -- she

never cares about meeting

anyone here. But she liked you

on television just now.

AARON:

(entering scene)

Hi, Ellie -- remember me?

ELLIE:

I'm sorry -- from where?

AARON:

I've been to your house a lot...

ERNIE:

(helping)

And Aaron went on that fourteen

day raft trip with us last year.

ELLIE:

(vaguely)

Oh yes -- hi.

INT. NEWSROOM - NIGHT (LATE)

Tom is on the phone.

TOM:

(into phone)

Hi, Dad...Did you see it? Great --

I'll send you a tape...I'm sorry I

haven't called. Things were a little

bumpy for a while. It's not important...

I'm fine now.

(what he's been

wanting to say aloud)

Hey, Dad -- I just may be able to

do this job...Well, I'm glad you

were sure.

INT. ERNIE MARRIMAN'S VIRGINIA HOME - DAY

Ernie is hosting the news staff for Sunday brunch -- they stand

around drinking in small groups... Aaron is standing with Blair

and a MAN in his fifties we have not seen before.

BLAIR:

I don't know why we have to feel

defensive about it. Newspapers

are in business to make money --

why not us?

Aaron looks at her in amazement.

BLAIR:

They criticize us for supposedly

pandering while they run WINGO

Games.

GREY HAIRED MAN:

(amused)

Exactly right. Excuse me. I'm

paid to mix.

Blair and Aaron laugh appreciatively as he walks off to another

group.

BLAIR:

Goodbye, Paul.

AARON:

Take care, Paul.

(back to Blair)

It takes a certain kind of courage

for you to say that in front of

the President of the News Division.

BLAIR:

You think anyone who's proud of

the work we do is an ass kisser.

AARON:

No. I think anyone who puckers their

lips and presses it against his boss'

buttocks and then smooches is an ass

kisser.

BLAIR:

My gosh, and for a while there, I was

attracted to you.

She walks off.

AARON:

Wait a minute -- that changes

everything.

ON JANE:

At the bar getting a drink.

Jennifer ENTERS THE SCENE... and leads Jane down the hall until

they are standing alone.

JENNIFER:

This is very awkward.

JANE:

Go ahead -- what?

JENNIFER:

Ummm -- it's dumb dorm stuff but

I see Tom around you a lot and this

is such a small office and I'd like

to see him outside of work, unless

there's some reason for you to mind...

in which case I just won't do anything.

JANE:

God Almighty -- Whew. Do I mind?

Why do I mind? I do mind. What

a shock -- I don't have a right to...

I don't think I like him. I know

I don't respect him...So what am

I talking about -- what am I saying

to you?

JENNIFER:

You're saying stay away from him.

JANE:

(stupefied)

I can't be.

She blinks in wonder.

JENNIFER:

We don't have to settle this

definitively right now.

Jennifer moves toward the drinking table -- Jane, unsteadied

by the dose of self-revelation, moves towards Aaron's circle

and scratches his back in friendship... Tom approaches an she

moves off -- not wanting to deal with him. She takes a few

breaths as she keeps walking. We HEAR snatches of PARTY

CONVERSATIONS, i.e:

GEORGE WELN:

Tell me one person who ever left

television news to work on a

newspaper.

She moves on; Tom still following.

ERNIE'S WIFE

(holding Paul's arm)

I felt so proud when he turned

down News Vice President so we

could stay here. Suddenly, after

all these years, we have a life.

Jane turns -- sees that Tom is still looking at her from a few

feet away.

JANE:

(badly)

Hi, Tom.

She stands there, genuinely frightened. She must deal with him

now. He crosses to her.

TOM:

It's the firs time I've seen

you dressed like this. You look

so clean and pretty.

JANE:

What do you mean clean?

TOM:

At work there's always this

sort of film over you.

JANE:

Well, thumps like me leave appearance

to guys like you.

TOM:

You're great at taking the edge

off a good time.

Jane starts twitching. She pauses -- holds a hand lightly on

his arm to steady herself.

TOM:

You okay?

JANE:

Yes. Just don't say anything mean

for a while. Thanks.

She meets his gaze for an instant -- and, in that instant, loses

control for the first time in her memory. She looks strange as

she retreats from this glimpse of upheaval.

JANE:

I've got to find someone. It's

important. Excuse me.

She walks away.

ON AARON AND ERNIE

ERNIE:

I had the strangest thing happen

yesterday. Anne and I have been

married what? -- Thirty-six years...

Everything fine -- two days after the

promotion came through, I was checking

myself in the mirror and she was

making a face at me behind my back.

So yesterday I looked in the mirror

and she was doing it again.

AARON:

You didn't say anything to her?

He shakes his head.

ERNIE:

My instincts tell me not to.

Annie comes up.

ANNE:

The office is phoning, honey.

He EXITS SCENE as Anne watches him go.

ANNE:

I hope he moves that fast when

it's me on the line.

ON JANE:

As she passes a chair with an afghan shawl on the back -- she

picks it up and wraps it around herself, a bit chilled. She

sees Jennifer on the stairs and moves toward her calling in a

too loud, anxiety-ridden voice as she goes.

JANE:

Jennifer. Hey, Jennifer.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes