Chappaquiddick Page #17

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Ted ponders this for a moment. Then shuffles towards them,

afraid of what will come next.

INT. KENNEDY COMPOUND - LIVING ROOM - DAY

Ted enters the cozy, family living room. It has been overrunwith an all star line-up of former cabinet members and topKennedy advisors, past and present. Where Ted once celebratedChristmas and birthdays, he now observes a command centralfor all strategy devoted to Chappaquiddick.

Ted stands next to his proud father who sports a smug smile ofsatisfaction as the country’s greatest minds try to find a seatamidst the floral curtains, low ceilings, and bay windows.

The BRAIN TRUST includes:

-ROBERT MCNAMARA, 53, former Secretary of Defense; he frownswith his hand dug deep into his face.

-Ted Sorensen, who looks in his element now that he’s withWashington’s elite rather than his rambunctious boys.

-BURKE MARSHALL, 46, former Assistant US Attorney Generaland current Senior Vice President at IBM.

-SARGENT SHRIVER, 53, Joseph Kennedy’s son-in-law and USAmbassador to France; he puts a well worn wooden rosary inhis front jacket pocket with the cross still hanging out.

-STEPHEN SMITH, 41, another Kennedy son-in-law, Bobby’s 1968campaign manager, and financial manager of the Kennedyfortune; he stubs out one cigarette while lighting another.

-JOHN CULVER, 36, US Congressman from Iowa.

-JOHN TUNNEY, 35, US Congressman from California.

-David Burke, the low man on the totem pole; he is merelythe administrative aide to Senator Ted Kennedy.

-Several other men from various parts of the Kennedy machine.

Ann Gargan drags over a chair, which she offers to McNamara.

84.

He sits down under a painting of a battleship sailing throughchoppy waters. Sorensen looks over at him.

SORENSEN:

Well, Bob, you handled the missilecrisis and Vietnam. Now let’s see

what you can do with this one.

Ted puts his hands in his pockets with a defiant glare. Helooks down at his father.

TED:

Looks like you’re still the manwith all the influence.

Ted steps forward to the center of the room.

TED (CONT’D)

Gentlemen, I appreciate you makingthe quick trip here on my behalf.

However, I hope you understand thatI prefer to handle this with my ownteam, since it’s my politicalfuture at stake here.

MCNAMARA:

You’re not going to have apolitical future if you’re in jail.

You’re fighting a war on twofronts, and you don’t even know it.

TED:

I think you need to cool it there.

I know the problems I’m facing withthe press and the people ofMassachusetts --

McNamara shoots to his feet and charges towards Ted. Hepoints a bullish, decisive finger in Ted’s face.

MCNAMARA:

That’s just the half of it! You’realso in serious legal trouble, son.

Ted looks back towards where his father was sitting. JosephKennedy is gone. The SQUEAK of his wheelchair can be heardfaintly receding away. Ted looks down at his shoes, no choicebut to take this verbal assault.

MCNAMARA (CONT’D)

If they find your negligencecontributed to that girl’sdeath...that’s involuntary

manslaughter. If there’s even awhisper that you weren’t as cleanas Mother Teresa, you’re gettingcharged.

(MORE)

85.

MCNAMARA (CONT’D)

Not a lot of Senators charged with

manslaughter who have gone on to

become President.

TED:

I understand but -

MCNAMARA:

And that's to say nothing about

being convicted. If you get

indicted it won't matter what

verdict comes back. The court of

public opinion will already have

your head on a stake.

TED:

I’ll put Sorensen on it; we won’t

have a problem.

MCNAMARA:

Problems. Problems. Plural. They’re

threefold. ONE, the information we

know that we need to make sure no

one else knows; TWO, the information

we don’t know that we need to make

sure remains unknown; and THREE, the

information you’ve already admitted

that we need to make sure people

forget.

McNamara turns to the group, changing his focus from beratingTed to inspiring the troops.

MCNAMARA (CONT’D)

To the first point:

(beat)

A dead girl’s body holds a lot of

secrets. Those secrets can be the

difference between guilt and

innocence. So we need to be in

control of them. The only way we

can do that is if we’re in control

of the body.

Ted struts up to McNamara. He’s already thought of this.

TED:

I have my staffer, Dun Gifford,

waiting at the funeral home now.

That girl isn't going anywhere but

back home to New Jersey without us

knowing about it.

McNamara scoffs in Ted’s face.

86.

MCNAMARA:

Having some gopher in a three piecesuit sitting on his hands in aLOBBY isn't getting us anywhere!

There are explicit procedures thatmust be followed in order to move a

body across state lines. Do youknow...has the death certificate

even been signed yet?

Ted deflates; there’s no good way to answer this.

TED:

I don't know.

INT. EDGARTOWN FUNERAL HOME - DAY

Dun Gifford flips through a magazine in the drab lobby of thelocal mortuary. He wears a three piece suit.

On the side table next to him sits a telephone.

RING.

Dun looks around, confused. He answers.

GIFFORD:

Hello?

TED (V.O.)

Gifford. Thank God you’re there.

INT. KENNEDY COMPOUND - ENTRYWAY - DAY

Ted uses the phone on the corner table by the staircase. Hehunches over trying not to be heard by his father’s advisors.

TED:

We’re in this thing deeper than Ithought. I need you to get the deathcertificate signed as soon as fuckingpossible. Do whatever it takes.

GIFFORD (V.O.)

Uh...I’ll look into -

TED:

Check back in with me here at

Hyannis as soon as it’s done.

Ted drops the phone back into the cradle. He storms backtowards the war room and swings the door open.

87.

INT. KENNEDY COMPOUND - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Ted enters with his head held high and his chest puffed out.

TED:

It’s as good as done. Just waitingon word back.

McNamara holds a legal binder. His finger firmly pressesagainst the page.

MCNAMARA:

Now, as I was saying...

He turns back towards the group.

MCNAMARA (CONT’D)

...only one person can sign for the

death certificate...

INT. DR. MILL’S OFFICE - DAY

Gifford sits in a brightly lit doctor’s waiting room. Thedoor reads: “Dr. Donald Mills - Family Medicine & AssociateMedical Examiner”.

MCNAMARA (V.O.)

...the medical examiner who

inspected the body at the scene.

Gifford sits next to a PREGNANT WOMAN doing Lamaze exercises.

The exam room door opens. A NURSE steps out. Gifford puts hishand on top of the pregnant woman’s shoulder as he stands.

GIFFORD:

I need to go first.

A series of quick cuts:

-Gifford waves the death certificate in Dr. Mills’s face.

-Dr. Mills jots his signature onto the death certificate.

-As Gifford exits, he tips his hat to the pregnant woman.

-Gifford bursts into the funeral parlor and waves the deathcertificate in Frieh’s face. Mary Jo’s body lays on thetable in front of them, a sheet covering all but her face.

INT. EDGARTOWN FUNERAL HOME - DAY

Gifford stands, holding the receiver to his ear.

GIFFORD:

It’s done.

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