Forrest Gump Page #8

GOVERNOR WALLACE

We hereby denounce and forbid this

illegal and unwarranted action by

the central government.

INT. GREENBOW/BARBER SHOP

A black & white television reveals George Wallace as he stands

in the doorway of the schoolhouse.

KATZENBACH:

(on TV)

Governor Wallace, I take it from

that, uh...

EXT. UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA

Forrest steps over to a young man as the crowd looks at the

demonstration.

KATZENBACH:

...statement that you are going to

stand in that door, and that you are

not going to carry out the orders of

this court, and that you are going

to resist us from doing so. I would

ask you once again to responsibility

step aside and if you do not, I'm

going to assure you...

FORREST:

Earl, what's going on?

EARL:

Coons are tryin' to get into school.

FORREST:

Coons? When raccoons try to get on

our back porch, Momma just chase 'em

off with a broom.

EARL:

Not raccoons, you idiot, niggas. And

they want to go to school with us.

FORREST:

With us? They do?

Forrest walks toward the schoolhouse.

INT. COACHES' OFFICE

A football coach looks at a black and white television as a

newsman outside the schoolhouse speaks to the camera.

NEWSMAN:

(on TV)

...block the doorway, President

Kennedy ordered the Secretary of

Defense then to use the military

force.

BLACK AND WHITE FOOTAGE

The footage cuts to Governor Wallace as he speaks to General

Graham.

NEWSMAN:

Here by videotape is the encounter

by General Graham, Commander of the

National Guard, and Governor Wallace.

Forrest stands next to George Wallace and listens.

GOVERNOR WALLACE

We must have no violence today, or

any other day, because these National

Guardsmen are here today as Federal

Soldiers for Alabamans. And they

live within our borders and they are

all our brothers. We are winning in

this fight because we are awakening

the American people to the dangers

that we have spoken about so many

times, just so evident today, the

trend toward military dictatorship

in this country.

EXT. UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA

Some of the Alabama policeman and citizens clap their hands

as the National Guardsmen stand at attention with their

weapons in front of them. Forrest walks through the crowd.

Two black students were being led toward the schoolhouse.

NEWSMAN:

And so at day's end the University

of Alabama in Tuscaloosa had been

desegregated and students Jimmy Hood

and Vivian Malone had been signed up

for summer classes.

The young black girl drops one of her books. Forrest notices

and steps past the policeman toward the book on the ground.

Forrest steps out from the crowd and picks up the book. He

brings it up to the girl.

FORREST:

Ma'am, you dropped your book. Ma'am.

INT. COACHES' OFFICE - NIGHT (1963)

A coach looks at the television. The television reveals

Forrest as he stands at the schoolhouse door. He looks around,

then waves.

CHET HUNTLEY:

(on TV)

Governor Wallace did what he promised

to do. By being on the Tuscaloosa

campus, he kept the mob from gathering

and prevented violence.

An assistant coach looks at the television, then at the other

coaches.

ASSISTANT COACH:

Say, wasn't that Gump?

The football coach and two assistant coaches look. Forrest

dries himself off with a towel as he steps from the showers.

CHET HUNTLEY:

(on TV)

NBC News will present a special

program on the Alabama integration

story at 7:
30 p.m. tonight...

ASSISTANT COACH:

Naw, that couldn't be.

FOOTBALL COACH:

It sure as hell was.

CHET HUNTLEY:

...standard Eastern Daylight Time.

Now a word from Anacin.

Forrest steps up to the coaches' area and grabs a clean towel.

The coaches turn and stare at Forrest. Forrest gives them

one of his silly waves, then walks away.

COLOR FOOTAGE - Governor Wallace waves to the crowd as he

stands behind a podium with his wife.

FORREST (V.O.)

A few years later, that angry little

man at the schoolhouse door thought

it would be a good idea, and ran for

President.

COLOR FOOTAGE - Governor Wallace mingles in a crowd. Gunshots

are fired, wounding him. Some men wrestle the shooter. Wallace

lies wounded on the ground.

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