Hero Page #21

ON THE SCREEN (INT. TV STUDIO - DAY)

BUBBER/TV

I guess when I... did what I

did... I was trying to save my

own life more than anything else.

Trying to connect myself with

people again and be... part of the

whole. You have to help others

to do that, you need a role to,

play... even if it's a very humble

role, it gives you self worth.

INT. DEAKINS' OFFICE

(NOTE:
Bubber dialogue, additional or as above continues

throughout scene)

GALE, her editor, JOAN, DEAKINS, WALLACE, CHUCKY, PARKER, and

CONKLIN are crowded around the monitor staring at the screen.

JOAN catches GALE surreptitiously hiding a tear and whispers

to her...

JOAN:

Is he like that in real life? So

gorgeous?

GALE:

He's pretty... remarkable.

JOAN:

(eyes widening at the

thought)

You didn't... get it on with him?

GALE:

Don't be ridiculous. I'm a reporter.

JOAN:

Reporters don't have hormones?

GALE:

Reporters... have to... rise above

their hormones.

ANGLE ON DEAKINS, WALLACE

reacting to BUBBER on TV. WALLACE is impressed.

WALLACE:

The guy's... a natural.

DEAKINS rolls his eyes, a cynical, hardened newsman.

ANGLE ON TV SCREEN (INT. TV STUDIO - DAY)

GALE/TV/VOICE OVER

I asked John Bubber about the

Medal of Honor.

BUBBER/TV

As far as the medal goes, well...

that medal's for something me and

my buddies did almost twenty years

ago in Viet Nam. So if I'm a war

hero today then I was a war hero

last week when I was selling cans

and sleeping in my car... when I

didn't have a medal. I don't think

a medal makes a hero. You don't

need machinegun fire or burning

planes to be... brave. People do

heroic acts every day only there's

nobody around to take their picture

or decorate them. Little things

can be heroic. Helping someone

day in and day out, giving up your

life a little every day instead

of all at once... to help.

Maybe... maybe we're all heroes.

MONTAGE - DAY

Across the nation solemn FACES reflect the glow of the TV screen.

YOUNG FACES, OLD FACES, BLACK, WHITE, BROWN, YELLOW...

-HOME

-BARBERSHOP

-ELECTRONICS SHOWROOM

-BAR

-JAIL CELL

-SKID ROW HOTEL LOBBY

INT. DAY ROOM - JAIL - DAY

...And BERNIE LAPLANTE'S FACE. He's glaring at the screen in

the Day Room of the Jail, sputtering helplessly...

BERNIE:

We're all heroes, huh? A**hole!

Just then a GUARD enters the Day Room and belows...

GUARD:

LAPLANTE, BERNARD. LAPLANTE?

BERNIE:

Me?

GUARD:

Ya made bail, Ace. C'mon, let's

go.

BERNIE looks startled.

WELLESIAN VIDEO - TV SCREEN

News coverage of the crash and photos of Bubber are ZOOMED,

DISSOLVED, WHIRLED and SPUN into a glittering promo while a

stentorian WELLESIAN VOICE brays excitedly...

WELLESIAN VOICE/TV

John Bubber himself! Along with

twenty of the real survivors of

flight 104! See the real life

participants re-enact the

terrifying drama inside the

burning plane.

INT. SUITE/DRAKE HOTEL - DAY

BUBBER is staring at the TV screen wide-eyed with amazement

as the promo continues on the screen

ON SCREEN (WELLESIAN VIDEO)

WELLESIAN VOICE/TV

Out of the darkness, out of the

fire, out of a nightmare of

fear... came The Angel of Flight

104. John Bubber saved fifty-four

people. This is his story and

theirs. A drama featuring the

actual people who actually lived

those moments of terror. No

make-up, no music, no actors.

This is the real thing. Thursday

night. Channel-Four. Be there!

On Screen the Channel Four logo blends exotically with "The

Image".

INT. SUITE/DRAKE HOTEL - DAY

A dismayed BUBBER dials the telephone.

INT. DEAKINS' OFFICE - A LITTLE LATER - DAY

DEAKINS and WALLACE walk, deep in conversation, WALLACE upset.

WALLACE:

Upset! What's he upset about?

DEAKINS:

Said he's not an actor.

WALLACE:

He's not supposed to be an actor,

that's the whole point. He's a real

life hero, all he has to do is act

like a real life hero. That's the

beauty of the concept, the whole

freshness of it. Did she call

him back?

DEAKINS:

She's talking to him now.

WALLACE:

We paid him a million dollars.

You'd think he'd want to cooperate

a little, help our ratings.

DEAKINS responds eagerly to GALE entering the office.

DEAKINS:

How'd it go?

GALE:

He'll do it.

(to Wallace)

You really-should have talked to

him first.

WALLACE:

He might have said no.

INT. CORRIDOR/HALL OF JUSTICE - DAY

BERNIE charging through the crowded Waiting Room having just

been released on bail. He doesn't actually shove the WOMEN and

CHILDREN waiting to visit inmates out of the way, but he doesn't

slow down either as he weaves rapidly among them with DONNA on

his heels, barely able to keep pace. He doesn't look back as

he speaks rapid-fire. He's really pissed.

BERNIE:

Whaddaya mean they didn't reduce

the bail? If they didn't reduce

it, how'dja spring me?

DONNA:

(a deep breath,

embarrassed)

I took a loan on my car and my

computer.

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