House of Cards Page #4

INT. UNDERWOOD RESIDENCE - STAIRS - MORNING

Claire descends the stairs in her bathrobe, freshly showered.

When she gets to the bottom of the stairs she sees Francis

sitting beside the window just as he was when she left him

the night before. He doesn’t turn to her. She pauses for a

moment, taking in the tableau, then walks to the kitchen

without a word.

20.

INT. UNDERWOOD RESIDENCE - KITCHEN - MORNING

TIGHT on two cups in an espresso machine filling with

steaming coffee.

INT. UNDERWOOD RESIDENCE - LIVING ROOM - MORNING

CLOSE ON Francis, taking a cigarette out of the pack. It’s

nearly empty now. He lights it. Inhales. Claire enters

with the espressos. Sits down beside him, places one of the

cups at his side. A moment. He turns to her.

FRANCIS:

Did you sleep?

CLAIRE:

No.

Claire waits for more. Francis takes a drag.

FRANCIS:

I know what I have to do.

CLAIRE:

Of course you do.

FRANCIS:

We’ll have a lot of nights like

this.

CLAIRE:

That doesn’t worry me.

FRANCIS:

I’m not sure how yet.

CLAIRE:

But you will.

Francis hands her the cigarette. Picks up the espresso and

downs it with one gulp.

FRANCIS:

I should get to work.

CLAIRE:

I laid a suit out for you upstairs.

The navy blue one.

He gives her a kiss on the forehead. Heads for the stairs.

We FOLLOW HIM as he ascends. He turns to us.

21.

FRANCIS:

(to the camera)

I love that woman. I love her more

than sharks love the smell of

blood.

INT. UNDERWOOD’S OFFICE - KAUFBERGER’S OFFICE - DAY

TIGHT on screen. MICHAEL KERN (50s) - clean-cut and handsome

-is speaking at a lectern, flanked by Walker and Vasquez.

The ticker-tape reads: KERN NOMINATED FOR SEC. OF STATE.

CUT TO DOUG STAMPER (early 40s) - Francis’s well-connected,

amoral and loyal Chief-of-Staff - with NANCY KAUFBERGER (50s)

- Francis’s Exec. Assistant. They’re watching the news on a

flat screen in Nancy’s Office.

NANCY:

He’s had work done. A chin tuck.

Probably botox. He definitely dyes

his hair.

(after a beat)

Maybe the GOP won’t confirm him.

STAMPER:

Oh no, they’ll confirm him. Walker

is riding high. It’s not worth the

political capital. They’ll save

the big guns for legislative

battles.

NANCY:

Hey Doug...

He looks up to see Francis striding in from the main door.

Stamper grabs a folder. The boss is here. It’s work time.

Stamper and Nancy head out to intercept him.

STAMPER:

(opening the folder)

At 9:
30 you’re sitting down with

FRANCIS:

(in stride)

Cancel everything. Stamper, you’re

with me.

Stamper tosses a glance to Nancy. She’s on it. Francis

makes for his office. Stamper follows.

22.

INT. FRANCIS’S (INNER) OFFICE - DAY

Francis and Stamper behind closed doors. Stamper is trying to

process it all.

STAMPER:

How do we get there...?

FRANCIS:

We’ll seize opportunities. We’ll

make opportunities. React.

Respond. This is a time for broad

strokes.

STAMPER:

I just don’t understand how’re

we’re going to

FRANCIS:

For now we keep focused on what’s

right in front of us.

STAMPER:

Kern.

FRANCIS:

Yes. And the Education Bill.

STAMPER:

Who’s drafting it?

FRANCIS:

Vasquez hasn’t told me yet. But

I’m guessing it’ll be Harry Blythe.

STAMPER:

He’ll need to be handled.

FRANCIS:

Which is exactly why she wants me

here instead of the State

Department.

STAMPER:

I can start digging on Kern.

FRANCIS:

Get me names first. Let’s have

somebody to give them once Kern is

gone. And we should have a front

man for that. In case we need to

distance ourselves.

23.

STAMPER:

Who do you want?

FRANCIS:

A lost child. Somebody we can save

from himself.

STAMPER:

I’ll keep my ear to the ground.

FRANCIS:

Okay, I’m going to get a bite to

eat. I haven’t eaten in two days.

INT. CAPITOL MESS HALL - LATER

Francis waits at the checkout. Junk food heaped on his tray.

We hear some commotion. Entering the mess hall is Michael

Kern followed by a couple of AIDES. People are

congratulating him. He’s smiling like a pig in sh*t.

Francis makes eye contact with Kern. Smiles. Gives him a

big thumbs up. Kern nods with appreciation. Gets

intercepted by another well-wisher.

Francis picks up his tray and turns to us, the smile on his

face instantly gone.

FRANCIS:

(to the camera)

A wink, a nod, a little warmth and

grace - and with that one wraps

oneself in a cloak of civility.

Kern’s not the sharpest knife in

the rack, but he’s not dull either.

He knows I was up for the

nomination. He knows I must be

jealous. But he doesn’t need to

know the danger he’s in. Let him

bask in the limelight for now. I’ll

sharpen my blade in the dark. He’ll

still be smiling when I slit his

throat.

INT. EPISCOPAL CHURCH - MORNING

The service is chock full of DC’s political heavyweights,

including Francis and Claire seated near the back. A

MINISTER is in the midst of delivering a sermon.

24.

MINISTER:

(reads from scripture)

“And whosoever shall exalt himself

shall be abased; and he that shall

humble himself shall be exalted.“

Matthew 23:
12.

(looks up)

I’d like to speak today on the

subject of Humility. A lot of you

just won re-election. If you

hadn’t, you wouldn’t be sitting

here.

A smattering of chuckles among the congregation. CLOSE on

Francis as the minister continues.

MINISTER (O.S.) (CONT’D)

Of course you should be enjoy your

success, and be grateful for it.

But never let your gratitude sour

into pride. You’ll have many

challenges ahead over the next

couple of years. And a person’s

character is not determined by how

he or she enjoys victory, but

rather how he or she endures

defeat...

EXT. EPISCOPAL CHURCH - LATER

We’re following Francis and Claire as everyone files out.

FEMALE VOICE (O.S.)

Claire...

They’re approached by another power couple: the longtime

Senator CHARLES HOLBURN and his socialite wife FELICITY, both

immaculately groomed, styled and outfitted.

CLAIRE:

Hello Felicity.

Holburn gravitates toward Claire, Holburn toward Francis.

HOLBURN:

Frank.

FRANCIS:

(shaking his head)

Morning Charles.

We track Claire and Felicity, a few paces ahead of the men.

25.

FELICITY:

(to Claire,

sympathetically)

How are you?

CLAIRE:

Terrific.

FELCITY:

I’m sorry about the...you know.

(nods back toward Francis)

CLAIRE:

Oh, you mean the...

FELCITY:

Just awful. Charles and I were so

upset when we heard.

CLAIRE:

(smiling)

It’s nothing. Really. Between you

and me, I think Francis is

relieved. He feels much more at

home in Congress.

We JUMP OVER to Francis and Holburn.

HOLBURN:

I would’ve bet a million dollars

Walker was going to choose you.

FRANCIS:

(laughs it off)

Good thing you have a million

dollars to spare.

HOLBURN:

But Kern - come on. That’s a real

insult, isn’t it? He’s got half

the experience you do, and less

than half the brain.

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