Ida Tarbell Page #18

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A MINISTER intones a few prayers over the nondescript grave.

ANGLE - LATER

Ida and her brother walk a short distance away from the rest

of the mourners. Ida looks pale and drawn. Worn out.

WILL:

Good of you to come. I’m glad you made it

on time.

IDA:

Me too. Not much of a resting place though,

is it?

WILL:

It’s where he’d want to be.

They arrive by the river’s edge, staring out together. We

watch Ida’s face. Clouded. Sad. Deep in thought.

WILL:

You were always his favorite, you know. I

could never compete.

IDA:

That’s not true!

WILL:

Yes it is. You were the son he always

wanted. Easier on me in a way. Not much was

expected. He was very proud of you, Ida.

IDA:

Then why do I feel like I’ve failed him?

93.

WILL:

Nonsense. You haven’t failed anybody. Far

from it.

(beat)

Look, why don’t you come out to Kansas and

visit with us for a little while. You know

you’re a celebrity out there. I’ve been

trading on your name for months now, just

so you know. The kids would love to see

you. And I would too.

IDA:

Soon. I promise.

(beat)

He deserved so much better than this, Will.

WILL:

I know. Hardly seems to matter now though,

does it?

Ida gazes out. A steely resolve behind her grief.

IDA:

Now is when it matters the most.

INT. THE MCCLURE’S APARTMENT BUILDING - DAY

TWO POLICE INSPECTORS approach a door, giving a loud knock.

There’s some movement from inside. Motion at the keyhole.

And then the door opens to reveal: HATTIE MCCLURE, an

attractive woman in her 50’s (Sam’s wife, older than he is).

INSPECTOR TUNNEY

Mrs. McClure? Hattie McClure?

HATTIE MCCLURE:

Yes?

INSPECTOR TUNNEY

(flashing a badge)

I’m Inspector Tunney, this is Inspector

Egan. Might we have a moment of your time?

HATTIE MCCLURE:

(alarmed)

What’s this about?

INSPECTOR TUNNEY

I’m afraid it’s about your husband, Sam

McClure. May we come in?

94.

INT. THE MCCLURE’S APARTMENT - DAY

CLOSE ON A SERIES OF GRAINY PHOTOGRAPHS - detailing lewd sex

acts between men and women. Anonymous, explicit, shocking.

Sam McClure visible in some of them.

PULL BACK TO - Hattie flicking through them, impassive.

The two cops sit opposite, watching for her reaction.

Hattie hands back the photos, rises unsteadily to her feet.

She goes to a drinks cabinet, pouring herself a stiff drink.

A beat, then:

HATTIE MCCLURE:

Why are you showing me these?

INSPECTOR TUNNEY

We just need to ah,...correctly identify

your husband.

HATTIE MCCLURE:

It looks to me like you already have.

(beat)

Get out of my house. Both of you.

INSPECTOR TUNNEY

Thank you for your time, Mrs. McClure. I’m

awful sorry for your trouble.

HATTIE MCCLURE:

Oh, I’m sure you are. Get out!

The two cops share a look, leave. Hattie slams the door after

them. Lowers her head in shame.

INT. OFFICE OF MCCLURE’S MAGAZINE - DAY

Ida enters, notices some papers strewn across the floor.

REVEAL:
The office has been totally ransacked.

Desks upended, drawers, files, books scattered everywhere.

McClure is talking with TWO UNIFORMED POLICE OFFICERS. One of

them hands him a statement for him to sign.

POLICEMAN # 1

Sign here and here.

Ida approaches, taking it all in:

IDA:

What’s all this? What’s going on?

95.

SAM MCCLURE:

What’s it look like. Somebody broke in last

night, stole all our files.

POLICEMAN # 2

“Allegedly.”

SAM MCCLURE:

So what’s the new theory? That I burgled

myself?

POLICEMAN # 2

(cryptic)

Stranger things have happened.

POLICEMAN # 1

We’ll look into it, Mr. McClure. We find

anything, we’ll let you know.

The two cops head out. Ida and McClure stand together in the

midst of this wreckage. Some of the other staff (PIERCE,

LOWRY, JACCACI) are visible in the b.g., whispering.

A long tense beat.

SAM MCCLURE:

(bitterly)

I told you this was going to happen, didn’t

I? But you wouldn’t listen.

IDA:

I’ll talk to the Police Commissioner, we’ll

find out-

SAM MCCLURE:

The Police Commissioner?! Who do you think

ordered this? Who do you think owns the

Police Department in New York City?

IDA:

(weakly)

We can publish an article-

SAM MCCLURE:

It’s too late for that, okay. We’re dead in

the water. We’re sunk.

IDA:

What do you mean, we’re sunk?

SAM MCCLURE:

I’m sorry to be the one to inform you, but

while you’ve been gone, they just slapped a

gag order on us. They’re shutting us down.

IDA:

What..?! They can’t do that!

96.

SAM MCCLURE:

They can and they did. An injunction,

signed by the Attorney General himself.

(hands it to her)

It’s over, Ida. McClure’s is done. And so

are you.

(re:
the others)

Now are you going to be the one to tell

them they have no jobs, or will I?

A beat as the reality of this sinks in.

IDA:

It’s your magazine, aren’t you even going

to fight for it?

McClure slumps against the wall, slides down to the floor.

SAM MCCLURE:

I did. We lost.

Ida goes to say something, probably something hurtful, but

thinks better of it, knowing she is complicit. The silence

between them grows. Until finally, she turns and leaves.

INT. SIDDAL’S APARTMENT BUILDING - DAY

Ida comes to the door of a crummy-looking apartment in the

Bowery. She KNOCKS, waits for an answer.

SIDDAL answers. He looks extremely tense, upset.

IDA:

John, I need to speak to you-

SIDDAL:

Now is not a very good time.

REVEAL:
someone sitting inside the apartment with him.

IDA:

Who is it? Who’s there with you?

SIDDAL:

It’s my father.

IDA:

Oh, lovely! Can I say hello?

SIDDAL:

I don’t think that’s a very good idea.

Suddenly, Mr. SIDDAL (56) is standing right there, John’s

unsmiling and very authoritarian father.

97.

IDA:

(offering a hand)

Hello, I’m Ida Tarbell.

He doesn’t shake it, nor does he offer a name in return.

MR. SIDDAL

John is coming back to Boston with me this

evening. He’s going to resume his Law

studies at Harvard. I’m afraid he won’t be

working for you or Mr. McClure any more.

IDA:

That’s great. I’m sure he’ll do very well

there.

(beat)

But, I’m sure you’ll agree that John’s work

here in New York is also very important...

MR. SIDDAL

I think John has given more than enough to

McClure’s Magazine, don’t you?

(to his son)

Say goodbye. We’ve a train to catch.

Siddal is absolutely dying. Tries desperately to explain...

SIDDAL:

It’s my father’s law firm. Standard Oil is

one of their biggest corporate clients. I

never told anybody what I was doing here, I

knew he wouldn’t approve. But somebody

found out. Now my father could lose his

job, his entire career, everything...

(beat)

I’m sorry, Ida. I’m really sorry...

He slowly closes the door. HOLD ON Ida. Looking suddenly very

lost, and very alone.

INT. KYKUIT - CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY

At the conference table sit JUNIOR, MR. GATES (PR executive),

and a new face we have not seen before, MR. SELZ (60s).

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