Jackie Page #13

CUT TO:

INT. KENNEDY COMPOUND -LIVING ROOM

JOURNALIST:

And will those ideals live on?

JACKIE:

I’m sure they will. Of course

there will be other greatPresidents. The Johnson's have

been so generous to me.

(beat)

But there won't be another Camelot.

Not another Camelot.

CUT TO:

EXT. PARK -OUTSIDE WASHINGTON, DC

The Priest and Jackie sit at an impasse, their talk coming toan end with no resolution.

Slowly and deliberately, the Priest’s face darkens --histone sharpening.

PRIEST:

Why are you really here?

An awkward silence, Jackie taken aback-

JACKIE:

I--I needed to talk.

PRIEST:

You say you pray every night todie. That your children have nouse for you. That you wish only tobe with your husband.

(beat)

And yet --I’m not burying you

today.

(beat)

(MORE)

80.

PRIEST (CONT'D)

There comes a time in man’s search

for meaning, when one realizes -there

are no answers.

(beat)

When you come to that horrible,

unavoidable realization --youaccept it. Or you kill yourself.

Or you simply stop searching.

Jackie is reeling-

PRIEST (CONT’D)

I have lived a blessed life. And

yet every night when I climb intobed, turn off the lights, and stareinto the dark, I wonder...is this

all there is?

Jackie’s tone softens --the Priest’s honesty finally gettingthrough to her...

JACKIE:

You wonder?

The Priest nods -

PRIEST:

Every soul on this planet does.

INTERCUT -

EXT. HYANNIS BEACH -DAY

Jackie playfully runs after Caroline and John Jr.

PRIEST (O.S.)

And then, when morning comes, weall wake up and make a pot ofcoffee.

JACKIE (O.S.)

Why do we bother?

She catches up to John Jr and picks him up. Twirls him.

PRIEST (O.S.)

Because we do. You did this

morning, and you will again

tomorrow.

Jackie stops to watch her laughing children.

81.

PRIEST (O.S.) (CONT’D)

God, in his infinite wisdom, has

made sure...it is just enough for

us.

Jackie looks on as Caroline and John Jr build sand castles

under gray skies.

CUT TO:

INT. KENNEDY COMPOUND -LIVING ROOM

The Journalist dictates his article to his editor...

JOURNALIST (INTO PHONE)

Once more... Mrs. Kennedy hasexpressed her desire to reinter thebodies of the two children theylost to rest alongside theirfather.

(beat)

You got that part, right?

(beat)

She wants them to always remember,

for one brief shining moment therewas a--yeah, Camelot. Yeah.

Finally, the Journalist hangs up.

JOURNALIST (CONT’D)

I hope you have a good night, Mrs.

Kennedy.

A moment of silence between them. And he exits.

CUT TO:

EXT. PARK -OUTSIDE, WASHINGTON DC -DUSK

Jackie relates to the Priest, with some satisfaction -

JACKIE:

He wrote down every word.

PRIEST:

And did that help... Heal

you?

Jackie thinks. Not exactly an answer-

JACKIE:

It’s been reprinted all over theworld.

(MORE)

82.

JACKIE (CONT'D)

Maybe that’s what they’ll all

believe now.

(beat)

Camelot.

(beat)

People like to believe in fairytales.

PRIEST:

And you? Do you believe you’vedone him justice?

Jackie can’t bring herself to say yes. Instead -

JACKIE:

I believe the characters we read

about on the page end up being morereal than the men who stand beside

us.

(beat)

I should have guessed it was toomuch to ask that we grow oldtogether. See our children grow

up.

The Priest studies her --hoping she’s slowly making her waytoward some semblance of solace.

But it’s clear --she’s not yet there.

PRIEST:

The darkness may never go away.

But it won’t always be this heavy.

Come. They’re waiting for us atArlington.

CUT TO:

EXT. ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY -DUSK

The Eternal Flame burns over President Kennedy’s grave --twofresh, small graves dug beside it.

Patrick Bouvier Kennedy. August 17, 1963 -August 19, 1963.

Daughter. 1956.

PRIEST:

... the Father, the Son, the HolySpirit...

83.

Jackie watches another tiny casket lowered into the ground.

CUT TO:

INT. JACKIE'S BEDROOM -WHITE HOUSE

Walton mounts a plaque outside Jackie’s bedroom. It reads:

"In this room lived John Fitzgerald Kennedy and his wife,

Jacqueline, during the two years, ten months, and two days hewas President of the United States: January 20, 1961 November

22, 1963."

CUT TO:

I/E. JACKIE’S MOTORCADE -WASHINGTON, DC -NIGHT

Jackie looks out the window at the now-quiet streets.

We hear Camelot begin to play...

“Each evening from December to December, before you drift tosleep upon your cot / Think back on all the tales that youwill remember...of Camelot...”

The limo slows and Jackie notices:

Across the street --A MAN is carrying a MANNEQUIN over hisshoulder.

Porcelain skin. Jet-black bouffant. Perfectly symmetrical

features.

Jackie stares at a perfect plastic reproduction of herself.

A surreal, disorienting moment.

And then ANOTHER MAN, carrying another, identical, MANNEQUIN.

Jackie tracks them back to a nearby TRUCK --where WORKERS

unload DOZENS more of them.

The workers carry the dolls into a MACY’S DEPARTMENT STORE.

In the store windows --STYLISTS dress the mannequins in

reproductions of the outfits Jackie has been wearing for the

past five days.

Jackie stares in disbelief at her own image frozen in time,

the widow, forever in mourning.

84.

INT. DINING ROOM -WHITE HOUSE (1962)

Jackie and Collingswood continue their tour in front of the

cameras. (Camelot

continues to play...)

JACKIE:

I’m just so happy that he could beproud. Because then I was having ababy and I couldn’t campaign andthen we got in the White House andall the things I’d always done,

suddenly they became wonderful.

And I was just so happy for Jackthat he could be proud of me.

(beat)

Those were our happiest years.

INT. EAST ROOM -WHITE HOUSE (1961)

Jackie is seated between President Kennedy and Bobby.

Pablo Casals finishes his performance of Felix Mendelssohn'sPiano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49.

A standing ovation.

Jackie gives Casals her gloved hand to kiss.

INT. BALL ROOM -WHITE HOUSE

Jackie dances in her red dress with President Kennedy.

She rests her head on his shoulder as Camelot

finally

crescendoes. She smiles.

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