Jackie Page #4

JACKIE:

There were wanted posters.

Everywhere. For Jack. With Jack'sface on them.....

JACKIE (CONT’D)

Let them see what they've done.

INT. AIR FORCE ONE -REAR PASSENGER CABIN -ANDREWS AFB

Jackie remains seated as the plane comes to a halt.

She watches as a FORKLIFT passes by, headed to the rear ofthe plane where it will unload her husband's casket.

Suddenly, from the front of the plane, she hears -

BOBBY (O.S.)

Jackie?! Where's Jackie?

She rises --as ATTORNEY GENERAL ROBERT KENNEDY, his face

streaked with tears --comes rushing down the aisle.

JACKIE:

Bobby!

She collapses into his arms and buries herself into hisshoulder. Amidst the noisy chaos of the now-crowded cabin,

they are quiet.

And then --the rear door swings open, letting in a gust ofcold November air.

The FORKLIFT is positioned directly outside, and several CREWMEN now step onto the plane and take hold of the CASKET.

An AIR FORCE OFFICER, in charge of the Crew, informs Bobby...

AF OFFICER:

Sir, there's a car waiting on thetarmac to take you and Mrs. Kennedyto Bethesda.

Jackie is suddenly panicked -

21.

BOBBY:

(to AF Officer)

Mrs. Kennedy and I will ride withthe casket. In the ambulance.

O'Brien pulls Bobby aside, but still in earshot of Jackie.

O'BRIEN

Valenti wants to know how we are

going to handle the exit.

BOBBY:

The exit?

O’BRIEN

He says Johnson wants to talk tothe press.

Jackie takes Bobby's arm...

BOBBY:

(to O'Brien)

He can exit however he wants. We're

leaving now.

INT. AMBULANCE (MOVING)

Jackie and Bobby sit on either side of the CASKET. A moment

of calm after the frenzy at Andrews.

Suddenly, it occurs to her -

JACKIE:

The casket will be closed won't it?

At the funeral?

BOBBY:

We can sort that all out later.

JACKIE:

I want it closed so badly, Bobby.

BOBBY:

I'm not sure it can be. For a Head

of State...

Bobby’s exhausted.

JACKIE:

There was blood everywhere. Therewere so many pieces.

Still rattled himself, Bobby tries to comfort her...

22.

BOBBY:

Jackie...

JACKIE:

I tried to hold his head together.

The Ambulance hits a pot-hole, and the Casket slides -slamming

into Bobby.

BOBBY:

(to Driver, upset)

Hey! Slow down.

They sit in silence, staring straight ahead.

INT. BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL -PRIVATE WAITING ROOM

Jackie looks in anguish at the door that leads to theoperating room.

She is surrounded by family and friends but nobody dares tospeak. Next to her is Nancy. Also BENJAMIN and TONI BRADLEE,

close friends. JANET LEE and HUGH AUCHINCLOSS, JACKIE'S

mother and step-father. PAM TURNURE, JACKIE'S presssecretary and MARY GALLAGHER, her private secretary. DOCTOR

JOHN WALSH, her personal doctor. O'Brien and O'Donnell are

also present, along with DEFENSE SECRETARY ROBERT MACNAMARA.

Everyone looks at the door. As it opens and closes we seethe hospital personnel carrying supplies and equipment forthe autopsy.

What follows unfolds in a splintered haze of grief...

A TV set blasts the news.

WALTER CRONKITE:

(on television)

The President was lying motionlessin the car. Mrs. Kennedy wasleaning over him fully. Connellywas in the backseat holding hisstomach with both hands. Inside the

emergency room witnesses said theFirst Lady was splattered withblood...

Jackie walks down the hospital hall, drawn toward the autopsy

room. But Bobby retrieves her...

BOBBY:

Jackie, Jackie...

23.

JACKIE:

Make sure they make him look likehimself.

All around her, the room divides into smaller groups. Dr.

Walsh, Ben Bradlee, O'Brien, and Macnamara break off. Bobby

confers with O'Brien and O'Donnell.

Jackie finds herself surrounded by Pam, Nancy, Mary, Toni andher mother.

JACKIE (CONT’D)

(anxious)

Where are the children?

JANET:

They're with Maud. She's taken

them to the house in Georgetown.

JACKIE:

I'd rather them at home. Their

routine shouldn't be disrupted.

JANET:

Yes. Of course.

MARY:

I'll see to it.

JACKIE:

What do they know?

No one answers.

Dr. Walsh approaches and greets her.

DR. WALSH

You need some rest.

Handing her something...

DR. WALSH (CONT’D)

Is there water?

Jackie accepts the pill, eyeing it in her palm. She

delicately swallows it.

She drifts through the room towards Bobby.

JACKIE:

It had to be some silly little

Communist...

(beat)

(MORE)

24.

JACKIE (CONT'D)

If he'd been killed for civil

rights... At least then it wouldhave meant

something. You know?

Wistful, weighed down with regret -

JACKIE (CONT'D)

Jack warned me. Said we were goingto 'nut country.' But I thought itwas all going so well. Fort Worth.

In Houston. All the problems Adlaihad --Jack was winning them over.

Bobby tries to calm her down.

JACKIE (CONT’D)

They kept handing me yellow roses.

Yellow roses. At every stop. Yellowroses. Then in Dallas...

Jackie trails off...

BOBBY:

I know. Hey let’s turn this off.

Bobby turns off the television.

And now --he whispers to Jackie, his own rage boiling

over...

BOBBY (CONT’D)

They want a show of grief. They’realready asking about funeralarrangements!

Jackie storms towards the operating room.

At the last moment, right as the door opens and she sees thebody of her husband, she CRIES out --and Bobby pulls herback.

He holds her, consoling her.

Later --everyone sits the waiting room, once again watchingthe news.

WALTER CRONKITE:

(on television)

President Johnson met with

Secretary of State Rusk. Minuteslater there was a hastily addedconference with Secretary ofDefense McNamara.

(MORE)

25.

WALTER CRONKITE (CONT'D)

Even at a time of sorrow the harsh

facts of the Cold War do not allow

a pause in overseeing the affairsof Defense and Foreign Policy.

There seems little doubt that

McNamara will stay on under Mr.

Johnson...

INT. AMBULANCE (MOVING)-NIGHT

The ambulance carrying the PRESIDENT'S CASKET now windsthrough the darkened streets of our nation's Capital.

Next to Jackie in the back of the ambulance, Bobby is in adaze.

BOBBY:

Lyndon's people are claiming I toldhim to take the oath in Dallas.

A**hole couldn't wait and now

they’re blaming me for it.

Jackie looks out at the glowing MONUMENTS, passing rows ofAMERICAN FLAGS outside government offices, all flying at half-

mast.

Suddenly Jackie lowers the glass barrier separating them fromthe DRIVER.

JACKIE:

(to Driver)

Excuse me. Do you know who JamesGarfield was?

A beat of hesitation, confused.

DRIVER:

No, Ma’am.

She looks to the Nurse.

JACKIE:

Do you know who William McKinleywas? Or what he did?

No answer. The Driver glances back to Bobby, looking forhelp, but none is coming.

JACKIE (CONT’D)

They were both US Presidents killedwhile they were in office.

(beat)

(MORE)

26.

JACKIE (CONT’D)

And what about Abraham Lincoln? Do

you know what he did?

DRIVER:

(relieved)

He won the Civil War. He abolished

slavery, Ma’am.

JACKIE:

That’s right. Thank you.

Jackie raises the glass barrier. She turns to Bobby -

JACKIE (CONT’D)

Bobby, please tell them I want thebooks on Lincoln. About his

funeral.

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