Jackie Page #5

Once again, they sit in silence.

EXT. NORTHWEST PORTICO -WHITE HOUSE -NIGHT

The Motorcade comes to a stop outside the White House where aMARINE HONOR GUARD has taken up position.

INT. HALLWAY -KID’S ROOM -WHITE HOUSE

Jackie arrives at John Jr’s room. Carefully opens the doorand peeks in. He’s sleeping.

INT. JACKIE'S BEDROOM -WHITE HOUSE

Jackie, alone, surveys her bedroom. Her WEDDING PHOTO sits

on one night-stand, PHOTOS OF JOHN JR and CAROLINE on theother.

Finally, one button at-at-time, she undresses and the ChanelSuit falls to the ground in a bloody heap.

She cries as she takes off her stained stockings.

She scrubs furiously at the blood under her nails.

She steps into the shower and the frosted glass door shutsbehind her.

She turns on the water. Blood races from her hair down her

back.

CLOSE ON Jackie as water pounds her face...

27.

She walks back through her room in a nightdress.

She lights a cigarette and lies down in bed with it.

CUT TO:

INT. KENNEDY COMPOUND -LIVING ROOM

Jackie smokes as the Journalist finishes scribbling. A beat

of silence, and then -

JOURNALIST:

You’ll have to share somethingpersonal, eventually. People won’tstop asking until you do.

JACKIE:

And if I don’t they’ll interpret mysilence however they want?

(beat)

Her brow furrows. Her lips aredrawn. She holds back her

tears...but she can’t hide her

anger.

JOURNALIST:

Most writers want to be famous.

JACKIE:

Do you want to be famous?

JOURNALIST:

No I’m fine as I am, thank you.

JACKIE:

You should prepare yourself, thisarticle will bring you a great dealof attention.

JOURNALIST:

In that case, any advice for me?

JACKIE:

Yes.

(beat)

Don’t marry the President.

The journalist looks down, nervous and uncomfortable.

JACKIE (CONT’D)

Are you afraid I’m about to cry?

28.

JOURNALIST:

No, I’d say you’re more likely to

scream.

JACKIE:

Scream what?

JOURNALIST:

My husband was a great man.

CUT TO:

INT. JACKIE'S BEDROOM -WHITE HOUSE

CLOSE ON an etching of LINCOLN’S FUNERAL PROCESSION.

BILL WALTON --Jackie’s dear friend and cultural advisor -traces

the route as he speaks.

WALTON:

Lincoln’s funeral catafalque

departed the White House, and

progressed along Pennsylvania

Avenue to the Capitol.

Jackie stands next to him. Her fair skin pops dramaticallyagainst her chic black dress --accidentally the mostbeautiful widow in the world.

WALTON (CONT’D)

The next day it returned to the

White House, and then they walked

all the way to St. Matthew’s in a

long, grand procession. It was a

sunny spring day. Only six hundred

tickets were allotted, but

thousands lined the streets and

rooftops. Citizens, Senators,

Congressman, Diplomats and Officers

--all in their full dress

uniforms.

Walton picks up a photograph.

WALTON (CONT’D)

Lincoln’s mount, ‘Old Bob’ was

draped in a black blanket with

white trim and tassels. Hooded, he

was led riderless at the head of a

miles-long procession by the

Reverend Henry Brown.

29.

Jackie stops to examine a PAINTING of LINCOLN’S CASKET lyingin state.

JACKIE:

I can feel Jack getting angry with

us. ‘There you go, spending allthat money on those silly littleknick-nacks...

(beat)

The man would spend whatever ittook for votes, but balked at

buying a beautiful painting.

(beat)

I guess we don't have to worryabout that anymore.

Walton has no idea what to say.

JACKIE (CONT'D)

We must get this right, Bill. Wemust get this right. It has to bebeautiful.

(beat)

Did you tell them we'll need ahorse-drawn carriage? We have tomarch with Jack. Everyone. A bigbeautiful procession that peoplewill remember.

WALTON:

Mrs. Kennedy... You don't have todo this.

JACKIE:

Do what?

WALTON:

In fact, I don’t think they'll letyou parade through the streets.

(beat)

The world's gone mad. You shouldtake the children and disappear.

Build a fortress in Boston and

never look back.

Jackie sees the deep concern in his eyes. Before she can

respond there’s a knock -

NANCY (O.S.)

Mrs. Kennedy?

Jackie turns to her old friend.

30.

JACKIE:

Are the children awake?

NANCY:

They're playing in Caroline's room.

Jackie considers this --knows she can't avoid the inevitable

any longer.

JACKIE:

How do I do this?

Nancy takes Jackie's arm to comfort her.

NANCY:

Oh dear. It doesn't matter what yousay. Just hug them and tell them itwill be okay.

INT. HALLWAY -WHITE HOUSE

Jackie walks with Nancy toward her daughter's bedroom --afierce determination in her eyes.

She is the executioner, about to kill her own children's

innocence.

She stops at the threshold of her daughter's bedroom, aboutto barge in --and stops cold.

INSIDE --CAROLINE (5) and JOHN JR. (nearly 3) are drawingwith MAUD SHAW, their longtime nanny.

Jackie gives them one more moment, and then -

INT. CAROLINE KENNEDY'S BEDROOM -WHITE HOUSE

--steps inside. The children both turn and rush toward her

with delighted squeals.

While Jackie embraces them, in hushed tones...

NANCY:

What do they know?

MAUD:

I tried to explain to Caroline lastnight. She keeps asking for him.

But she doesn't understand.

Jackie hugs and kisses Caroline and John Jr., leading them tothe bedside so she can sit at eye-level with them.

31.

CAROLINE:

Mommy... Why are you dressed sofunny?

JACKIE:

Something very sad has happened.

And this is how we dress when

something sad happens.

JOHN JR.

Mommy, where's Daddy?

JACKIE:

Daddy won't be coming home.

CAROLINE:

Why not?

Jackie struggles.

JACKIE:

Daddy had to go see your babybrother Patrick. In heaven.

CAROLINE:

Why?

JACKIE:

Because I'm here with you. And we

don't want Patrick to get lonely,

do we?

CAROLINE:

But what about us?

JACKIE:

Caroline, I need you to be a biggirl. You can be brave, right? Youcan be a soldier?

(beat)

A very bad man hurt Daddy. Daddywould come home if he could. But

he can't. He has to go to heaven.

Some understanding is beginning to build.

CAROLINE:

Can I say goodbye?

JACKIE:

Yes, of course you can, my love.

32.

INT. EAST ROOM -WHITE HOUSE

The room has been transformed into a hall of mourning.

Walton has added some additional touches since the nightbefore --looping BLACK CREPE along the molding, a catafalquewhere the Shakespeare stage would have stood.

Jackie is seated with Caroline, John Jr, and Bobby.

(Present are once again Jackie's parents, Janet and HughAuchincloss, and her half-brother JAMES AUCHINCLOSS. But the

KENNEDY CLAN is now also here in full. Bobby and Ethel,

TEDDY and JOAN, PAT and her husband PETER, and their mother

ROSE. Behind the family are close aides O'Brien, O'Donnell,

and Powers, along with their wives.)

John Jr, a restless boy, gets up and walks through the roomwith a mischievous smile.

Bobby follows, scoops him up and returns him to their seats.

Jackie holds John Jr’s hand and pulls Caroline closer.

A beat --as Jackie clocks the anguish and pity on the facesaround her. She lowers her eyes unable to bear it.

Rate this script:3.3 / 3 votes