Jackie Page #8

JACKIE:

Is this a confession?

45.

PRIEST:

Only if there’s something you

regret.

Resisting...

JACKIE:

Everyone knows my story.

PRIEST:

God isn’t interested in stories.

He’s interested in truth.

JACKIE:

I came here looking for sympathy,

Father.

PRIEST:

Of course.

JACKIE:

Father, are you listening?

PRIEST:

I’m listening. Yes, I think so.

Their conversation moves to...

EXT. PARK -OUTSIDE WASHINGTON, DC

Jackie and the Priest walk down a long path.

JACKIE:

I think God is cruel.

PRIEST:

Well now you’re getting intotrouble.

(beat)

God is love. And God is everywhere.

She has him trapped.

JACKIE:

Was he in the bullet that killed

Jack?

All the Priest’s answers are defiant and firm -

PRIEST:

Absolutely.

46.

JACKIE:

Is he inside me right now?

PRIEST:

Yes. Of course he is.

JACKIE:

(weary)

Well that’s a funny game he plays -hiding

all the time.

PRIEST:

The fact that we don’t understand

him isn’t funny at all.

LATER -on a bench now...

JACKIE:

If there's a heaven, there's yourGod --with all his empty promises.

(angry)

What kind of God takes a father

from his two little children?!

PRIEST:

Thy Lord sacrificed his only son-

Jackie cuts off his pat reply -

JACKIE:

--And my two babies.

(beat)

Arabella in the womb. And Patrick.

Thirty-nine hours on this earth.

Just long enough to fall in lovewith him.

She looks the Priest in the eyes, rage brimming over -

JACKIE (CONT'D)

What did I do to deserve that?

A long beat, as he waits for her rage to subside --and to

summon an answer.

PRIEST:

Nothing.

Jackie falls into deeper resentment.

JACKIE:

Jack and I hardly ever spent thenight together. Not even that lastnight in Forth Worth.

47.

The Priest treads lightly -

PRIEST:

Your husband loved you, Mrs.

Kennedy. I’m sure of it.

JACKIE:

(bitter)

I seem to remember there being more

to our vows.

The Priest looks at her with pity in his eyes. And it’s the

one thing she can’t stand. She snaps -

JACKIE (CONT’D)

Don’t look at me like that.

(beat)

I was First Lady of the UnitedStates. Women have been doing farworse for far less.

A beat as it hangs there --the Priest, taken aback by hercandor.

JACKIE (CONT’D)

There are two kinds of women.

Those who want power in the world.

And those who want power in bed.

And then, lamenting the marital bargain she made -

JACKIE (CONT’D)

Of course, now what am I left with?

When men see me now, what do youthink they feel?

PRIEST:

Sadness. Compassion.

(beat)

Desire, maybe. You’re still a

young woman, Mrs. Kennedy.

JACKIE:

I used to make them smile.

(beat)

No one understands the pain he wasin and how loyal he was. Some ofhis friends were so crude. Jack

wasn’t of course. But he could getcaught up in it. Still...he was agreat father.

(beat)

(MORE)

48.

JACKIE (CONT'D)

I picture him in that rocking chairin his office. Caroline and John

at his feet...How could I hate him?

PRIEST:

Take comfort in those memories.

JACKIE:

I can’t. They're mixed up with allthe others.

CUT TO:

INT. JACKIE'S BEDROOM -WHITE HOUSE -THE NEXT DAY

Jackie is draped in black cloth --in this case a silk slip.

Barely recovered from the night before, she chain smokes,

while Nancy arranges her outfit on the bed.

Jackie puts out one cigarette, and goes to light another.

She catches Nancy's look of disapproval.

JACKIE:

Do you have the latest list fromthe State Department?

Off Nancy’s confusion -

JACKIE (CONT’D)

Of the dignitaries planning toattend the funeral.

NANCY:

Oh, yes. I have it right here.

Nancy rummages through some nearby files and finds the list.

She scans it -

NANCY (CONT’D)

General De Gaulle. Prince Phillip.

Even the Soviet Foreign Minister.

JACKIE:

More than we were expecting?

NANCY:

Oh, yes. There are dozens

of

names.

Jackie can’t help feel some pleasure.

JACKIE:

Good. Will you read them to me?

49.

NANCY:

Yes. From the United Nations,

there’s Paul Hoffmann. The King of

Belgium. From Denmark, the crown

prince George...

Nancy reads the list as Jackie continues to smoke. The namesgo on and on...

INT. JACKIE'S BEDROOM -WHITE HOUSE -LATER

Jackie now sits at her dressing table, Nancy trying to placea veil on her hair.

NANCY:

I don’t know. I think you shouldjust try it without it.

Nancy strokes Jackie’s hair with her hand. Jackie rests herhead on her shoulder.

JACKIE:

(grateful)

We’ve been together a long time,

Haven’t we, Nancy?

(beat)

I used to worry that you might bejealous of me.

NANCY:

Oh stop it.

JACKIE:

You never did anything to make mefeel that way. But I worried.

After I married Jack. And after he

won the election.

(beat)

Now that seems ridiculous. Anyone

being jealous of me. I've buried

two children and now I’m burying myhusband.

Nancy isn’t sure how to respond. But she is no longer an

employee --just an old friend..

NANCY:

You know I was

jealous. Of that

dress you wore in Vienna.

Jackie smiles, grateful for the release.

50.

NANCY (CONT’D)

I know it is hard to see it rightnow, but you have your whole lifeahead of you.

Rejecting the trite consolation -

JACKIE:

That’s a terrible thing to say.

They both smile.

NANCY:

But you do!

JACKIE:

That’s a terrible, terrible thing

to say...

Nancy comforts her. Holds her.

NANCY:

But you do. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.

JACKIE:

What will you do now?

NANCY:

Oh, I’ll stay with you.

JACKIE:

You won’t go anywhere?

NANCY:

No, I’m not going anywhere. I don’thave anywhere to go.

They share a welcome laugh.

NANCY (CONT’D)

Those kids are so lucky to have

you.

JACKIE:

(between sobs)

No, they’re not lucky at all.

They’re not lucky. I’m scared,

Nancy, I’m scared, I’m scared...

NANCY:

I know. I know.

CUT TO:

51.

INT. WEST SITTING ROOM -WHITE HOUSE

President Johnson, Lady Bird, Bobby, Ethel, and the rest ofthe Kennedy family wait for Jackie and the children. Like

the rest of the country, they watch the news...

BRINKLEY (ON TV)

At the Capitol where thePresident’s body will lie and stayfor the remainder of the day afterit has been removed from the White

House, there will be three short

speeches before the public isallowed to start viewing the body.

To Dallas, Texas and Tom Pettit...

Mary enters the room and announces...

MARY:

She'll be right down. I'm told any

moment.

No one turns away from the TV.

President Johnson looks at his watch.

ON TV:
A MAN steps into the frame, blocking the camera, andthen rushes out of the way. Suddenly a flurry of activity asPHOTOGRAPHERS race into position, and DETECTIVES in Stetsonhats emerge from the corridor.

REPORTERS surge forward, blocking the camera again...

REPORTER:

(on TV)

There is Lee Oswald -

And then --RUBY runs across the screen and fires.

REPORTER (CONT’D)

(on TV)

He’s been shot. He’s been shot. Lee

Oswald has been shot. There’s a man

with a gun!

Off the BANG! of the fatal SHOT, the phone immediately RINGS.

INT. CAROLINE KENNEDY'S BEDROOM -WHITE HOUSE

Jackie helps John Jr with his tie.

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