Jerry Maguire Page #17

DOROTHY:

I'm getting him up, don't worry.'

Ray will never see his mother's

raging physical needs.

She starts to exit, but Laurel pulls her back far a second.

LAUREL:

First you gotta tell me something.

DOROTHY:

No--

INT. HALLWAY -- MORNING

Jerry moving dawn the hallway, hears voices.

INT. KITCHEN -- MORNING

LAUREL:

Because I'm worried that you're

putting your faith in this guy

who, because of the way things are

going, may not have an emotional

marble in his head.

DOROTHY:

Please, if I start talking --

LAUREL:

Guys are just different people

when they're hanging onto the

bottom rung.

ON JERRY:

listening. Pinned to the wall, listening to the kind of

honesty an agent rarely hears.

DOROTHY:

... so what am I, for taking the

opportunity, Laurel?

(more)

_

95.

DOROTHY (cont'd)

Maybe I am taking advantage. Am

I a bad person? All I know is that

I found someone who was charming

and popular and not-so-nice to

me -- and he died. Okay? So why

should I let this guy go, when

everything in my body says This

One is The One.

LAUREL:

Easy, hon, I was just looking for

fun details --

DOROTHY:

Oh, well, why didn't you say so?

And oh, I don't know if you're

interested in this detail, but I

was just about to tell you that I

love him. I love him, and I don't

care what you think. I love him

for the guy he wants to be, and I

love him for the guy he almost is.

I love him.

They look at each other. The cat is way, way out of the bag.

ON JERRY:

rubbing his face.

RAY:

Hi Jerry!

Dorothy leans into the hallway now, sees Jerry standing

there, well within earshot. As Ray pounds down the hallway

in his new over-sized shirt, brought by Jerry, Dorothy begins

to crumble. The lack of control in her life is overwhelming

her.

DOROTHY:

Oh God.

JERRY:

Easy, easy --

Jerry enters the kitchen, stands near Laurel.

JERRY:

(continuing)

I could pretend I didn't hear, but

I won't, I heard everything.

(to Laurel)

Thank you for your honesty, as

always.

_

96.

LAUREL:

(frozen polite)

Coffee, Jerry?

JERRY:

Oh, no thanks. We bottom-feeders

prefer cereal first --

RAY:

Let's have Apple Jacks!

Apple Jacks it is. Dorothy, good morning, darling. He kisses

her on the cheek, in full view of Ray. Dorothy, still

embarrassed, not sure what is going on, reaches for cereal.

Jerry sits down for breakfast. They are an odd, but fairly

complete-looking family.

RAY:

(continuing)

What's going on, Jerry?

JERRY:

A lot. We got a big fax today...

we need this commission, buddy.

The sisters look at each other. Ray looks around, he feels

happy, but there is something else in the room. He shrugs

and continues to feel happy.

INT. JERRY'S HOME OFFICE -- LATER DAY

Jerry and Dorothy prepare for the Tidwells, cleaning up the

cramped office, unstacking chairs and making room.

DOROTHY:

That was great of you this morning.

The Tidwells honk, arriving in the driveway.

JERRY:

(friendly, dismissive)

Look, let's just root for a big

offer so we can move out of this

room to a real office.

She feels slightly slapped down, but covers. She opens a

window quickly, and busies herself with the clutter at hand.

ON FAX:

Connecting.

_

97.

FOUR FACES:

waiting for the results. Everybody has a stake in this fax.

Lives are very clearly hanging on this results. Marcee shuts

her eyes.

MARCEE:

Read it to me, and don't say

anything unless it's over nine.

There is a stunning disappointment on the fax. Jerry's heart

sinks. His face slackens.

JERRY:

Aw sh*t --

Rod turns away. Dorothy shuts her eyes, as Marcee opens hers.

MARCEE:

One-point-seven for three years.

That's below average. We owe more

than that...

It is so very painful for her, as Tidwell slinks off to sit

in a seat too small for him.

JERRY:

I'll go back to them.

MARCEE:

(explodes)

And say what? "Please remove your

dick from my ass?!"

Both men look at her. The outburst has surprised even Marcee.

MARCEE:

(continuing)

I'm sorry. I'm a little pregnant

right now.

TIDWELL:

I feel like crying. I feel like

breaking the room up.

JERRY:

Okay, we don't take this

emotionally. We roll with this

problem.

MARCEE:

What are you talking about --

"don't get emotional." If you ask

me, you haven't gotten emotional

ENOUGH about this man.

_

98.

JERRY:

Marcee --

MARCEE:

What DO you stand for???

Dorothy looks right and left, can't hold back.

DOROTHY:

How about a little piece of

integrity in this world that is so

filled with greed and a lack of

honorability that I don't know

what to tell my kid except take a

look at a guy who isn't shouting

"show me the money," he's quietly

broke and working for you for free!

(off Jerry's pained

look)

Well, I'm sorry, I'm not as good

at the insults as she is.

MARCEE:

No, that was pretty good.

TIDWELL:

(impressed)

No sh*t.

DOROTHY:

In fact, you should read something

that meant the world to me...

She opens a drawer, and withdraws the Mission Statement. She

is headed across the room to give it to Marcee, when Jerry

swiftly intercepts it.

JERRY:

Another time, okay Dorothy?

DOROTHY:

Fine, I just --

JERRY:

And I appreciate that impulse.

Jerry throws the Mission Statement into a bottom drawer.

Camera moves to Tidwell, and we see him for the first time

without his protective shield of attitude. Scared.

TIDWELL:

Tell me what to do, Jerry. You

tell me to eat lima beans, I'll

eat lima beans.

(more)

_

99.

TIDWELL (cont'd)

If you say take the shitty deal,

that's all we can get --

MARCEE:

"All we can get?"

TIDWELL:

Can I SPEAK with my agent here?

Marcee is passionate. Focused on Rod.

MARCEE:

You know what you're qonna do,

Rodney. You're gonna reject this

shitty contract. You're gonna play

out your existihg shitty contract

and go be a free agent next year

and the hell with Arizona. This is

us, and we determine our worth.

You're a fine, proud, surviving,

splendid black man.

Beat. Truer words... The big man looks into his wife's eyes.

TIDWELL:

Honey, you are just --

No one else in the world exists. They are focused totally on

each other. Jerry and Dorothy in the background, just

watching the intricate machinery of this marriage.

TIDWELL:

(continuing)

-- the sh*t.

She caresses the back of his neck. He pulls her to him. He

gives her a small kiss. Dorothy and Jerry look at the

couple, fascinated and somewhat uncomfortable. There is a

palpable forcefield around the Tidwells. They are a couple

in every passionate sense of the word. After a beat:

JERRY:

If you get injured, you get

nothing.

TIDWELL:

Won't happen. I'm strong in my

mind.

JERRY:

It's a risk.

Jerry looks over to Dorothy, who grits her teeth at the

implications of the decision.

_

100.

TIDWELL:

Bet on me, dude. Bet on me like

I bet on you.

Tidwell puts his hand out. Maguire is conflicted, but he

takes a breath and shakes.

EXT. JERRY'S HOME OFFICE -- LATE AFTERNOON

Tidwell and Marcee exit. Dorothy and Jerry on the lawn.

JERRY:

I'll get you some quick work --

TIDWELL:

Good deal, man.

MARCEE:

I'm sorry what I said back there.

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