Kramer vs. Kramer Page #19

constancy, patience, understanding

...love. Where is it written that

a man has any less of those qualities

than a woman? Billy has a home with

me, I've tried to make it the best

I could. It's not perfect. I'm

not a perfect parent.

(unconsciously echoing

something Joanna said

earlier)

I don't have enough patience.

Sometimes I forget he's just a

little kid...But I love him...

More than anything in this world

I love him.

SHAUNESSY:

Thank you, Mr. Kramer. No further

questions.

ON GRESSEN--as he gets up from the petitioner's table

and crosses to the witness stand.

GRESSEN:

(hard-lining it)

Mr. Kramer, by any chance have

you ever had a woman in your bed

while your child was asleep in

the next room?

TED:

I suppose.

GRESSEN:

(pointedly)

So do I.

SHAUNESSY:

Objection!

JUDGE:

Sustained.

GRESSEN:

(switching to another

line of attack)

Mr. Kramer, isn't it true that

you were fired from your last

job not more than six weeks ago?

TED:

(not losing his cool)

Technically, the agency lost a

big account and seventy four

people were let go. I was one

of them.

GRESSEN:

(snotty)

You were fired, correct?

TED:

Yes, but I'm with J. Walter Thompson

now. I don't think that will happen

again.

GRESSEN:

(snide)

Give them time...

SHAUNESSY:

Objection, your honor! Counsel

is harassing the witness.

GRESSEN:

(to the judge,

pettish)

Your honor, I'm only examining

the man's employment record. He

pretends to fitness when he cannot

hold a job.

JUDGE:

Sustained.

ON GRESSEN--He is thoughtful for a moment, like a man

trying to decide whether or not to drop the bomb. Then,

turning back to Ted:

GRESSEN:

(very tough)

Mr. Kramer, did your child nearly

lose an eye when he was in your

care?

REACTION, TED--stunned. He looks across at Joanna.

QUICK CUT, HIS P.O.V.: Joanna looks away.

GRESSEN:

(boring in)

Mr. Kramer, did you, or did you

not tell the child's mother that

you were responsible for the

injury that permanently disfigured

your child?

Shaunessy is on his feet racing toward the bench.

SHAUNESSY:

(vehement)

Objection! Your honor, counsel

is raising a question that is not

germane to these proceedings.

GRESSEN:

(to the judge)

While the child was in the care

of the witness, he cut his face

badly and is now scarred.

JUDGE:

(to Gressen)

Are you introducing the question

of negligence here, counselor?

GRESSEN:

Yes, your honor.

JUDGE:

I see. Well, you'll have to do

better than that. Do you have

any affidavits to support

negligence?

GRESSEN:

I do not, your honor, however--

JUDGE:

This is an isolated incident,

counselor, unless you can prove

otherwise.

GRESSEN:

(back to Ted)

Does the witness deny the injury

took place?

JUDGE:

(before Ted can

say anything)

No, counselor, I'm going to over-

rule you on this line of questioning.

GRESSEN:

Then I have concluded my questions.

ON THE PETITIONER'S TABLE--Joanna sits, still not looking

at Ted. She holds her face, one hand shielding her eyes.

CUT TO:

ON THE JUDGE--as he makes his closing statement.

CUT TO:

121 INT. MAIN LOBBY, COURTHOUSE - DAY

WIDE SHOT--Shaunessy and Ted stand talking, reviewing

the case. Then the two men shake hands, the lawyer waves

goodbye, turns and starts back into the building. THE

CAMERA PANS WITH TED as he walks toward the main exit.

CUT TO:

122 EXT. MAIN ENTRANCE, COURTHOUSE - DAY

ON TED--as he comes out of the building, starts down

the steps.

JOANNA (O.S.)

Ted.

He stops, turns:

HIS P.O.V.:
There, standing waiting for him is Joanna.

CLOSE ON TED--his face a mask of cold anger. She crosses

to him.

JOANNA:

I'm sorry...I just mentioned it

in passing. I never thought he'd

use it.

TED:

(sarcastic)

Yeah, well he did, didn't he.

JOANNA:

Please, Ted. I never would have

brought it up if I thought--

TED:

I'm not interested, Joanna.

Goodbye.

WIDE SHOT--as he turns and walks away from her, leaving

her standing, watching him as he disappears.

CUT TO:

123 EXT. STREET - DAY

ON TED AND THELMA--It is a bleak winter's day. THE

CAMERA TRACKS WITH THEM as they walk along, Ted carrying

a bag of groceries, Thelma with cleaning. The children

run around them, playing.

THELMA:

You heard anything yet?

TED:

(shakes his head)

Any day.

They walk in silence for several beats, each clearly lost

in their own thoughts. Then:

THELMA:

Ted.

TED:

(preoccupied)

Uh, huh...

THELMA:

(this is hard to say)

Ah, Charley and I are...Well,

we're thinking about...I mean,

actually we're sort of talking

about maybe getting back together.

TED:

(thunderstruck)

You and Charley?

Thelma nods.

TED:

Really?

Thelma nods.

TED:

(conflicting emotions)

Hey, that's terrific.

THELMA:

(hastily)

Maybe. I said maybe.

(apologizing for

her good fortune)

What I mean is, ah...I don't think

it'll really work out, but Charley

seems to want it, so...

She leaves the sentence unfinished. They walk in silence

for several more steps. Then she takes his hand.

THELMA:

(can't help grinning)

Oh, God...Ted, I am really scared.

They walk in silence for a beat, then Ted looks O.S.,

spots something:

HIS P.O.V.:
The Saturday Father, restless, bored, walking

with his daughter who is also bored. It is clear that they

have nothing to say to one another. He looks around, spots

Ted, waves and starts in his direction.

C.U. TED--He reacts as though he has seen a vision of

his own death.

TED:

(to Thelma, urgent)

C'mon.

(to Billy and Kim)

Billy, Kim. Let's go.

WIDE SHOT--as Ted ushers them across the street, away

from the Saturday Father.

CUT TO:

124 INT. MEN'S BAR, MIDTOWN - DAY

A crowded, rather posh watering spot. Shaunessy sits

alone at a table for two, a drink in front of him.

REVERSE ON THE DOOR--as Ted enters, spots Shaunessy

and starts in his direction.

CLOSER ON SHAUNESSY'S TABLE--as Ted sits down.

TED:

Well?

ON SHAUNESSY--as he looks up at Ted, says nothing.

ON TED--He realizes that they have lost.

TED:

Oh, Christ!

CROSS-CUTTING BETWEEN THEM

SHAUNESSY:

The judge went for motherhood

straight down the line.

TED:

I lost him? I lost him?

SHAUNESSY:

I can't tell you how sorry I am.

TED:

Oh, no..

SHAUNESSY:

(reading from a

piece of paper)

Ordered, adjudged and decreed

that the petitioner be awarded

custody of the minor child,

effective Monday the 23rd of

January. That the respondent pay

for the maintenance and support

of said child, four hundred

dollars each month. That the

father shall have the following

rights of visitation: every other

weekend, one night each week to

be mutually agreed upon and one

half of the child's vacation period.

(looks up at Ted)

That's it.

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