Loving Page #17

authority.

PHIL HIRSCHKOP:

May it please the court...

161

EXT. KING AND QUEEN COUNTY FARMHOUSE - DAY 161

Sidney scales up a tree in the yard. He drags a braided rope

up with him and begins tying it around a fat limb.

91.

PHIL HIRSCHKOP (V.O.)

You have before you today what we

consider the most odious of the

segregation laws and the slavery

laws, and our view of this law, and

we hope to clearly show is that

this is a slavery law.

Donald and Peggy stare up at their brother in the tree. The

rope begins to dangle of its own accord, and they quickly

take hold. Swinging, they laugh and shout.

PHIL HIRSCHKOP (V.O.)

We ask that the Court consider the

full spectrum of these laws and not

just the criminality, because it’s

more than the criminality that’s at

point here.

Richard patches a board on one of the out buildings. He

pauses at the cackling of the children.

PHIL HIRSCHKOP (V.O.)

It’s the legitimacy of children,

the right to inherit land, and

many, many rights...

He watches them playing at the tree. There couldn’t be a

happier place.

162 INT. KING AND QUEEN COUNTY FARMHOUSE/KITCHEN - DAY 162

Donald stands on a chair at the sink filling a pitcher with

water.

Mildred bounces between the table and the stove. She sets

plates, stirs a boiling pot, and guides Donald all at once.

MILDRED:

Just stir it now.

CHIEF JUSTICE WARREN (V.O.)

Mr. Cohen.

BERNIE COHEN (V.O.)

Mr. Chief Justice may it please the

court...

Donald grabs a big spoon and begins stirring as Peggy runs in

and finds a spot nearby to observe.

Richard enters with his hand on Sidney’s head. He steers him

toward the table and they take a seat.

92.

BERNIE COHEN (V.O.)

What is the danger to the state of

Virginia of interracial marriage?

Peggy helps Donald carry the heavy pitcher over to the table.

Richard leans over in his chair to help make sure it finds

its way onto the table.

BERNIE COHEN (V.O.)

What is the state of the danger to

the people of interracial marriage?

Mildred brings a bowl of food over with her and the family

find their respective spots at the table.

BERNIE COHEN (V.O.)

Marriage is a fundamental right.

Scooping, pouring, passing. The family eats.

163

INT. KING AND QUEEN COUNTY FARMHOUSE/BEDROOM - NIGHT 163

The boys’ bedroom is dark, lit only by light from the hall.

Mildred moves from Donald’s bed to Sidney’s. She straightens

the covers at his neck. Both boys are asleep.

She quietly exits the room.

164

INT. KING AND QUEEN COUNTY FARMHOUSE/HALLWAY - CONT 164

Mildred finds Richard standing in the hallway at Peggy’s

door. He watches her through the doorway. She too is asleep

in her bed.

Mildred takes his hand and they walk down the hall. Richard

pulls a chain on a bulb turning the hallway dark.

They head toward the light spilling from the door of their

own room.

They enter, closing the door behind them.

The hallway is dark and the house is quiet.

165

EXT. KING AND QUEEN COUNTY FARMHOUSE - DAY 165

Summer is in full swing, with the oak tree showing bright,

lush green leaves.

93.

It’s hot and Richard swipes a rag across his face and tucks

his head back under the hood of one of his rusted cars in the

front yard.

The children play nearby, rolling a tire through the yard.

166 INT. KING AND QUEEN COUNTY FARMHOUSE/BEDROOM - DAY 166

Mildred gathers clothes from a pile on the floor of their

bedroom. She lifts a pair of Richard’s pants off a chair and

begins emptying the pockets.

The phone RINGS in the kitchen.

Mildred takes her time, adding the pants to her pile and then

walks out.

167 INT. KING AND QUEEN COUNTY FARMHOUSE/KITCHEN - CONT 167

Mildred enters the kitchen and reaches for the phone.

MILDRED:

(into the phone)

Hello?

The voices on the line are barely audible.

MILDRED (CONT’D)

Yes. Hello Mr. Cohen. What’s

that?

Though the voices are unintelligible, excited shouting can be

heard. Mildred smiles at this.

MILDRED (CONT’D)

Yes. I understand. Yes. That’s

wonderful news.

The voice continues, but Mildred’s mind is already racing.

She holds her head up, closing her eyes.

MILDRED (CONT’D)

I’m here. Okay. Thank you.

Mildred hangs up the phone. She pauses there, taking in the

moment.

168 EXT. KING AND QUEEN COUNTY FARMHOUSE - DAY 168

Mildred steps onto the front porch. She shields her eyes

from the sun and scans the yard.

94.

She finds the children with Richard by the car he’s working

on. Richard chases them with their rolling tire around and

around the vehicle.

The kids shout.

Richard pauses to catch his breath. He looks up to see

Mildred on the porch. She’s smiling at him.

Richard smiles back.

169 INT. BERNIE COHEN’S LAW OFFICE - DAY 169

Cameras roll and flash bulbs pop.

A row of reporters stand to one side of a conference room in

Bernie’s law office.

All eyes are on Richard and Mildred.

They sit at a table covered with microphones in front of a

wall lined with shelves of law books.

The reporters shout questions.

REPORTERS:

(a cacophony)

Mr. Loving? Mrs. Loving? What’s

this mean for your family? Do you

plan to return to Virginia? Mr.

Loving. How does it feel to have

the Supreme Court of the United

States rule in your favor?

Richard squints under the hot lights. He looks to Mildred,

who is doing the same.

In front of the crowd, Richard reaches his arm out and wraps

it around Mildred’s neck.

He pulls her in close, their foreheads touching. Mildred has

tears in her eyes and Richard is not far behind.

170 EXT. UNCULTIVATED FIELD/CONSTRUCTION SITE - LATE AFTERNOON170

The rhythm of bricks and mortar continue. Brick, then

mortar, then brick.

Richard is on his knees just having started a course of

cinder blocks.

95.

Sidney and Donald sit on a pallet of the blocks just behind

him. They watch their father’s hands move quickly through

the work.

Nearby,

Mildred sits in the open door of their car. Peggy digs into

a cooler at her feet. She produces a bottle of soda and

hands it to her mother.

Mildred finds an opener and snaps off the cap.

MILDRED:

Take that to your father.

Peggy runs toward Richard.

A foundation has been readied in the field where Richard

first proposed to Mildred.

Richard works at the edge of that foundation, slowly building

up what will be the front wall of the house.

Peggy runs the bottle to her father. He pauses for a sip.

Blue sky hangs over it all.

OVER THE IMAGE,

TEXT:

Loving v. Virginia made the prohibition of marriage based on

race unconstitutional. The Supreme Court stated that

marriage is an inherent right.

TEXT:

Seven years after the Court’s decision, Richard Loving was

killed by a drunk driver. Mildred never remarried and lived

the rest of her life in the home Richard built for them.

TEXT:

Though shy of press and ever reluctant to be called a hero,

Mildred was interviewed shortly before her death in 2008.

She spoke of Richard, saying, “I miss him. He took care of

me.”

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