Mr. Smith Goes To Washington Page #45

PAINE:

It's too late now--it's *impossible*!

SAUNDERS:

So I go right back where I was--

carrying compromises--covering up--

back to political tricks--this time

for--! No! I was just getting rid of

all that. If I did *anything*, I

ought to go and tell him to stand up

and--. No! I don't want any part of

it! Smith or anything else! I'm all

through. I want to be left alone!

She turns her back to Paine, and goes to the window. He

hesitates a moment--then moves to leave, dropping the folded

paper on the table. He goes. Saunders turns and sees the

paper. She clamps her jaws and turns away again.

The scene dissolves to JEFF'S PRIVATE OFFICE at night. Jeff

is behind his desk--only the desk lamp lighted in the room--

sitting numbly, staring ahead blankly. The phone rings--

startling him. He picks it up slowly.

JEFFERSON:

Hello... Who?

(Hesitating, making a

difficult decision)

Yes--all right--I--I'll take it.

(Brightening his voice)

Hello, Ma.

The SMITH SITTING ROOM, Ma is on the phone.

MA:

(with a bright,

cheerful manner)

Hello, Jefferson. How are you, son?

In JEFF'S PRIVATE OFFICE:

JEFFERSON:

Just fine, Ma, fine... No--really,

Ma--everything's fine. Uh--how're

all the boys?

In the SMITH SITTING ROOM:

MA:

(tears in her eyes)

They're wonderful, son. They miss

you a lot--

In JEFF'S PRIVATE OFFICE:

JEFFERSON:

(his chin quivering)

Do, huh? Well, gee, that's--that's

great. How's Amos?... Is, huh? Good

for him--

In the SMITH SITTING ROOM:

MA:

(getting pretty shaky--

swallowing hard)

Well--I just got a fool notion to

call, that's all. Oh--Jefferson--you

know, when a man's right--he don't

have to worry none--he'll just

naturally come *out* right. We know

that, don't we, son?

In JEFF'S PRIVATE OFFICE, we see that Ma has nearly broken

Jeff down. He hangs on with all he's got.

JEFFERSON:

Why, sure, Ma, sure.

(Quickly--to avoid

crying outright)

Well--so long, skinny.

He hangs up quickly--and rises from his chair. He appears to

have been pushed to the breaking point. In terrible torment,

he looks out the window. Then, on an impulse, he seizes his

hat from off the corner of his desk and starts out.

The scene dissolves to the LINCOLN MEMORIAL: Jeff is walking

up the steps, his eyes lifted up intently to something ahead.

THE MEMORIAL stands magnificent and breathtaking--lighted up--

in the background, as he mounts the steps. Jeff gains the

top level and proceeds toward the Lincoln figure, and the

stone Lincoln comes into view in the background--dramatically

lighted. He approaches to within fifteen feet of the figure

and pauses. Now JEFF is scanning the face of Lincoln with a

tortured expression. Then, he turns away--as if not being

able to face the spirit of the man--and moves quickly to the

steps. Then Jeff, nearly blind, stumbling out of the interior

of the Memorial, comes to a stop at a column--then breaks

down completely, slipping to the steps at the base of the

column and burying his face in his hands.

SAUNDERS is standing near another column close by, her eyes

on Jeff, and is swallowing back her tears. When she hears

Jeff's sobs, she starts toward him. She comes to him and

sits down beside him. It is an instant before he realizes

that anyone is there.

SAUNDERS:

(quietly)

Hello.

JEFFERSON:

Saunders--

He turns away, and tries to recover himself. She waits--

watching him. At last, Jeff can trust himself to talk.

JEFFERSON:

(attempting lightness)

Well gee--how--how've you been,

Saunders? I--I haven't seen you in--

. I suppose--now that you're married--

SAUNDERS:

I'm not.

He stares at her.

SAUNDERS:

No. That night--I--well, *you* know--

I was pretty--. No--Diz is a--a sort

of brother, that's all--

JEFFERSON:

(tries to laugh a

little)

That's funny. I thought all along--

(Then earnestly)

Gee--I--I'm glad to see you. I

*thought* of you--I mean--I wanted

to talk to someone and--well--

(With toss of head at

statue)

--Mr. Lincoln hasn't much to say--

(Breaking down--

blurting)

Saunders--I'm not fit to sit up in

the Senate--haven't you heard?--I

robbed boys of their pennies and

dimes!

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