Philadelphia Page #16

JOE:

If it please Your Honor, we hope to

settle this matter.

JUDGE GARNETT:

By God you will settle it! If you

force this case to trial, young man,

you'll regret it for the rest of

your natural-born days...

Now, Joseph. What would you

require to settle this matter

today?

JOE:

Reinstatement at full salary.

Back pay covering the period of

unemployment and...

JUDGE GARNETT:

Hold it, Joe.

(to Wheeler)

He wants to come back to work,

Chuck.

WHEELER:

That's impossible, Your Honor.

JUDGE GARNETT:

That's impossible, Joe.

BELINDA CONINE:

If it please Your Honor, we're

prepared to offer a cash

settlement of twenty-five

thousand dollars.

JOE:

Your generosity overwhelms me,

Belinda, considering my client

was earning over a hundred thou

when he was terminated almost six

months ago.

JUDGE GARNETT:

Give me a break, Joe. Let's cut

through these false attitudes.

Give them a figure. How much do

you want?

ANDREW:

I want to go back to work, Your

Honor.

JUDGE GARNETT:

You're here at my indulgence,

young man. I'm waiting for a

figure, Joe.

Andrew and Joe confer with each other.

JOE:

Based on what my client would

have earned over the next three

years, including benefits and

projected raises, and the

extraordinary cost of medical

care for someone with Acquired

Immune Deficiency Syndrome...

We would settle today for the

very fair amount of one million

five hundred thousand dollars.

JUDGE GARNETT:

Very good, Joe. Now, Belinda,

I've got a figure over here, of

one million, five. I...

Andrew WHISPERS to Joe, who interrupts the Judge:

JOE:

One more thing, Your Honor...

ANDREW:

(jumping in)

Any settlement agreement must

include, and this is critical,

a letter of exoneration, making

clear my termination had nothing

to do with the quality of my work.

Charles Wheeler WHISPERS to Belinda Conine.

BELINDA CONINE:

Your Honor, Mr. Beckett's

incompetence nearly sabotaged a

350 million dollar suit.

ANDREW:

I was the one who was sabotaged.

BELINDA CONINE:

We have complaints about Mr.

Beckett's lack of preparation,

his disorganization, his

arrogant, defensive attitude...

The list goes on.

JEROME GREEN:

We have letters.

JOE:

Why haven't you produced these

letters?

JUDGE GARNETT:

Take it easy.

(to Wheeler)

What's the big deal, Chuck? The

boy wants a letter, to show to

his mother, for her to keep after

he's gone. Why are you being hard-

assed about this?

WHEELER:

I wish I could exonerate you, Andy.

But I'd have to lie to do it.

ANDREW:

(very calm)

You can save it for the jury,

Charles. I want to hear you say,

under oath, in front of a judge and

a jury, I'm a bad lawyer.

(rises)

Gentlemen.

(to Belinda)

Counselor.

WHEELER:

Don't do this, Andy.

JOE:

Whoa, whoa...

(to Andrew)

What do you expect them to say,

you're Alan Dershowitz?

KENTON:

A trial takes time, Beckett. Do

you know what I'm saying?

ANDREW:

I think I catch your subtle drift,

Walter.

Andrew saunters out.

KENTON:

You'll be sorry, Beckett.

WHEELER:

Andy, you don't want this.

Joe scans the room, all eyes are on him. His frown turns into

a grin. He faces the Judge.

JOE:

With all due respect, Your Honor,

my client chooses to pursue his

constitutionally guaranteed

right to a trial.

Joe exits.

CUT TO:

HAND HELD CAMERA SHOT OF: THE FRONT YARD OF A TWO-STORY

Colonial house in Downington, Pennsylvania (EXT./DAY) ...

Andrew walks toward the house, TALKING DIRECTLY TO CAMERA.

ANDREW:

This is the house where I grew up.

In Downington, Pennsylvania.

(pointing to the ground)

See this... ?

The CAMERA POINTS to SEVERAL PAIRS OF CHILD'S HAND PRINTS in the

sidewalk, then, BACK TO ANDREW IN CLOSE UP, SMILING.

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