Philadelphia Page #17

ANDREW (CONT.)

Those are my cute little hand

prints. And my brother's and my

sister's.

MIGUEL'S VOICE

(BEHIND CAMERA)

And today is... ?

ANDREW:

Today is my parents' fortieth

wedding anniversary.

Andrew goes inside, speaking to the CAMERA:

ANDREW (CONT.)

This is the front door. I caught a

finger in this door, once...

(holds it up)

This one. Broke it.

(stepping inside)

This is the hallway, my mother

calls it a foyer...

INSIDE THE HOUSE (INT./DAY):

CHILDREN are running through the house, while WOMEN sporting

corsages confer in the kitchen. A SIX YEAR OLD GIRL jumps into

Andrew's arms.

ALEXIS:

Uncle Andrew!

ANDREW:

(to CAMERA)

This is my niece, Alexis. Say

hello, Alexis.

ALEXIS:

Mommy's pregnant again.

ANDREW:

(doing Walter Cronkite)

You heard it here first, folks.

News as it happens.

Andrew's older and very down to earth sister JILL, puts her

arms around Andrew, squeezing tight.

JILL:

Hello, darlin'.

ANDREW:

This is my sister, Jill, the most

fertile woman on the planet. She's

married to Reverend Jim.

JILL:

You feel thin.

(over Andrew's shoulder)

Hello, Miguel.

As Jill leaves Andrew's arms, the CAMERA IS TRADED OFF TO

ANDREW, who SHOOTS JILL GIVING MIGUEL A HUG.

MIGUEL:

Hey, Jill. Nice to see you,

sweetheart.

JILL:

(hugging Miguel)

Handsome devil.

(referring to Andrew)

Is he eating?

MIGUEL:

We don't discuss his weight.

(to Andrew, behind CAMERA)

Do we?

CAMERA MOVES DOWN THE CORRIDOR...

ANDREW (OS)

And what will we find in... da duh

da duh da duh... the KITCHEN!

A GROUP OF LADIES SCREAM when CAMERA ENTERS KITCHEN.

LADIES:

There he is! Hi, Andrew! Don't

point that thing at me! etc...

Andrew's mother Sarah wears an unpretentious flowery dress.

ANDREW:

Hi, Mom. How do you feel on your

fortieth anniversary?

SARAH:

Ancient. How do you think I feel?

Put that thing down and give me a

hug.

(he keeps it pointed at her)

Andrew, stop! ... He still

doesn't listen.

ANDREW:

Where's Dad?

SARAH:

He's out in his shed showing your

uncle his new riding mower.

One of Andrew's YOUNG NEPHEWS SHOVES HIS FACE into the

CAMERA, UNTIL SCREEN GOES BLACK.

CUT TO:

QUIET (INT./DAY) ...

Andrew and his immediate family are gathered in the den, sitting

quietly, facing each other. Andrew's father, BUD, with an

American flag pin in his lapel, sits next to Sarah. Jill holds

the hand of her husband, REVEREND JIM. Two of Andrew's brothers,

MATT and RANDY, (big, athletic guys with mustaches) are there.

Andrew sits next to Miguel.

ANDREW:

Things might be said, at the

trial, that... are not going to

be easy for you to hear. Things

about me, about my private life.

And I want to make sure it's

okay with everybody.

MATT:

I appreciate you asking, Andy,

but really, it's your call.

ANDREW:

What do you think, Jill?

JILL:

To be honest, I'm worried about

Mommy and Daddy. They've had to

go through so much already...

And, we all know...

(very difficult to say)

There's going to be even worse

things to deal with, eventually.

I wonder if it's fair to put

them through this.

Andrew's father STARES at his folded hands.

ANDREW:

Mom?

SARAH:

All I know is, you got through

your diagnosis fine, like a

trooper. But when they fired

you... you were so devastated,

Andy... I don't expect any of

my kids to sit in the back of

the bus. Fight for your rights.

ANDREW:

Thanks, Mom... Dad?

There's a pause before Bud Beckett speaks.

BUD:

Supposedly, the Lord doesn't

give you more trouble than you

can handle. But I'm having a

hard time believing that these days.

Andrew's construction worker brother, RANDY, wipes tears

from his eyes. Clearly their father is in alot of pain.

BUD (CONT.)

Andy, the way you've faced this

whole thing, you and Miguel, with

so much courage... your mother and

I have been so very impressed...

Andrew gazes at his father with incredible love. Miguel puts

an arm around Andrew.

BUD (CONT.)

I can't imagine there is anything,

that anyone could say, that would

make us feel less proud of you.

ANDREW:

(full of emotion)

Thanks, Dad. I love you guys. How

about you, Randy?

RANDY:

Hey. You're my kid brother, Andy.

That's the bottom line. I mean,

what are those bastards going to say?

You're gay? Sh*t, I knew that

when you were five years old.

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