Reagan Page #16

FRANK:

That doesn’t make him a hero.

The room shifts to stare at Frank.

96.

BUDWEISER EXEC #1

I’m sorry. Who are you?

HENRY:

My brother. He’s new.

(quietly to Frank)

This is a pitch, Frank! Same team!

BUDWEISER EXEC #2

What do you mean, ‘that doesn’t

make him a hero’?

Henry tries to stop Frank with a look. It doesn’t work.

FRANK:

I mean, heroes don’t come out of

nowhere to save the day. They’re

with you, they’ve always been with

you, and when they leave, they

always return. This guy isn’t

arriving at the village; he’s

coming back to the village.

The execs all light up.

BUDWEISER EXEC #1

So he was sent out on a beer run?

BUDWEISER EXEC #2

Everyone loves the beer run guy.

BUDWEISER EXEC #1

This is a metaphor for that guy?

FRANK:

Sure, they’re out of beer and for

some reason it’s a priority above

their dangerous level of hunger.

BUDWEISER EXEC #1

Ah. He also brings chips!

Everyone nods approvingly. The Exec is pleased with himself.

BUDWEISER EXEC #2

We love it! What if he, like, kicks

the door to the hut down?

HENRY:

Better yet, what if he kicks the

whole village wall down?!

The room orgasmically clucks over that one. Frank has a

different reaction. One of sudden realization.

97.

FRANK:

Wait, Henry, what did you say?

HENRY:

We have our guy go to the walls

around the village and BOOM! karate-

kicks it down.

BUDWEISER EXEC #1

The walls...of thirst!

BUDWEISER EXEC #2

Slogan!!!

The room goes batshit. Frank is lost in thought. He gets a

lightbulb of his own. He knows what he has to do.

EXT. PEGGY’S HOUSE, WASHINGTON, DC - DAY

An elegant brownstone in Columbia Heights, NW. As he did as a

canvasser, Frank knocks on the door, figurative hat in hand.

Peggy answers sternly. He stops her from closing the door.

PEGGY:

I’m not interested.

FRANK:

I’m going to tell you the truth,

Peggy. All of it.

INT. PEGGY’S HOUSE - MINUTES LATER

Frank has just finished the explanation Peggy was due. Her

eyes are wide open and water-logged.

PEGGY:

How long?

FRANK:

The whole second term.

PEGGY:

And he didn’t know anything?

FRANK:

It comes and goes. And when it

comes, it’s too scary to hold onto.

PEGGY:

That’s why he’s been skipping his

appearances. That’s why Bush has

been doing all the talking.

(MORE)

98.

PEGGY (CONT'D)

I thought it was a campaign

strategy. That poor man.

(beat)

How could you do that to him?

FRANK:

I thought it was the right thing. I

also think I know how to fix it.

PEGGY:

Are you kidding? Everyone’s been

indicted. They’ve resigned. This

Presidency is just drifting to the

finish line. What could possibly

fix it?

Frank pauses; he was waiting for that question.

FRANK:

We could end the Cold War.

PEGGY:

You’re insane.

FRANK:

I’m not insane, I’m ignorant. All

I’ve ever wanted was to make a

difference. To help this country be

what everyone wants it so badly to

be. And yeah, maybe I wanted people

to tell me what a good job I was

doing at it. I lost sight of the

point. But we can do this.

Peggy’s eyes narrow.

PEGGY:

Why did you just say ‘we’ to me?

FRANK:

Because I’m going to need your help.

She doesn’t say yes. But she doesn’t say ‘no’ either.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - HALLWAY - THE NEXT DAY

Peggy leads Frank through the White House with a Secret

Service escort. Frank wears a GUEST PASS.

PEGGY:

This is never going to work.

99.

FRANK:

Just stay in character.

INT. THE RESIDENCE - MINUTES LATER

The Residence is like any other luxury condo, except it’s in

the White House. Reagan leans back in a leather chair across

from Frank and Peggy, who looks at him as if for the first

time. Reagan does the same to her.

REAGAN:

I know you.

PEGGY:

I’m a writer, sir.

REAGAN:

A fine profession. Often the only

good people on a set.

She gives Frank a look, which he knows he deserves.

FRANK:

I know we didn’t leave our last

project on the best of terms.

REAGAN:

Picture took a turn that just wasn’t

me. That’s show business sometimes.

FRANK:

I hope you’ll give me another

chance. I thought you were great as

the President. How would you like

to play another one?

Reagan gestures, “I’m listening.”

FRANK (CONT’D)

John F. Kennedy. One of the

greatest presidents of all time. A

national hero.

PEGGY:

...I mean, he was a Democrat...

FRANK:

(snapping)

Let’s just agree in this case that

they’re pretty much all the same.

(back to Reagan)

He stared down Castro, he inspired

us to put a man on the moon...

100.

Frank leans forward. He’s been practicing this part.

FRANK (CONT’D)

...and he stood on the Berlin Wall

and told the world he was with them

all the way. Peggy has a great spin

on a biopic. Universal is interested.

PEGGY:

It needs a leading man like you.

You’d be perfect for it.

Frank watches Reagan’s wheels turn. He almost has him...

FRANK:

Although, the studio wants Lee

Marvin. Who’s very good...

REAGAN:

No, he’s all wrong. This picture

needs a hero. Someone with

credibility. I’ll run it by my agent.

Oh sh*t. That wasn’t a scenario they considered. Peggy and

Frank try not to look terrified...

REAGAN (CONT’D)

Ah the hell with it. I’m in.

FRANK:

Great. That’s great. We’ll start

production right away.

REAGAN:

I don’t have to do the accent, do I?

FRANK:

Nah, we were hoping you’d make it

‘More You.’

INT. AMERICAN EMBASSY, BERLIN - SUITE - JUNE 11, 1986 - NIGHT

Through the window, half the city emits vibrant light, while

the other looks almost pale.

Peggy sets up her typewriter. Frank brings her a coffee.

PEGGY:

Thanks.

FRANK:

It’s kinda what I do best. You okay?

101.

PEGGY:

I’ve written a ton of speeches.

This is the first one where I’m

actually nervous.

FRANK:

There’s no one better to write it.

I’m sure the President would agree.

Peggy takes a deep breath. And starts typing.

EXT. BERLIN - THE NEXT MORNING

The sun comes up over the divided city. The Berlin Wall

carves through the center.

INT. AMERICAN EMBASSY, BERLIN - SUITE - SAME

Peggy awakes from a brief sleep on the sofa to find Frank

typing changes to her speech.

PEGGY:

They always say ‘there’s no one

better to write a speech’ right

before they start making edits.

FRANK:

Just a couple little ideas I had.

PEGGY:

Are you a writer?

FRANK:

No, I’m a director.

She laughs. Looks over his shoulder.

PEGGY:

That’s not bad.

(sees something else)

Cut that.

FRANK:

That’s the whole speech.

PEGGY:

The president can’t say that. The

language is too strong.

FRANK:

Reagan is waiting for a heroic

moment. This is that moment.

102.

PEGGY:

Believe me, I get it. I’m just

telling you what the new Chief of

Staff is going to say.

FRANK:

Well, maybe he won’t say anything.

INT. AMERICAN EMBASSY, BERLIN - MAIN OFFICE - MINUTES LATER

White House Chief of Staff HOWARD BAKER (62, like an angry

raisin) looks up from Frank and Peggy’s draft.

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