Reagan Page #17

HOWARD:

No f***ing way.

FRANK:

Hear me out for one second...

HOWARD:

I’m not having the president

provoke the Russians thirty feet

from their border.

Peggy gives Frank a ‘told you’ face.

FRANK:

Sir, it’s not really a provocation.

HOWARD:

Don’t bullshit me. I’m not Don

Regan or any of the other bozos who

are now pumping gas somewhere. I

was hired to clean up their mess,

not to ruffle Russian feathers.

FRANK:

It’s not a challenge, it’s an

invitation to meet us in the

middle. Reopen the dialogue from

Geneva, make history-

HOWARD:

The next president can worry about

peace with the Russians. We’re

running out the clock. Let’s get

him out there, wave some flags, and

get back on a plane. You want

history? Check out a museum.

He clomps out. Frank punches the desk.

103.

PEGGY:

It’s still a good speech.

FRANK:

He’s saying that line.

PEGGY:

Howard won’t let that happen.

FRANK:

He’s saying that line.

Frank is vigilant. Now he just needs a plan.

EXT. BERLIN - DAY

West German POLIZEI escort the Presidential Motorcade.

INT. LIMO - SAME

Reagan looks out the window. Frank sits next to him with

Peggy, across from Howard and a few Secret Service.

REAGAN:

Who has pages for me?

PEGGY:

Here they are, sir.

Before she can hand them over, Howard gives Reagan a packet.

HOWARD:

These have been proofed, Mr.

President.

(pointedly to Frank)

Don’t want any typos in there.

Frank forces a smile. One-nothing Howard.

EXT. BRANDENBURG GATE - DAY

The stage is in front of the passage between the two

Germanies. SPECTATORS flood the area with West German and

American FLAGS. Military leaders surround a podium.

Offstage, Howard keeps an eye on Frank, who picks lint off

Reagan’s wardrobe. Frank has to mask his ‘direction.’

FRANK:

So just be John Kennedy. Strong.

Heroic. ‘Ich bin ein Berliner.’

104.

REAGAN:

That apparently means ‘I am a

cheese danish.’

FRANK:

Yeah well, we took some creative

liberties with the dialogue. Keep

going no matter what.

Frank watches a STAFFER set the SCRIPT on the podium. He

suddenly cracks a wry grin. What does he see...?

His patience up, Howard leans in to Reagan.

HOWARD:

It’s time, Mr. President.

As soon as he’s out of earshot, Frank whispers:

FRANK:

Line producer.

REAGAN:

Ah. That explains a lot.

The crowd grows in excitement, as Reagan prepares to walk out

on stage. But doesn’t. He waits. And waits.

HOWARD:

What are you waiting for, sir?

REAGAN:

Is this some sort of joke? I don’t

see a mark on the stage.

HOWARD:

A mark? Just go to the podium.

FRANK:

(feigned outrage)

Oh Jesus Christ, did no one set the

President’s mark? Do I have to do

everything myself?

He walks out on stage, removing BLUE TAPE from his pocket.

Puts an X in tape behind the podium. And then he takes a pen

to the speech. Peggy’s jaw drops. Howard is furious.

HOWARD:

What’s he doing? Someone stop him!

Secret Service agents briskly walk to Frank and pull him away

from the podium. Right as they carry him offstage:

105.

FRANK:

(to Reagan)

Action, sir.

HOWARD:

No, Mr. President. Wait!

But he’s not the director. The President glides onstage to

applause. Howard fumes at Frank.

FRANK:

He likes to know where to stand.

HOWARD:

Get off my stage. You’ll never work

in politics again.

Frank looks right at Peggy when he says:

FRANK:

I don’t need to.

He exits through the back. It’s show time.

Onstage, Reagan delivers a ‘Kennedy-esque’ perfomance.

REAGAN:

We come to Berlin, we American

Presidents, because it's our duty to

speak, in this place, of freedom.

Frank finds a spot at the end of the crowd to watch. He sees

Peggy nervously watching the speech of her life.

REAGAN (CONT’D)

There is one sign the Soviets can

make that would be unmistakable,

that would advance dramamicly-

Peggy winces at the stutter. The world does too.

FRANK:

Don’t stop. Do not stop...

For a moment, it looks like Reagan wants a new take. But...

REAGAN:

Er...dramatically, the cause of

freedom and peace. General

Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek

peace and prosperity for the Soviet

Union and Eastern Europe, if you

seek liberalization, come to this

gate. Mr. Gorbachev...

106.

Reagan turns the page on his speech. In handwritten ink, he

sees Frank’s note: ‘OPEN THIS GATE, TEAR DOWN THIS WALL!’

Reagan pauses. This is his hero moment.

REAGAN (CONT’D)

Open this gate.

Shock and scattered applause rips through the crowd.

Howard glares at Peggy, who tries to hold her celebration.

Reagan makes a quick performance adjustment: SELL IT!

REAGAN (CONT’D)

Mr. Gorbachev:
tear down this wall!

The place erupts in jubilant applause. The military leaders

on stage join in. Peggy practically jumps with cheers. She

tries to find Frank in the audience. Unsuccessfully.

Anonymously blended into the ecstatic crowd, Frank watches as

Howard slowly starts to clap as well.

FRANK:

Now he nailed it...

INT. DON REGAN’S HOUSE - SAME

Don watches his TV, speechless.

INT. CASPAR’S HOUSE - SAME

Caspar is in shock. Never speechless.

CASPAR:

Motherf***er...

INT. THE KREMLIN, MOSCOW - PREMIER’S OFFICE - SAME

Gorbachev watches as well. Absorbs the moment.

EXT. BRANDENBURG GATE - SAME

Reagan embraces the applause of an adoring audience, milking

the shot for all its worth, back in the role of a hero.

107.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - CONFERENCE ROOM - DECEMBER 8, 1987

Surrounded by PRESS and SECURITY, Gorbachev and Reagan ratify

the INF Treaty, ending long range nuclear missiles on planet

earth. They shake hands, warmly.

REAGAN:

Call me ‘Ron’.

GORBACHEV:

Call me ‘Mikhail’.

REAGAN:

...Why?

Gorbachev laughs and slaps Reagan on the back. Both the KGB

and Secret Service put one hand on their guns, until they

realize it was friendly. This will take some getting used to.

EXT. MEMORIAL STADIUM, BALTIMORE - APRIL 4, 1988

A clear sky for Opening Day of the Baltimore Orioles.

The Corden Family sits in a LUXURY BOX. Gladys chats with the

MAN next to her.

GLADYS:

So, my son got us these seats. He

has friends in Congress...

Marcy sits next to an enthralled Brandon, who talks to his

now TWO YEAR OLD SISTER.

BRANDON:

That’s Eddie Murray. I’m going to

be him one day.

MARCY:

You want us to start calling you

Eddie Murray?

BRANDON:

No. I just want to be like him.

Henry and Frank flank their father, who’s in heaven.

JACK:

Thirty years I’ve been coming here.

Never been in a luxury box.

HENRY:

First for me too.

108.

FRANK:

You’re a little higher up, but you

can see the whole field better.

JACK:

It’s gotta be neat for Cal Senior

to have both his kids on the team.

Gotta be proud...

Henry and Frank know what he means. Before it gets TOO real:

JACK (CONT’D)

How do you get a hot dog in the

luxury-whatever?

FRANK:

I’ll be right back.

He heads for the Suite.

INT. MEMORIAL STADIUM - LUXURY SUITE - SAME

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