Reagan Page #3

EXT. US CAPITOL - JANUARY 21, 1985

The MALL is packed with press and hopeful audience members.

INT. US CAPITOL - SECURITY AREA

Frank hands his ID to a cheery VOLUNTEER, who writes a

nametag for him:
‘FRANK C.”.

VOLUNTEER:

‘Frank Corden.’ There we go. Now

everyone will know who you are!

FRANK:

You don’t spell out the last name?

VOLUNTEER:

Honey, I doubt anybody’s gonna call

you ‘Mister.’

Frank knows she has a point.

INT. US CAPITOL - ROTUNDA

Bruce Springsteen’s ‘BORN IN THE USA’ blasts over the P.A.

system. The CROWD and PRESS are set. CONGRESSMEN are in

bleachers behind a PODIUM bearing the seal of the President.

CHIEF JUSTICE WARREN BURGER waits onstage. Checks his watch.

13.

In the wings, Frank stands next to MATT G (so says his

nametag), who rocks out to the song.

MATT G:

Oh yeah! It’s great rock stars are

writing love songs to America.

That’s Reagan, man. Doesn’t happen

without Ronald Reagan.

FRANK:

This song’s about Vietnam.

MATT G:

No it’s not. It’s about being an

American, man.

FRANK:

Listen to the lyrics. Not just the

chorus.

MATT G:

The chorus is all I need.

Burger walks up to them.

BURGER:

Are we gonna swear somebody in here

or what?

FRANK:

The President must still be getting

ready, sir.

BURGER:

Can you find out what the hold up

is? Otherwise, I’m making my balls

president. Which is something I

really could do.

Frank looks at Matt, who’s stuck in a sing-a-long.

FRANK:

Sure, I’ll check.

He leaves. Matt keeps singing.

MATT G:

‘Sent me off to a foreign land / To

go and kill...the...yellow...’

(realizing)

Huh.

(snapping back to rockin’)

‘Bornnnnn in the U.S.A! / I was...’

14.

INT. US CAPITOL - HALLWAY

Frank weaves through the marble halls. He turns a corner and

spots Karl waiting outside a door.

FRANK:

Sh*t...

KARL:

Hey, Frankie! Still gophing, I see.

FRANK:

I don’t have time for this, Karl.

Any idea where the President is?

KARL:

Right behind this door.

FRANK:

...What? Really?

KARL:

Yep. I’m on James Baker’s team;

White House Chief of Staff. Top of

the heap. The view from up here,

Frankie, I can see your Mom’s house.

Karl’s casual pride snaps to attentive subservience as CASPAR

WEINBERGER (60s, intense, all Brylcreme and forehead veins),

opens the door.

CASPAR:

Hey Dipshit.

KARL:

Yes sir, Mr. Weinberger?

CASPAR:

Comb the building. We’re looking

for a guy named Mark.

KARL:

Mark...Mark... I know a Marcus,

couple of Mikes--

CASPAR:

Those aren’t ‘just as good’. The

President’s looking for someone

named f***ing ‘Mark.’

(to Frank)

You’re from the stage?

Frank nods nervously.

15.

CASPAR (CONT’D)

Delay them. Like an hour. Have ‘em

play another Lee Greenwood song.

FRANK:

I think he just has that one song.

CASPAR:

Then have him write a-fuckingnother

one! Something with

‘America’ and ‘God’ in the title;

it’s not motherfucking Mozart!

Frank peeks in the room behind Caspar. He sees Security

Adviser BUD MCFARLANE (46, narrow-shouldered and harried)

pleading with President RONALD REAGAN (73, he’s Reagan).

BUD:

Mr. President, we have to do the

Oath again. For the public.

REAGAN:

Mark was fine. Don’t tell me the

mark wasn’t fine.

The word echoes in Frank’s mind. He suddenly recalls his

brother’s speech about the commercial.

FRANK:

Oh, Mr. Weinberger. He doesn’t mean-

CASPAR:

Find me a f***ing Mark!

He slams the door. Karl trips over himself down the hall.

KARL:

Goddamn it, we gotta find Mark!

FRANK:

It’s not a person! It’s...

Karl is gone. Frank stares at the door. He could walk away.

Or he could fix this. He nervously knocks on the door. It

opens again. Caspar slides his head out incredulously slowly.

CASPAR:

(quietly)

I cannot for the life of me

understand why I’m looking at your

f***ing face right now. Did I die?

Am I in hell?

From inside the room, Don spots Frank.

16.

FRANK:

I’m sorry, sir. I...

DON:

Frank? You need something?

FRANK:

Mr. Regan, can I talk to you?

DON:

Let him in, Caspar.

Caspar reluctantly makes way for Frank to enter the room.

INT. US CAPITOL - OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

Frank walks into a room full of the most powerful people in

the country:
Weinberger holds the door for him. Don is next

to Deputy Security Adviser JOHN POINDEXTER (50, stern, Naval)

and Chief of Staff JAMES BAKER (55, hairplugs and nervous

eyes). Reagan and McFarlane are still arguing.

REAGAN:

Don’t tell me I can’t find a mark!

Frank approaches the safety of his boss.

FRANK:

Mr. Regan, sir, I think I know what

the President is talking about.

DON:

You know Mark? Where is he?

FRANK:

It’s not a guy. A ‘mark’ is an

acting thing.

POINDEXTER:

He should not be in here, Don.

DON:

Hold on. An acting thing?

FRANK:

It’s where he’s supposed to stand.

BUD:

Mr. President, we have to go now!

REAGAN:

Why, Bud? Give me one good reason why.

17.

The words leave Frank before he realizes it:

FRANK:

There was a plane in the shot!

The room turns toward Frank. Reagan glares at this new face.

REAGAN:

What was that?

FRANK:

We had a plane fly by. The noise

ruined the whole day. We have to do

the...scene again.

Reagan eyes Frank, who has no idea if that was a mistake.

REAGAN:

(beat)

Bullshit.

FRANK:

I’m sorry, sir, I shouldn’t have-

REAGAN:

The scene was perfect. There was no

plane. There were no problems.

What’s this picture about anyway?

BUD:

You’re the President, for Christ’s

sake!

REAGAN:

Eh, another one of those. Send the

script to my trailer. Along with a

pack a’ Lucky Strikes and maybe a

bottom-heavy stewardess.

BUD:

Oh my god...This isn’t happening.

Frank flashes suddenly on his father. And the ‘Transformer.’

FRANK:

You’re right. There wasn’t a plane.

You missed your mark.

REAGAN:

This again? I told you-

FRANK:

I saw the tape. We lost an entire

day of shooting as a result.

(MORE)

18.

FRANK (CONT'D)

I was trying to be nice, but you’re

not letting me. Time is money, Mr.

Pr...Reagan, and you’re costing us

both. Do it again!

REAGAN:

I don’t know who you think you are-

Frank gets in Reagan’s face.

FRANK:

Do it again! And hit your mark,

Ronnie, or you’re f***ing fired!

The room is stunned silent. Caspar leans to a SECRET SERVICE.

CASPAR:

Do we shoot him?

Reagan’s eyes go to the ‘FRANK C’ nametag. He stares at

Frank. Then suddenly buttons his jacket.

REAGAN:

You’re the boss, Mr. Capra.

FRANK:

You’re right. I am the boss.

(to the room)

Can we replace Ronnie’s mark on the

stage, please?

No one moves. Frank feigns frustration.

FRANK (CONT’D)

Oh, what, do I need to do

everything myself? Who has tape?

Someone give me some tape!

Bud jumps and hands him a roll of MASKING TAPE from a desk.

FRANK (CONT’D)

Thank you. I’ll be out on the set.

Bring him in five minutes. I’m not

waiting one second longer!

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