Rushmore Page #4

MAX:

Ah, that's interesting. Did you hear they're not going to

teach Latin here anymore?

MISS CROSS:

This was more like Central America.

MAX:

(pause)

Sure. Central America and whatnot. But moving on: they're

gonna cancel Latin. They've got to make room for Japanese.

MISS CROSS:

Really? That's too bad. All the Romance Languages come from

Latin.

MAX:

They do, don't they?

(pause)

Like French, probably.

She nods. She smiles.

MISS CROSS:

Nihilo sanctum estne?

MAX:

That's Latin, isn't it?

MISS CROSS:

Yeah.

MAX:

What does it mean?

MISS CROSS:

Is nothing sacred?

Long pause. Looking right at her.

MAX:

Sic transit gloria. Glory fades. I'm Max Fischer.

Max slides down the bench and puts out his hand.

MISS CROSS:

Hi.

They shake hands.

INT. LUNCHROOM. DAY

A crowd of MIDDLE SCHOOLERS has gathered around Max. He is

holding a clipboard. One of the kids finishes signing a

piece of paper on it.

MAX:

Good. Now you.

(points to the next kid)

Sign here.

The kid signs.

INSERT PIECE OF PAPER:

A long list of signatures. Many of them are written in

little kid's handwriting. Some are neater. Across the top,

it says PETITION. This is written in calligraphy.

CUT TO:

The administration conference room. TEN TEACHERS sit in

chairs around a long table. Max stands before them finishing

a speech. The petition is tacked-up on the wall behind him.

MAX:

In summation, I have only one question: is Latin dead?

Nisilum sacnus (pause, looks at his notecards) estne? Only

you can say. Thank you for your time.

Applause.

INSERT ANNOUCEMENT:

Thanks to part of the efforts of 10th class member Max

Fischer, Latin will now be a required course for grades 7

through

INT. HALLWAY. DAY

Max and a bunch of other kids are reading this announcement

on the bulletin board. Max is smiling serenely. The others

are cursing and looking at Max with angry faces. Magnus

Buchan is one of them. He has a strong Scottish accent.

MAGNUS:

Bugger off, Fischer. Ya bleedin' little bollocks.

MAX:

Is that Latin?

Not bad, Buchan. Maybe you'll place out of your first year.

INT. GYM. DAY

Mr. Blume's son Ronny is in a wrestling mach. He has his

opponent in a chokehold and is slowly strangling him. Mr.

Blume looks on distastefully from the stands. Max is at his

side.

MR BLUME:

What does your dad do, Max?

MAX:

(frankly)

He's a neurosurgeon. Over at St. Joseph's. Personally, I

could never see myself cutting open somebody's brain. But he

seems to enjoy it.

Max shrugs. Mr. Blume nods.

MAX:

You were in Vietnam, if I'm not mistaken, weren't you?

Mr. Blume nods. Max thinks for a minute.

MAX:

Were you in the sh*t?

MR BLUME:

Yeah. I was in the sh*t.

They look back out at the wrestling match. Ronny is crushing

his opponent's face into the mat with his fist. Mr. Blume

shakes his head.

MR BLUME:

Tell me something, Max. What do you think of Ronny and

Donny?

MAX:

(automatically)

I like them.

MR BLUME:

(surprised)

Really?

MAX:

Sure.

Ronny flips his opponent on the mat and flattens him with

his body. Donny screams encouragement.

MR BLUME:

No. You're right. They're good kids.

Max nods solemnly.

WRESTLER:

See you Sunday, Mr. Blume.

A stocky Wrestler with an ice pack on his arm walks by on

his way to the showers. Mr. Blume nods to him without

looking up.

MAX:

What's Sunday?

Mr. Blume looks to Max. Silence.

MR BLUME:

The twins are having a birthday party. And I'd love it if -

MAX:

Oh, that's right. Yeah. I'm not going to be able to make it

to that one.

Max smiles very sincerely. Silence.

MR BLUME:

Come work for me.

MAX:

(stiffens)

What do you mean?

MR BLUME:

I mean, I could use somebody like you. I could -

MAX:

I may not be rich, Mr. Blume. And my father may only be a

doctor. But we manage.

MR BLUME:

(hesitates)

I didn't mean it like that. I just -

MAX:

No, thank you. I mean, I appreciate the offer. But I've got

everything I need right here at Rushmore. Besides, it

wouldn't be fair.

REFEREE:

110s!

MAX:

Excuse me, Mr. Blume. Nice talking with you.

Max pulls off his blazer. He is wearing wrestling tights

underneath. Mr. Blume looks surprised.

MR BLUME:

You're on the team?

MAX:

(shrugs)

I'm an alternate.

Max heads out to the mat, pulling on his headgear. Mr. Blume

calls after him:

MR. BLUME

What wouldn't be fair, Max?

MAX:

(smiles crookedly)

We'd make way too much money working on the same team.

Mr. Blume smiles faintly. He watches as Max begins his

match. Max is outclassed and quickly gets pinned.

INT. HALLWAY - DAY

Miss Cross is shepherding her class into her classroom. They

are singing a song as they walk down the corridor. Across

the hall, a fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Guggenheim, comes out

of her classroom. She is a handsome woman in her late

sixties with black and silver hair.

MISS CROSS:

Hello, Mrs. Guggenheim.

MRS GUGGENHEIM:

Hi, Rosemary. Did you find a place?

MISS CROSS:

Well, I'm just staying over at Edward's parents' house for

now. They're out of town.

MRS GUGGENEHIM:

Oh. That's good.

(pause)

Edward was one of my students, you know.

Miss Cross smiles and nods. Silence. Miss Cross points to a

photograph in a collage on a wall.

MISS CROSS:

I think I met that boy yesterday.

Mrs. Guggenheim looks at the picture.

INSERT PHOTOGRAPH:

It is black and white of Max in fifth grade singing a show

tune. His arms are opened wide and he has a top hat in one

hand and cane in the other.

MRS GUGGENHEIM:

(frowns)

That's Max Fischer. How'd you get mixed up with him?

MISS CROSS:

He introduced himself to me. I liked him, actually.

MRS GUGGENHEIM:

(resigned)

Yeah, I know. So do I.

EXT. COUNTRY CLUB - DAY

Ronny and Donny set upon a pile of birthday presents at a

table by the pool. They are surrounded by kids in swimsuits.

Mr. Blume sits alone at the next table drinking a whiskey in

front of the demolished birthday cake. He has a tattoo on

his shoulder that says Semper Fi. There is a bucket of golf

balls in front of him and he absently tosses them into the

pool one at a time.

He looks over at Mrs. Blume. She has red hair just like the

twins. She is flirting with a pretty boy Tennis Pro. She

looks back to Mr. Blume coldly.

Mr. Blume gets up and walks around the pool. He pauses to

shake hands with a Big Man drinking a glass of Scotch. The

big man gives Mr. Blume a sudden shove toward the pool, but

hangs on to him so he doesn't fall in. The big man laughs.

Mr. Blume climbs up the ladder to the high dive. He sets

down his cocktail. He slips and falls and bangs his knee

hard on the edge of the board. He gets up quickly. There is

a bad cut on his knee and he is bleeding. He looks out at

the birthday party down below.

People begin to notice him up there.

He sprints down the board, bounces once as high as he can,

and sails out long through the air. He tucks into a cannon

ball. He nails the water with a huge splash.

Mrs. Blume gets up with a bitter look on her face and heads

for the ladies' room.

Kids gather at the edge of the pool to look down at Mr.

Blume playing dead at the bottom with golf balls all around

him. A little boy in a Speedo underwear swims to examine Mr.

Blume. Their eyes meet. The boy turns and swims away.

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