Steve Jobs Page #17

SCULLEY:

Right there is the part that’s

bullshit, my friend, it was a

suicide, because you knew your

cards and I showed you mine, I

showed you mine and you did it

anyway.

QUICK CUT TO:

70 INT. CHRISANN’S KITCHEN - NIGHT 70

CHRISANN is arguing with STEVE while six-year-old LISA has

her face buried in her homework at the kitchen table. Rain is

beating against the windows.

CHRISANN:

Everything’s about her all of a

sudden. All the time. All she does

is come home and do homework and

study and ask to see you.

Everything’s about her.

Everything’s about you. And I’m the

maid.

STEVE:

I don’t think you’re the maid and I

guarantee you’re the only parent in

America who’s complaining about her

kid spending too much time

studying.

The DOORBELL RINGS-

STEVE (CONT’D)

Who comes over to your house this

late?

CHRISANN exits the kitchen to get the door. STEVE looks at

LISA...

STEVE (CONT’D)

(quietly--confidentially)

It’s almost 10.

(MORE)

STEVE JOBS - Shooting Script 03/19/15 118.

70 CONTINUED:
70

STEVE (CONT’D)

When you finish with that you

should get ready for bed, okay?

LISA:

Can I live with you?

What? STEVE’s stunned by the question that was

heartbreakingly sincere and simple and came out of nowhere...

He’s about to say something--anything--when CHRISANN comes

back in with ANDY HERTZFELD.

ANDY:

I tried your house first. Sculley’s

called an emergency meeting of the

board.

STEVE’s still thinking about what LISA just asked-

STEVE:

(pause)

Wait, what?

ANDY:

Sculley’s getting the board

together.

STEVE:

When?

ANDY:

Right now.

STEVE:

He’s supposed to be on his way to

China.

ANDY shakes his head “no”-

STEVE (CONT’D)

Somebody told him.

(to CHRISANN)

I have to go to--she should get

ready for bed when she’s done with

this.

CHRISANN:

Good tip.

STEVE:

(to LISA)

I’m sorry. Lees?...I have to go.

STEVE JOBS - Shooting Script 03/19/15 119.

70 CONTINUED:
70

STEVE and ANDY head out as we-

CUT BACK TO:

71 INT. BALCONY LOBBY - SAME TIME 71

SCULLEY:

What’d you think I was gonna do?

I’m okay losing but I’m not gonna

forfeit.

STEVE:

I’m not okay losing.

QUICK CUT TO:

72 INT. APPLE BOARD ROOM - NIGHT 72

Rain is beating against the windows. BOARD MEMBERS are there

in various different dress--some from an evening out. STEVE

stands to the side while SCULLEY addresses the board -

SCULLEY:

We’re losing market share and the

Mac is losing money. Our only hope

is the Apple II which is stagnating

because of it’s soon-to-be-obsolete

DOS. Users are already rigging

their machines to run with the CP/M

operating system that’s been built

to run on Intel. I can’t put it

more simply than this--we need to

put our resources into updating the

Apple II.

STEVE:

By taking resources from the Mac.

SCULLEY:

It’s failing, that’s a fact.

STEVE:

It’s overpriced.

SCULLEY:

There is no evidence-

STEVE:

I’m the evidence! I am the world’s

leading expert on the Mac, John,

what’s your resume?!

STEVE JOBS - Shooting Script 03/19/15 120.

72 CONTINUED:
72

SCULLEY:

You’re issuing contradictory

instructions, you’re insubordinate,

you make people miserable, our top

engineers are fleeing to Sun, Dell,

HP--Wall Street doesn’t know who’s

driving the bus, we’ve lost

hundreds of millions in value and

I’m the CEO of Apple, Steve, that’s

my resume!

STEVE:

But before that you sold carbonated

sugar water, right? I sat in a

f***in’ garage with Wozniak and

invented the future because artists

lead and hacks ask for a show of

hands.

The board is tense...even a little bit scared...except

SCULLEY, who just takes a breath, takes a beat and says-

SCULLEY:

(pause)

Alright, well...this guy’s outta

control. I’m perfectly willing to

hand in my resignation tonight. But

if you want me to stay you can’t

have Steve. He’ll have to sever any

connection to Apple. Settle him

out. He can keep a share of stock

so he gets our newsletter.

(pause)

I’m dead serious, I’d like the

secretary to call for a vote.

The BOARD MEMBERS look at STEVE, who leans against the

wall...

STEVE:

(pause--then evenly to the

board )

I f***ing dare you.

CUT BACK TO:

STEVE JOBS - Shooting Script 03/19/15 121121.

73 INT. BALCONY LOBBY - SAME TIME 73

SCULLEY:

You’ve done an outstanding job over

the years of cultivating the press

and by that I mean manipulating it

‘cause none of them, and none of

their editors, and none of the

editors’ publishers, to this day,

have any idea that you forced it.

That you forced the board even

after I told you exactly what

they’d do. Which is exactly what

they did. Unanimously.

STEVE:

I don’t have any trouble

remembering that, John, because of

it being the worst night of my life

and I forced a vote because I

believed I was right, I still

believe I’m right...and I’m right.

I bled that night and I don’t

bleed. But time’s done its thing

and I really haven’t thought about

it in a while. I absolutely

understand why you’re upset and I

want people to know the truth too.

SCULLEY looks at STEVE...he’s lying.

JOANNA (O.S.)

It’s time.

STEVE:

(calling to JOANNA)

Got it.

SCULLEY:

(pause)

You’re gonna end me, aren’t you.

STEVE smiles...

STEVE:

(smiles--almost laughs)

You’re being ridiculous. I’m gonna

sit center court and watch you do

it yourself. Then I’m gonna order a

nice meal with a ‘55 Margaux and

sign some autographs.

STEVE JOBS - Shooting Script 03/19/15 122.

73 CONTINUED:
73

SCULLEY:

Jesus (Christ).

STEVE:

(over)

You want my help, Pepsi Generation?

Don’t send Woz out to slap me

around in the press. Anybody else.

You, Markkula, Arthur Rock, anyone

but Rainman. Don’t manipulate him

like that. Whatever you may think

I’m always gonna protect him.

JOANNA (O.S.)

Come on, Steve.

STEVE:

That’s what men do. I can’t start

late.

STEVE exits out into-

74 INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS 74

--where JOANNA’s waiting. They walk down the corridor in

silence for a few moments before-

STEVE:

I don’t think there was any way to

detect a chip on my shoulder.

JOANNA:

Did you know back at Bandley, the

Mac team gave an award every year

to the person who could stand up to

you?

STEVE:

No.

JOANNA:

I won three years in a row.

STEVE:

Cool.

They walk through a door and are-

75 INT. BACKSTAGE - CONTINUOUS 75

--where JOANNA pushes STEVE up against the closest wall.

STEVE JOBS - Shooting Script 03/19/15 123.

75 CONTINUED:
75

STEVE:

What the hell-

JOANNA reaches into his pocket and pulls out the folded

MacWorld article.

JOANNA:

This--Guy Kawasaki in MacWorld--he

accidentally got it right, didn’t

he? You’ve been dragging your feet

on the NeXT OS until you can figure

out what Apple’s gonna need.

Again we can HEAR the rock concert energy of the audience

waiting for Steve...

Rate this script:3.7 / 3 votes